Thigmomorphogenesis: changes in the morphology and mechanical properties of two Populus hybrids in response to mechanical perturbation

Pruyn, Michele L.; Ewers, Benjamin J.; Telewski, Frank W.

doi:10.1093/treephys/20.8.535

Cited by 87 publications

(87 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…Danjon et al 2005;Lundqvist and Valinger 1996;Nicoll and Ray 1996;Stokes et al 1995;Tamasi et al 2005;Telewski 1990; Jaffe 1981, 1986a, b), whereas research on TM response of deciduous trees is less common (e.g. Harrington and DeBell 1996;Holbrook and Putz 1989;Khuder et al 2006;Pruyn et al 2000;Tamasi et al 2005;Telewski and Pruyn 1998). Moreover, only few studies have examined responses in the root system of mechanically perturbed plants in detail (Khuder et al 2006;Khuder 2007;Mickovski and Ennos 2003;Tamasi et al 2005).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effect of mechanical stimulation on root and shoot development of young containerised Quercus robur and Robinia pseudoacacia trees

Reubens

Pannemans

Danjon

et al. 2009

Trees

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Thigmomorphogenesis is a well-studied process in agricultural crops and coniferous trees. Nevertheless, the effects on both shoot and root characteristics for deciduous woody species received little attention so far. In this study, the objective was to understand the effect of aboveground flexing treatments on the development of structural, mechanical and physiological root and shoot characteristics for two deciduous tree species, Black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia L.) and English oak (Quercus robur L.). Flexing treatments were performed using an electromechanical device with a rotating arm touching and bending the plants at regular intervals. A wide range of stem, shoot as well as root system characteristics was measured. The different flexing treatments altered aboveand belowground plant development for both species, with strongest effects on Quercus and most significant differences between the control and the unidirectional flexing treatment. Some responses are in accordance with previous findings, such as stem eccentricity and reduced shoot elongation under unidirectional flexing, but others are renewing, such as the lower stomatal density and larger epidermal cell surface for the Quercus plants under variable flexing direction. Despite some common responses, both species frequently differed in the way they were affected. Belowground, Quercus plants under unidirectional flexing invested relatively more in their first order root and deeper second order roots, whereas Robinia plants allocated relatively more to fine root biomass and horizontal shallow roots. Both strategies potentially increased pull-out as well as overturning resistance in their own way. The presented findings are valid for young trees grown in small containers. Based on practical know-how and shortcomings experienced in the course of this experiment, methodological recommendations are formulated. We finally stress the complex variability in growth responses, especially for root systems, observed in different studies and related to dissimilarity in species, soil conditions, plant history or type of mechanical perturbation.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The effect of mechanical stimulation on root and shoot development of young containerised Quercus robur and Robinia pseudoacacia trees

Reubens

Pannemans

Danjon

et al. 2009

Trees

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“…The monomeric composition of lignin varies between different cell types of the same species depending on the functional specialization of the cell (Yoshinaga et al, 1992;Watanabe et al, 2004;Xu et al, 2006). The composition and amount of lignin in wild plants varies in response to climatic conditions (Donaldson, 2002) or gravitational and mechanical demands (Pruyn et al, 2000;Kern et al, 2005;Rü ggeberg et al, 2008). It is clear that plants are capable of regulating the lignification pattern in differentiating cells, which provides them with flexibility for responding to environmental stresses (Donaldson, 2002;Koehler and Telewski, 2006;Ralph et al, 2007; for review, see Vanholme et al, 2008).…”

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confidence: 99%

Tyloses and Phenolic Deposits in Xylem Vessels Impede Water Transport in Low-Lignin Transgenic Poplars: A Study by Cryo-Fluorescence Microscopy

et al. 2010

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Of 14 transgenic poplar genotypes (Populus tremula 3 Populus alba) with antisense 4-coumarate:coenzyme A ligase that were grown in the field for 2 years, five that had substantial lignin reductions also had greatly reduced xylem-specific conductivity compared with that of control trees and those transgenic events with small reductions in lignin. For the two events with the lowest xylem lignin contents (greater than 40% reduction), we used light microscopy methods and acid fuchsin dye ascent studies to clarify what caused their reduced transport efficiency. A novel protocol involving dye stabilization and cryofluorescence microscopy enabled us to visualize the dye at the cellular level and to identify water-conducting pathways in the xylem. Cryo-fixed branch segments were planed in the frozen state on a sliding cryo-microtome and observed with an epifluorescence microscope equipped with a cryo-stage. We could then distinguish clearly between phenolic-occluded vessels, conductive (stain-filled) vessels, and nonconductive (water-or gas-filled) vessels. Low-lignin trees contained areas of nonconductive, brown xylem with patches of collapsed cells and patches of noncollapsed cells filled with phenolics. In contrast, phenolics and nonconductive vessels were rarely observed in normal colored wood of the low-lignin events. The results of cryo-fluorescence light microscopy were supported by observations with a confocal microscope after freeze drying of cryo-planed samples. Moreover, after extraction of the phenolics, confocal microscopy revealed that many of the vessels in the nonconductive xylem were blocked with tyloses. We conclude that reduced transport efficiency of the transgenic low-lignin xylem was largely caused by blockages from tyloses and phenolic deposits within vessels rather than by xylem collapse.

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“…Other aVected processes include Xowering time, dormancy, senescence, photosynthesis, and chlorophyll content (Anten et al 2005). Wind-and/or touchinduced alterations have been observed in a variety of plants and have been of interest particularly in agricultural weeds and crops, e.g., Arabidopsis, maize, wheat, pea, cucumber, soybean, bean (for review see Braam 2005), as well as in over 25 diVerent woody plant species including pine, Wr and poplar (reviewed in Telewski 1995;Pruyn et al 2000;Watt et al 2005). The molecular basis of plant responses to mechanical forces has been investigated in a few model systems such as Arabidopsis (Lee et al 2005), while most studies were focused on responses evoked by touching only.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Transcriptomic changes in wind-exposed poplar leaves are dependent on developmental stage

Fluch¹,

Olmo

Tauber³

et al. 2008

Planta

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Responses of plant tissue to environmental challenges can vary among different plant parts and among plants of different ages. Investment into defense has been proposed to be influenced by fitness value and/or allocation of available resources. Here we show at first time at transcriptome level that plant defense is non-linear. On very young, expanding, adult and old leaves of Populus nigra plants exposed to air perturbation, we studied the ontogenic trajectory of gene expression changes to such a low-dose factor similar to wind. Although plant responses to mechanical sensation (wind, touch) are described and summarized as thigmomorphogenesis, the knowledge on the molecular background of plant responses to wind is largely incomplete. Our data describe which genes are activated during a ubiquitous and continuous environmental factor such as wind, and based on existing knowledge complement the picture on ongoing processes.

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Thigmomorphogenesis: changes in the morphology and mechanical properties of two Populus hybrids in response to mechanical perturbation

Cited by 87 publications

References 18 publications

The effect of mechanical stimulation on root and shoot development of young containerised Quercus robur and Robinia pseudoacacia trees

The effect of mechanical stimulation on root and shoot development of young containerised Quercus robur and Robinia pseudoacacia trees

Tyloses and Phenolic Deposits in Xylem Vessels Impede Water Transport in Low-Lignin Transgenic Poplars: A Study by Cryo-Fluorescence Microscopy

Transcriptomic changes in wind-exposed poplar leaves are dependent on developmental stage

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