Vk x260k

Observations were made four weeks after germination (10–12 replicates plants per genotype). Plant heights were measured manually from the soil level to the apical meristem, and the number of leaves per plant was counted. Compactness was calculated by dividing the number of leaves by the plant height. Leaf thickness was measured using a Mitutoyo 500 series digital caliper (Mitutoyo America Corporation, USA) by measuring thickness at five different points on the fifth leaf below the apical meristem and averaging these values per plant. Images of stomata were captured on both the abaxial and adaxial surfaces of the fifth leaf of four-week old plants under 20× magnification using a 3D laser scanning confocal microscope (VK-X260K, Keyence Corporation, USA). The imaging Z-range was adjusted for each sample in order to capture all the stomata in the field of view (712×534 µm²) that was being measured. Stomata were manually marked in the digital images, and then counted using MultiFileAnalyzer software (Keyence Corporation, USA). For each biological replicate, three separate images were captured from each leaf surface (abaxial and adaxial), and the numbers of stomata in these subsamples were averaged before analysis.

A 3D Keyence Laser Microscope (LSCM, VK-X260K, Keyence, USA) was used to evaluate the surface morphology and topography of the guide. 3D measurement data were analyzed with Keyence’s Multi-File Analyzer software. Samples were examined in the following order: polymer laminate before saturation with PVP, polymer laminate after saturation with PVP. Both sets of samples were examined using 20X lens and 100X lens.