Title: Maturation of the tracheary elements in the roots of <i>Pinus banksiana</i> and <i>Eucalyptus grandis</i>
Abstract:Tracheary elements of the xylem are responsible for the longitudinal (axial) transport of water and ions that have moved radially across the root. These vessel members and (or) tracheids mature some d...Tracheary elements of the xylem are responsible for the longitudinal (axial) transport of water and ions that have moved radially across the root. These vessel members and (or) tracheids mature some distance behind the root tip, and it is generally believed that this distance is directly related to root growth rate. To test this idea, the distances behind the root tip at which tracheary elements of pouch-grown Pinus banksiana Lamb. and Eucalyptus grandis W. Hill ex Maiden mature were examined. From each species, three root tip types (white, brown, and ectomycorrhizal short lateral) were assessed. Unlike previous studies of this topic, two methods of testing tracheary element maturity were employed concurrently. The first was anatomical and involved visualizing the deposition of lignin in the walls of the tracheids or vessel members. The second was functional and consisted of determining the capability of the tracheary elements to conduct a fluorescent, tracer dye. The distance behind the root tip at which the conductive xylem cells mature varied from 0.16 to 1.6 mm and was highly dependent on species and root type. No significant correlation was found between growth rate and proximity of tracheary element maturation to the tip for white roots. The presence of lignin in the tracheary element wall was not a reliable indicator of the cell's functional maturity.Key words: conductivity, development, roots, tracheary elements, xylem.Read More
Publication Year: 2001
Publication Date: 2001-07-01
Language: en
Type: article
Indexed In: ['crossref']
Access and Citation
Cited By Count: 1
AI Researcher Chatbot
Get quick answers to your questions about the article from our AI researcher chatbot