The integration of whole-root and cellular hydraulic conductivities in cereal roots

The hydraulic conductivities of excised whole root systems of wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv. Atou) and of single excised roots of wheat and maize (Zea mays L. cv. Passat) were measured using an osmotically induced back-flow technique. Ninety minutes after excision the values for single excised roots ranged from 1.6·10^-8 to 5.5·10^-8 m·s^-1·MPa^-1 in wheat and from 0.9·10^-8 to 4.8·10^-8 m·s^-1·MPa^-1 in maize. The main source of variation was a decrease in the value as root length increased. The hydraulic conductivities of whole root systems, but not of single excised roots, were smaller 15 h after excision. This was not caused by occlusion of the xylem at the cut end of the coleoptile. The hydraulic conductivities of epidermal, cortical and endodermal cells were measured using a pressure probe. Epidermal and cortical cells of both wheat and maize roots gave mean values of 1.2·10^-7 m·s^-1·MPa^-1 but in endodermal cells (measured only in wheat) the mean value was 0.5·10^-7 m·s^-1·MPa^-1. The cellular hydraulic conductivities were used to calculate the root hydraulic conductivities expected if water flow across the root was via transcellular (vacuole-to-vacuole), apoplasmic or symplasmic pathways. The results indicate that, in freshly excised roots, the bulk of water flow is unlikely to be via the transcellular pathway. This is in contrast to our previous conclusion (H. Jones, A.D. Tomos, R.A. Leigh and R.G. Wyn Jones 1983, Planta 158, 230–236) which was based on results obtained with whole root systems of wheat measured 14–15 h after excision and which probably gave artefactually low values for root hydraulic conductivity. It is now concluded that, near the root tip, water flow could be through a symplasmic pathway in which the only substantial resistances to water flow are provided by the outer epidermal and the inner endodermal plasma membranes. Further from the tip, the measured hydraulic conductivities of the roots are consistent with flow either through the symplasmic or apoplasmic pathways.Symbols L _{p, cell} cell hydraulic conductivity - L _{p, root} root hydraulic conductivity - L _{p, root} calculated root hydraulic conductivity - root reflection coefficient