scholarly journals Water Potential Gradients in Field Tobacco

1970 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 343-346 ◽  
Author(s):  
John E. Begg ◽  
Neil C. Turner
1982 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 499 ◽  
Author(s):  
BD Millar

Pressure chamber evaluations of xylem sap pressure potential (P) and thermocouple psychrometric evaluations of average water potential (Ψl) in needles from both transpiring and non-transpiring pine trees (Pinus radiata D. Don) were compared in order to determine the relative accuracy and usefulness of these methods for assessing Ψl. Markedly different but linear P v. Ψl relationships were obtained for pine needles of different age and also for the case where resin exudation masked the xylem and led to a 'resin error'. Evidence suggests that these differences are mainly due to injection and resin errors in pressure chamber determinations totalling as much as 1 MPa (a 10 bar). The psychrometric method appears to be the much more accurate. Radial water potential gradients across leaves did not result in differences between evaluations of P and Ψl, at least in P. radiata. The need for multiple 'calibrations' of the pressure chamber and the fundamental uncertainty about the constancy of such calibrations on the one hand and the slowness of the excised-needle psychrometer on the other can restrict the usefulness of these methods.


2020 ◽  
Vol 71 (22) ◽  
pp. 7316-7330
Author(s):  
Ying Li ◽  
Wei Yuan ◽  
Luocheng Li ◽  
Hui Dai ◽  
Xiaolin Dang ◽  
...  

Abstract Hydrotropism is the directed growth of roots toward the water found in the soil. However, mechanisms governing interactions between hydrotropism and gravitropism remain largely unclear. In this study, we found that an air system and an agar–sorbitol system induced only oblique water-potential gradients; an agar–glycerol system induced only vertical water-potential gradients; and a sand system established both oblique and vertical water-potential gradients. We employed obliquely oriented and vertically oriented experimental systems to study hydrotropism in Arabidopsis and tomato plants. Comparative analyses using different hydrotropic systems showed that gravity hindered the ability of roots to search for obliquely oriented water, whilst facilitating roots’ search for vertically oriented water. We found that the gravitropism-deficient mutant aux1 showed enhanced hydrotropism in the oblique orientation but impaired root elongation towards water in the vertical orientation. The miz1 mutant exhibited deficient hydrotropism in the oblique orientation but normal root elongation towards water in the vertical orientation. Importantly, in contrast to miz1, the miz1/aux1 double mutant exhibited hydrotropic bending in the oblique orientation and attenuated root elongation towards water in the vertical orientation. Our results suggest that gravitropism is required for MIZ1-regulated root hydrotropism in both the oblique orientation and the vertical orientation, providing further insight into the role of gravity in root hydrotropism.


1975 ◽  
Vol 55 (4) ◽  
pp. 941-948 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. A. DUBÉ ◽  
K. R. STEVENSON ◽  
G. W. THURTELL ◽  
H. H. NEUMANN

Determinations of plant resistance to water flow from measurements of leaf water potential at steady transpiration rates were made on different lines of corn (Zea mays L.). Two inbreds, Q188, a wilting mutant, and DR1, an inbred line shown to have at least some heat and drought tolerance under field conditions, were compared to a commercial single-cross hybrid, United 106. The purpose of the experiment was to isolate the cause of the wilting characteristic of Q188. A linear relationship was found between leaf water potential and transpiration rate for all lines. No water potential gradients were found at zero transpiration. Low total plant resistances were observed in United 106 and DR1, with the major resistance being in the root system in both genotypes. Although the resistance to water movement through the roots and lower stalk in Q188 did not appear to differ from those of the other lines, a much larger resistance was found in the upper stalk of Q188; resistance to water movement through the lower stalk (up to node 5) decreased as the plants matured from 55 to 70 days of age but no comparable changes occurred in the upper portions of the stem. In vivo detection of the xylem vessels with staining techniques confirmed the observed differences in resistances.


2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam B. Roddy ◽  
Craig R. Brodersen

AbstractAngiosperm flowers are remarkably diverse anatomically and morphologically, yet they all must satisfy the physiological constraints of supplying sufficient amounts of water and carbon effectively promote pollination. Flowers often occur in the hottest, driest parts of the plant canopy and can face harsh abiotic conditions. Prior evidence suggests that extant species vary dramatically in how water is delivered to flowers, with some evidence that water may be imported into flowers by the phloem. Here we measured midday water potential gradients between flowers, leaves, and stems often phylogenetically diverse species. We further tested the likelihood of xylem-hydration by measuring rates of rehydration after experimentally induced desiccation. There was no significant difference in rehydration rates between leaves and flowers. These results are consistent with xylem-hydration of flowers and suggest that there has been little modification to the mechanisms of water transport despite the diversity of floral form.


HortScience ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 33 (7) ◽  
pp. 1145-1146
Author(s):  
Tommy E. Thompson

Variability in soluble solids concentration (SSC, °Brix) in liquid endosperm (LE) among individual pecan [Carya illinoinensis (Wangenh.) K. Koch] fruits and among fruits from different trees and cultivars using a sugar refractometer was determined at College Station, Texas, in 1997. Repeatability of readings from LE from the same fruit was excellent. Fruits from the same tree did not vary for SSC, but significant differences among clones were common. Soluble solids concentration appears to decrease as the fruit matures. The SSC values for two full-sib clones (one susceptible to water split and one resistant to water split) were similar. This information discounts the possibility that high osmotic water potential gradients alone induce the water split phenomenon. A wide range of SSC percents was recorded. A low of 0.5% was recorded for LE from a `Houma' fruit, while 6.1% was recorded for LE from a fruit from a drought-stressed `Burkett' tree.


1983 ◽  
Vol 61 (8) ◽  
pp. 2105-2111 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. T. Tyree ◽  
M. E. D. Graham ◽  
K. E. Cooper ◽  
L. J. Bazos

Leaf specific conductivities (LSC's) were measured on stem segments excised from various points within the canopy of eastern white cedar trees, Thuja occidentalis L. LSC is defined as the water flow rate (kilograms per second) through a stem caused by a unit of pressure potential gradient (megapascals per metre) per unit leaf surface area supplied by the stem (square metres). LSC's were measured on stems of various diameters and were found to vary over a factor of 30 in magnitude from 1 × 10−5 kg s−1 m−1 MPa−1 for stems 1 mm in diameter to 3 × 10−4 kg s−1 m−1 MPa−1 for stems 100 mm in diameter. LSC was found to be related to stem diameter (D (millimetres)) by the following empirical formula: LSC = 9.58 × 10−6 × D0.727. LSC's measured on stem segments including a node had significantly lower LSC's than internodal stem segments of the same length. Various water relations parameters were measured on cedar trees on a diurnal basis including evaporative flux, leaf resistance to evaporation, shoot water potential, air temperature, and air humidity. Water potential isotherms were also measured on excised green shoots. From the above data, we estimate that about 15% of the total water evaporated from green shoots comes from stored water while the shoot water potentials are growing progressively negative. The typical peak evaporative flux in midday was 1.5 × 10−5 kg s−1 m−2; using this value and our measured LSC's we estimate that the pressure potential gradients in the stems must be 50 kPa m−1 in stems 100 mm in diameter and 1500 kPa m−1 in stems 1 mm in diameter. Pressure potential gradients were measured in stems 30 to 50 mm in diameter by the pressure bomb technique and were found to be 69 kPa m−1 during a typical afternoon and this confirms the accuracy of the above estimates.


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