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Related Experiment Videos

Xylem wall collapse in water-stressed pine needles.

Hervé Cochard1, Fabienne Froux, Stefan Mayr

  • 1Unité Mixte de Recherche Physiologie Intégrée de l'Arbre Fruitier et Forestier, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique/Université Blaise Pascal, Site de Crouelle, 63039 Clermont-Ferrand, France. cochard@clermont.inra.fr

Plant Physiology
|December 6, 2003
PubMed
Summary

Pine tracheids collapse under drought stress, a phenomenon reversible upon rehydration. This xylem collapse threshold pressure varies with tracheid size and wall thickness, impacting plant water relations.

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Area of Science:

  • Plant Biology
  • Ecology
  • Forestry

Background:

  • Xylem conduits transport water under negative pressure, risking implosion.
  • Direct observation of xylem geometry changes during water stress is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze xylem geometry changes in pine needles during water stress.
  • To investigate the relationship between xylem collapse and cavitation.

Main Methods:

  • Examined xylem cross-sections of dehydrated pine needles using cryo-scanning electron microscopy and epifluorescence microscopy.
  • Assessed changes in tracheid structure and lumen integrity under varying water stress levels.

Main Results:

  • Drought-induced decrease in xylem pressure caused progressive tracheid collapse below a specific threshold pressure (P(collapse)).

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  • P(collapse) was more negative in species with smaller tracheid diameter and thicker walls, indicating a trade-off.
  • Tracheid wall collapse was reversible upon rehydration.

    • Conclusions:

    • Xylem collapse is a novel hydraulic trait in pines, influencing water transport and vulnerability.
    • The findings provide insights into pine water relations and drought tolerance mechanisms.