植物根系吸水机理的研究进展

近年来,植物根系吸水机理在细胞、组织和整体水平上的研究进展非常迅速,对阐明植物抗旱机制及其高效利用有限水资源途径的探讨具有重要意义。本文主要对植物根的复合结构和根系在土壤中的分布、根系中水流性质等方面的最新研究状况进行了概述,特别详细地论述了水通道蛋白的表达及功能与根系中水分运动的关系、以及根系输水的调节和根系吸水过程中的信号传导方面的研究动态,并且评价了根的复合运输模型和根系吸水的数学模型等,最后就其可能生理意义及其应用前景作了评述。

Advances in the Studies on Water Uptake by Plant Roots

In the past decade, our understanding of the mechanisms of water uptake by plant roots at thecell, tissue, and whole-plant levels rapidly progressed due to the introduction of new techniques andconcepts. Some aspects of this work were reviewed, mainly including the composite structure of roots andeffects of the distribution of roots in the soil. The nature of water flow in plant roots was discussed. A linkwas provided between root hydraulics and the expression and function of aquaporins. This was related tothe regulation of water transport and to the signaling between roots and shoots. The composite transportmodel of root was mentioned which represents a physical model of water uptake. This is part of acomprehensive analysis of recent findings of studies on water uptake by plant roots and contributes to ourcurrent understanding of the basic mechanisms that govern the water uptake by roots.