Tree physiologyPub Date : 2025-08-12DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpaf100
Isabel García-García, Belén Méndez-Cea, Marta Sancho-Fernanz, Selena García-Molina, Jose Luis Horreo, José Ignacio Seco, Juan Carlos Linares, Francisco Javier Gallego
{"title":"Rooting for resilience: transcriptomic, epigenomic and physiologic responses of silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) to experimental drought.","authors":"Isabel García-García, Belén Méndez-Cea, Marta Sancho-Fernanz, Selena García-Molina, Jose Luis Horreo, José Ignacio Seco, Juan Carlos Linares, Francisco Javier Gallego","doi":"10.1093/treephys/tpaf100","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/treephys/tpaf100","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Understanding the biological mechanisms underlying tree responses to drought is critical for preserving forest biodiversity, as current global climate change is challenging the ability of drought-sensitive trees to cope with water shortage. In this study, we investigate how silver fir (Abies alba Mill.) responds to experimental drought stress, more specifically, atmospheric drought caused by high vapor pressure deficit (VPD), by analyzing the gene expression and DNA methylation profiles of different organs alongside physiological variables under well-watered, drought and recovery conditions. Roots exhibited a stronger transcriptomic response than leaves, with 50 times more altered transcripts, revealing their value for assessing water stress in this species through the expression of genes involved in water transport. In addition, brassinosteroid-related genes can serve as stress markers both in roots and leaves. VPD-induced drought also affected DNA methylation, which, like transcriptomic and physiological variables, begins to normalize once the stress is over, suggesting some resilience to drought. However, A. alba struggles to improve intrinsic water use efficiency, which raises its vulnerability to VPD-induced drought. Our results suggest that silver fir forests might be able to cope with short drought events, but prolonged periods of water shortage, which are likely to increase with climate change, may surpass their resilience thresholds, increasing the likelihood of hydraulic failure and carbon starvation.</p>","PeriodicalId":23286,"journal":{"name":"Tree physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144837906","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Tree physiologyPub Date : 2025-08-11DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpaf099
Yupeng Zhang, Shruti Choudhary, Anna Renström, Mikko Luomaranta, Maxime Chantreau, Verena Fleig, Ioana Gaboreanu, Carolin Grones, Ove Nilsson, Kathryn M Robinson, Hannele Tuominen
{"title":"Unraveling Nitrogen Uptake and Metabolism: Gene Families, Expression Dynamics, and Functional Insights in Aspen (Populus tremula).","authors":"Yupeng Zhang, Shruti Choudhary, Anna Renström, Mikko Luomaranta, Maxime Chantreau, Verena Fleig, Ioana Gaboreanu, Carolin Grones, Ove Nilsson, Kathryn M Robinson, Hannele Tuominen","doi":"10.1093/treephys/tpaf099","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/treephys/tpaf099","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The influence of nitrogen on wood formation is well established. To gain insight into the underlying molecular mechanism, we first identified genes in fourteen gene families that are involved in nitrogen uptake and metabolism in European aspen (Populus tremula L.) genome annotation. Gene expression data from a de novo RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis and data available from the AspWood database (plantgenie.org) provided putative candidate genes for the uptake of nitrate, ammonium and amino acids from the xylem sap as well as their further assimilation in the secondary xylem tissues of the stem. For a population-wide analysis of the nitrogen-related genes, we utilized RNA-seq data from the cambial region of the stems of 5-year-old aspen trees, representing 99 natural aspen accessions, and compared the expression of the nitrogen-related genes to stem diameter. Novel regulatory interactions were identified in expression quantitative loci and co-expression network analyses in these data. The expression of certain nitrate and amino acid transporters correlated negatively with stem diameter, suggesting that excessive nitrogen retrieval from the xylem sap suppresses radial growth of the stem. The expression of a glutamine synthetase correlated with the expression of these transporters, a link further supported by increased plant growth in transgenic glutamine synthetase overexpressing trees. This study provides insight into the genetic basis of nitrogen uptake and assimilation and its connection to wood formation, providing interesting targets for improving nitrogen use efficiency and growth of aspen trees.</p>","PeriodicalId":23286,"journal":{"name":"Tree physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144837907","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Tree physiologyPub Date : 2025-08-11DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpaf098
Tao Yao, Abigail Ortega-Corretjer, Xinji Zhang, Nancy L Engle, Kelsey R Carter, Amith Devireddy, Jun Hyung Lee, Jacob Weston, David J Weston, Timothy J Tschaplinski, Gerald A Tuskan, Miaomiao Li, Jin-Gui Chen
{"title":"Variation in Flooding Tolerance in Populus deltoides 'D-124' and P. trichocarpa x P. deltoides Hybrid '52-225'.","authors":"Tao Yao, Abigail Ortega-Corretjer, Xinji Zhang, Nancy L Engle, Kelsey R Carter, Amith Devireddy, Jun Hyung Lee, Jacob Weston, David J Weston, Timothy J Tschaplinski, Gerald A Tuskan, Miaomiao Li, Jin-Gui Chen","doi":"10.1093/treephys/tpaf098","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1093/treephys/tpaf098","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Flooding poses a substantial challenge to plant survival and productivity, particularly in riparian genus like Populus. This study examines the physiological, morphological, metabolic, and molecular responses of Populus deltoides 'D-124' and P. trichocarpa x P. deltoides hybrid clone '52-225' under control and inundated conditions to identify differences in flooding tolerance. Under flooding conditions, physiological and cellular stress was more pronounced in P. deltoides 'D-124' than in the hybrid clone '52-225,' as evidenced by lower transpiration (E), photosynthesis (A), and chlorophyll content. In contrast, '52-225' showed reduced ROS accumulation suggesting better cellular function under stress. Morphologically, '52-225' produced more shoot-born roots, which likely enhance oxygen transport and metabolic activity during flooding. Metabolite profiling revealed both overlapping and distinct patterns of sugar and amino acid accumulation between genotypes. Gene expression analysis revealed that flooding-responsive genes, including ALCOHOL DEHYDROGENASE 1 and HYPOXIA RESPONSIVE ERF 2, were activated in both genotypes, with a more pronounced response noted in '52-225.' These findings extend our understanding of flooding tolerance mechanisms in Populus by connecting physiological traits, stress responses, and genetic regulation. This research contributes to the development of more flooding-resilient poplar varieties, with potential applications in breeding and restoration programs for flooding-prone environments.