title: Water Transport Properties of the Grape Pedicel during Fruit Development: Insights into Xylem Anatomy and Function Using Microtomography.
abstract: Xylem flow of water into fruits declines during fruit development, and the literature indicates a corresponding increase in hydraulic resistance in the pedicel. However, it is unknown how pedicel hydraulics change developmentally in relation to xylem anatomy and function. In this study on grape (Vitis vinifera), we determined pedicel hydraulic conductivity (kh) from pressure-flow relationships using hydrostatic and osmotic forces and investigated xylem anatomy and function using fluorescent light microscopy and x-ray computed microtomography. Hydrostatic kh (xylem pathway) was consistently 4 orders of magnitude greater than osmotic kh (intracellular pathway), but both declined before veraison by approximately 40% and substantially over fruit development. Hydrostatic kh declined most gradually for low (less than 0.08 MPa) pressures and for water inflow and outflow conditions. Specific kh (per xylem area) decreased in a similar fashion to kh despite substantial increases in xylem area. X-ray computed microtomography images provided direct evidence that losses in pedicel kh were associated with blockages in vessel elements, whereas air embolisms were negligible. However, vessel elements were interconnected and some remained continuous postveraison, suggesting that across the grape pedicel, a xylem pathway of reduced kh remains functional late into berry ripening.
authors.affiliation: Department of Viticulture and Enology (T.K., J.F., G.A.G., A.J.M., M.A.M.) and Department of Plant Sciences/Pomology (K.A.S.), University of California, Davis, California 95616; andUnited States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, Crops Pathology and Genetics Research Unit, Davis, California 95616 (A.J.M.) knipfer.thorsten@yahoo.de mamatthews@ucdavis.edu.
authors.forename: Thorsten
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5945-7273
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Knipfer
authors.affiliation: Department of Viticulture and Enology (T.K., J.F., G.A.G., A.J.M., M.A.M.) and Department of Plant Sciences/Pomology (K.A.S.), University of California, Davis, California 95616; andUnited States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, Crops Pathology and Genetics Research Unit, Davis, California 95616 (A.J.M.).
authors.forename: Jiong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fei
authors.affiliation: Department of Viticulture and Enology (T.K., J.F., G.A.G., A.J.M., M.A.M.) and Department of Plant Sciences/Pomology (K.A.S.), University of California, Davis, California 95616; andUnited States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, Crops Pathology and Genetics Research Unit, Davis, California 95616 (A.J.M.).
authors.forename: Gregory A
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8838-5050
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Gambetta
authors.affiliation: Department of Viticulture and Enology (T.K., J.F., G.A.G., A.J.M., M.A.M.) and Department of Plant Sciences/Pomology (K.A.S.), University of California, Davis, California 95616; andUnited States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, Crops Pathology and Genetics Research Unit, Davis, California 95616 (A.J.M.).
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: McElrone
authors.affiliation: Department of Viticulture and Enology (T.K., J.F., G.A.G., A.J.M., M.A.M.) and Department of Plant Sciences/Pomology (K.A.S.), University of California, Davis, California 95616; andUnited States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, Crops Pathology and Genetics Research Unit, Davis, California 95616 (A.J.M.).
authors.forename: Kenneth A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Shackel
authors.affiliation: Department of Viticulture and Enology (T.K., J.F., G.A.G., A.J.M., M.A.M.) and Department of Plant Sciences/Pomology (K.A.S.), University of California, Davis, California 95616; andUnited States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service, Crops Pathology and Genetics Research Unit, Davis, California 95616 (A.J.M.) knipfer.thorsten@yahoo.de mamatthews@ucdavis.edu.
authors.forename: Mark A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Matthews
mesh_terms: D001692:Biological Transport; D005638:Fruit / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D057446:Hydrodynamics; D006874:Hydrostatic Pressure; D008953:Models, Anatomic; D009997:Osmotic Pressure; D018514:Plant Structures / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D027843:Vitis / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D014867:Water / Q000378:metabolism*; D055114:X-Ray Microtomography / Q000379:methods*; D052584:Xylem / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D014867:Water