Cavitation and its discontents: opportunities for resolving current controversies

Area of Science:

• Plant Biology
• Xylem Physiology
• Biophysics

Background:

• Cavitation is a known limitation on xylem structure and function.
• Recent findings challenge our current understanding of plant cavitation.
• Embolism formation and reversal in angiosperms require re-evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To re-examine cavitation and embolism formation in angiosperms at two distinct scales.
• To question the applicability of capillary failure models for air-seeding at pit membranes.
• To address methodological limitations in studying embolism dynamics in plant stems.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of air-seeding mechanisms at the pit membrane level.
• Review of methodologies for inferring embolism formation and reversal.
• Consideration of scale-dependent processes in xylem function.

Main Results:

• Current models of air-seeding via pit membranes may be insufficient.
• Methodological uncertainties impact the accurate assessment of embolism.
• A nuanced understanding of xylem structure-function relationships is needed.

Conclusions:

• Revisiting the physical models of cavitation is essential.
• Improved methodologies are required for accurate embolism detection and reversal studies.
• A fresh perspective on xylem structure-function is proposed, considering scale-dependent cavitation dynamics.