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Cortical Integrity Sustains Radial Hydraulic Conductivity Under Acute Salinity in Grapevine Roots.
Cesar Barrientos-Sanhueza1, Flavia Dorochesi1, Italo F Cuneo1
1Facultad de Ciencias Agronómicas y de los Alimentos, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile.
Physiologia Plantarum
|July 10, 2026
Summary
Grapevine roots under salinity show that preserving root structure, not just osmotic adjustment, is key for water transport. This helps maintain hydraulic conductivity and overall plant water flow.
Area of Science:
- Plant Physiology
- Plant Hydraulics
- Root Biology
Background:
- Salinity negatively impacts plant water transport by affecting root structure and water movement.
- The relative contribution of osmotic effects versus structural damage to hydraulic decline in woody crops like grapevines is not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between fine-root structural and hydraulic traits in grapevines under varying salinity levels.
- To differentiate the roles of osmotic adjustment and structural integrity in maintaining root hydraulic conductivity under salt stress.
Main Methods:
- Utilized root pressure probe measurements, exudation assays, and fluorescence microscopy.
- Quantified nighttime water flux using gravimetric methods.
- Exposed two native Chilean grapevine genotypes (R-65, R-70) and two commercial rootstocks (101-14Mgt, 110-R) to increasing NaCl concentrations (0–250 mM).
Main Results:
- Commercial rootstocks showed greater cortical disruption and hydraulic conductivity decline under severe salinity, despite higher root osmolality.
- Native genotypes R-65 and R-70 maintained higher hydraulic conductivity and cortical integrity, with increased barrier fluorescence.
- Hydraulic performance correlated more strongly with structural preservation than with osmotic accumulation magnitude.
Conclusions:
- Cortical integrity is a critical factor for short-term hydraulic responses in grapevine roots exposed to salinity.
- Coordinated variation exists between root structure, hydraulic function, and whole-plant water flux under acute salinity stress.
- Hyper-arid-adapted genotypes demonstrate superior resilience to salinity-induced hydraulic impairment.
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