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Stem xylem traits and wood formation affect sex-specific responses to drought and rewatering in Populus cathayana
- Source :
- Tree physiology. 42(7)
- Publication Year :
- 2021
-
Abstract
- The increased frequency and intensity of drought pose great threats to the survival of trees, especially in dioecious tree species with sexual differences in mortality and biased sex ratios. The sex-specific mechanisms underlying stem xylem anatomy and function and carbon metabolism in drought resistance and recovery were investigated in dioecious Populus cathayana Rehder. The sex-specific drought resistance and subsequent recovery were linked to the xylem anatomy and carbon metabolism. Females had a greater xylem vessel area per vessel, biomass and theoretically hydraulic efficiency under well-watered conditions. Conversely, males had a lower xylem lumen area, but greater vessel numbers, and a higher cell wall thickness, suggesting a theoretically conservative water-use strategy and drought resistance. The recovery of photosynthetic ability after drought in males was largely dependent on the recovery of xylem function and the regulation of the xylem carbohydrate metabolism. Additionally, the number of upregulated genes related to xylem cell wall biogenesis was greater in males relative to females under drought stress and subsequent rewatering, which facilitated drought resistance and xylem function restoration in males. These results suggested that sex-specific drought resistance and restoration were related to xylem anatomy and function, carbohydrate metabolism and cell turgor maintenance.
- Subjects :
- STRESS
hydraulic safety
Physiology
drought
Plant Science
Trees
ROOT
Xylem
Animals
TREE
4112 Forestry
fungi
1184 Genetics, developmental biology, physiology
food and beverages
Water
rewatering
hydraulic efficiency
RECOVERY
EMBOLISM
11831 Plant biology
dioecy
Wood
ANATOMY
Carbon
Droughts
NITROGEN
Populus
HYDRAULIC STRATEGIES
xylem anatomy
STARCH
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 17584469
- Volume :
- 42
- Issue :
- 7
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Tree physiology
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....527068c72079c61e6feede8da0a7bade