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Xylem and phloem in petioles are coordinated with leaf gas exchange in oaks with contrasting anatomical strategies depending on leaf habit
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  • Rubén Martín-Sánchez,
  • Domingo Sancho-Knapik,
  • Juan Pedro Ferrio,
  • David Alonso-Forn,
  • Juan Manuel Losada,
  • José Javier Peguero-Pina,
  • Maurizio Mencuccini,
  • Eustaquio Gil-Pelegrín
Rubén Martín-Sánchez
Centro de Investigacion y Tecnologia Agroalimentaria de Aragon

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Domingo Sancho-Knapik
Centro de Investigacion y Tecnologia Agroalimentaria de Aragon
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Juan Pedro Ferrio
Estacion Experimental de Aula Dei
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David Alonso-Forn
Universitat de les Illes Balears
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Juan Manuel Losada
Instituto de Hortofruticultura Subtropical y Mediterranea La Mayora
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José Javier Peguero-Pina
Centro de Investigacion y Tecnologia Agroalimentaria de Aragon
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Maurizio Mencuccini
Centre de Recerca Ecologica i Aplicacions Forestals
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Eustaquio Gil-Pelegrín
Estacion Experimental de Aula Dei
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Abstract

As the single link between leaves and the rest of the plant, petioles must develop conductive tissues according to the water influx and sugar outflow of the leaf lamina. A scaling relationship between leaf area and anatomical traits of xylem and phloem is expected to improve the efficiency of these tissues. However, the different constraints compromising the functionality of both tissues (e.g., risk of cavitation) must not be disregarded. Additionally, plants present two main leaf habits (deciduous and evergreen) that may have different strategies to produce and package their petiole conduits to cope with environmental restrictions. In this study, we explore, in a diverse group of 33 oak species, the relationships between petiole anatomical traits, leaf area, stomatal conductance and photosynthesis rate. Results showed allometric scaling between anatomical structure of xylem and phloem with leaf area. We also found how photosynthesis and stomatal conductance at leaf-level are correlated with anatomical traits in the petiole. Nonetheless, the main novelty is how oaks present a different strategy depending on the leaf habit. Deciduous species tend to increase their diameters to achieve a greater leaf-specific conductivity. By contrast, evergreen oaks develop larger xylem conductive areas for a given leaf area than deciduous ones. This trade-off between safety-efficiency in petioles has never been attributed to the leaf habit of the species.
12 Jul 2024Submitted to Plant, Cell & Environment
14 Jul 2024Submission Checks Completed
14 Jul 2024Assigned to Editor
15 Jul 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
20 Jul 2024Reviewer(s) Assigned
03 Sep 2024Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
09 Sep 20241st Revision Received
11 Sep 2024Submission Checks Completed
11 Sep 2024Assigned to Editor
11 Sep 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
11 Sep 2024Reviewer(s) Assigned
06 Oct 2024Editorial Decision: Accept