“…If mature phloem elements are damaged, massive callose synthesis occurs on the sieve plate, resulting in occlusion of the pores and retention of phloem contents behind the callose plugs (Evert and Derr, 1964;Hao et al, 2008;Mullendore et al, 2010). Indeed, because callose is formed very rapidly upon damage to the phloem, its existence in sieve plate pores in undamaged plants has been disputed in the past: some authors have argued that its presence is an artifact of sectioning and preparation techniques (Evert and Derr, 1964;Walsh and Melaragno, 1976;Spanner, 1978;Sjö lund, 1997; for summary, see van Bel, 2003). However, callose linings have been observed in sieve plate pores from a wide range of plant species and organs and with a range of techniques designed to minimize the possibility of callose synthesis during tissue preparation (Ehlers et al, 2000;van Bel et al, 2002).…”