Leaf Tissue Water Relations Are Associated with Drought-Induced Leaf Shedding in Tropical Montane Habitats

In tropical montane areas, water limitation is a common occurrence, and both pioneer and forests species experience water stress during the dry season. Adjustments of leaf area during periods of drought allow for the maintenance of the water supply and physiological functions of the remaining leaves. Here, we compared leaf blade water relations between pioneer and forest tree species. Leaf pressure-volume (P-V) curves were determined from samples taken prior to the dry season, to assess how leaves of the different species were adapted to prepare for and endure water deficits. The following parameters were calculated: osmotic potential at full (Ψπ(100)) and zero (Ψπ(0)) turgor, relative water content at zero turgor (RWC0), volumetric elastic modulus (&#949) as well as apoplasm (A) and symplasm (S) water content and their ratio (A/S). Although the pioneer and forest species occupied contrasting habitats, and both groups were clearly differentiated with respect to their water transport capability and water use efficiency, their leaf tissue water relations showed clear differences across species but not between the groups. Some species underwent leaf shedding and accumulated xylem embolisms during the dry season, and their leaves had high cell elasticity. Consequently, these species presented large cell volume changes with turgor loss. Conversely, species with rigid leaves were able to undergo lower leaf turgor with only small changes in cell volume during drought, which might aid to preserve leaf cell function, maintain water uptake, and consequently avoid accelerated leaf senescence and shedding during the dry season.

GTR-Mediated Radial Import Directs Accumulation of Defensive Glucosinolates to Sulfur-Rich Cells in the Phloem Cap of Arabidopsis Inflorescence Stem

In the phloem cap region o i Arabidopsis plants,sulfur-rich cells(S-cells)accumulate>100 mM glucosinolates(GLS),but are biosynthetically inactive.The source and route of S-cell-bound GLS remain elusive.In this study,using single-cell sampling and scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis we show that two GLS importers,NPF2.10/GTR1 and NPF2.11/GTR2,are critical for GLS accumulation in S-cells,although they are not localized in the S-cells.Comparison of GLS levels in S-cells in multiple combinations of homo-and heterografts o lg t r l gtr2,biosynthetic null mutant and wild-type plants indicate that S-cells accumulate GLS via symplasmic connections either directly from neighboring biosynthetic cells or indirectly to non-neighboring cells expressing GTR1/2.Distinct sources and transport routes exist for different types of GLS,and vary depending on the position of S-cells in the inflorescence stem.Based on these findings,we propose a model illustrating the GLS transport routes either directly from biosynthetic cells or via GTR-mediated import from apoplastic space radially into a symplasmic domain,wherein the S-cells are the ultimate sink.Similarly,we observed accumulation of the cyanogenic glucoside defensive compounds in high-turgor cells in the phloem cap of Lotus japonicus,suggesting that storage of defensive compounds in high-turgor cells may be a general mechanism for chemical protection of the phloem cap.