Xylem pathways in rose plants in relation to basal shoot development

Abstract

Application of dyes to roots or shoots is an easy way to visualize xylem pathways in plants. It was shown that upward transport was sectorial straight. A main root appeared to contribute to the transport to several basal shoots. Application of dyes to shoots showed that each basal shoot is supplied by only a part of the root xylem. It is supposed that at the moment of appearance of a new basal shoot, the root xylem becomes enveloped by a new xylem cylinder, resulting in a limited area of root xylem serving the former developed shoot. The large variation in shoot diameter in a rose crop is discussed in relation to xylem systems.