Analysis of factors governing water flow traits in fruiting plants twigs

We compared hydraulic traits of 18 tropical/subtropical fruit-producing species plants and a further 18 from temperate zone. Plants were classified into four categories by height: tall tree (>10 m), small tree (4–9 m), shrub (1–4 m) and vine. We measured ratios [(cross-section area of xylem)/(cross-section area of twig)], and the diameters and numbers of xylem vessels in microscopic images. We calculated the water flow index (WFI: Σ r 4 S −1 × xylem ratio, where, r is the vessel radius, and S is the xylem cross-section area) according to Hagen–Poiseuille's law. Vine had thick vessels and remarkably higher WFI than free-standing trees in both temperate and tropical fruit species. Vessel diameter increased as trees being taller in both in latitudinal groups. Xylem vessel number decreased with height in temperate fruit trees but not in tropical species. WFI increased with tree height of both latitudinal groups. There were no significant effects of latitude on WFI.