A new validation of the Scholander pressure chamber technique based on stem diameter variations

The Scholander pressure chamber is one of the most widely used techniques for measuring plant water status. However, the technique has been the subject of recent controversies, and its validity awaits new experimental evidence. This paper presents a new test based on the analysis of the dependence o...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of experimental botany 2001-06, Vol.52 (359), p.1361-1365
Main Authors: Cochard, Hervé, Forestier, Sébastien, Améglio, Thierry
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Air pressure
Biological and medical sciences
Biological Transport
Biomechanical Phenomena
Botanics
Branches
Dehydration
Elastic tissue
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
General aspects, methods
Juglans regia L
Life Sciences
Membrane Potentials
Models, Biological
Osmotic Pressure
Perfusion
Plant physiology
Plant physiology and development
Plant Stems - physiology
Plant tissues
Plants
Pressure chambers
Reproducibility of Results
SHORT COMMUNICATION
Trees - physiology
Vegetal Biology
walnut
Water - analysis
Water - physiology
Water and solutes. Absorption, translocation and permeability
water potential
Water pressure
water relations
Xylem
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:The Scholander pressure chamber is one of the most widely used techniques for measuring plant water status. However, the technique has been the subject of recent controversies, and its validity awaits new experimental evidence. This paper presents a new test based on the analysis of the dependence on water potential difference (ΔΨ) of stem diameter variation (ΔD) in walnut (Juglans regia L.). The correlation between ΔΨ and ΔD was established (1) on transpiring potted trees, (2) on dehydrating cut branches, (3) by perfusing the xylem of branch segments with mannitol and sucrose solutions, and (4) by pressurizing segments in a pressure sleeve. The ΔΨ was respectively assessed with a pressure chamber (1, 2), a freezing point osmometer (3) and an air pressure transducer (4). A single relationship was established between ΔΨ (ranging from 0 to −2 MPa) and ΔD for all the experiments. This shows that the measured changes of water potential were correlated to similar modifications of water content in the stems, irrespective of the technique used to induce these changes, and therefore validates the pressure chamber technique and confirms the occurrence of large negative pressures in the xylem of walnut branches.
ISSN:0022-0957
1460-2431
DOI:10.1093/jexbot/52.359.1361