</p>","PeriodicalId":23286,"journal":{"name":"Tree physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144837908","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Molecular foundation underlying the formation of highly productive isobilateral leaves in mangroves.","authors":"Junjie Yin, Xiao Li, Xiaoxuan Gu, Saiqi Hao, Jingding Dai, Luzhen Chen, Qingshun Q Li","doi":"10.1093/treephys/tpaf074","DOIUrl":"10.1093/treephys/tpaf074","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Photosynthesis in mangroves contributes to one of the most carbon-rich ecosystems on Earth and plays a significant role in mitigating global climate change. However, the mechanisms underlying the high productivity of mangroves remain largely unexplored. Through anatomical analyses, we found that mangrove species with higher biomass production, such as Sonneratia apetala, exhibit isobilateral leaves, which enhance light harvesting and reduce light inhibition, resulting in higher photosynthetic yields. Transcriptomic and genomic analyses revealed the molecular processes underlying the formation of isobilateral leaves. We found that auxin is rapidly synthesized and works in coordination with gibberellin and brassinosteroid in the isobilateral leaves of S. apetala. Interestingly, we identified a group of genes related to adaxial-abaxial leaf polarity in S. apetala, with upregulated genes associated with chlorophyll synthesis, adaxial cell identity and erect leaf growth, while genes related to the recognition of adaxial cell boundaries-possibly related to the lower palisade tissues-were downregulated. Additionally, we identified amino acid substitutions and changes in promoter cis-acting elements in Indole-3-acetic acid carboxylmethyltransferase 1 (IAMT1) in Sonneratia species. These findings provide new insights into the formation of isobilateral leaves in mangroves and their adaptation to intertidal high-light coastal conditions.</p>","PeriodicalId":23286,"journal":{"name":"Tree physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144544993","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Mycorrhizal trifoliate orange plants tolerate soil drought by enhancing photosynthetic physiological activities and reducing active GA3 levels.","authors":"Ying-Ning Zou, Yu-Xi Wan, Feng-Ling Zheng, Xiao-Fen Cheng, Abeer Hashem, Qiang-Sheng Wu","doi":"10.1093/treephys/tpaf073","DOIUrl":"10.1093/treephys/tpaf073","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Gibberellins (GAs) are recognized as regulators of plant growth and drought responses, but it remains ambiguous whether these responses contribute to the enhanced drought tolerance of host plants mediated by arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. This study aimed to investigate the effects of an AM fungal inoculation with Rhizophagus intraradices on biomass production, leaf gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence response, and leaf GA metabolism in trifoliate orange (Poncirus trifoliata) plants under drought stress. R. intraradices exhibited a pronounced affinity for root colonization, achieving rates between 78.52% and 85.45%, although drought treatment led to a decrease in this colonization. Compared with non-AM plants, AM plants exhibited significantly higher biomass production of leaves, stems and roots, irrespective of soil moistures, underscoring their resilience and growth superiority during drought. Arbuscular mycorrhizal trifoliate orange plants displayed lower bioactive GA1 and GA3 levels than non-AM plants under drought. This reduction was associated with the down-regulation of genes involved in GA biosynthesis (PtCPS, PtKAO and PtGA3ox) and the up-regulation of the GA deactivation gene (PtGA2ox) produced by AM fungal inoculation. Arbuscular mycorrhizal plants also displayed higher photosynthetic physiological activities than non-AM plants, as evidenced by significantly higher chlorophyll index, nitrogen balance index, maximum quantum yield of photosystem II, steady-state quantum yield, transpiration rate, net photosynthetic rate, intercellular CO2 concentration and stomatal conductance, as well as lower non-photochemical quenching during drought. Interestingly, bioactive GA3 levels, rather than GA1, showed a significantly negative correlation with leaf gas exchange parameters and light energy conversion efficiency during photosynthesis. In summary, AM fungal inoculation led to a reduction in leaf active GA levels by inhibiting GA biosynthesis and promoting GA deactivation, which contributed to 'drought avoidance' by suppressing biomass production; AM plants recorded superior photosynthetic physiological activities, associated with the regulation of GA3, not GA1.</p>","PeriodicalId":23286,"journal":{"name":"Tree physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144544994","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Tree physiologyPub Date : 2025-08-05DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpaf075
Justin Beslity, Stephen B Shaw
{"title":"An evaluation of necessary model complexity for accounting for radial variability in the upscaling of whole-tree transpiration.","authors":"Justin Beslity, Stephen B Shaw","doi":"10.1093/treephys/tpaf075","DOIUrl":"10.1093/treephys/tpaf075","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Accurate scaling of outer-xylem sap flux observations to whole-tree transpiration is highly dependent on the proper characterization of sap flow with radial depth. While radial variability of sap flow has been identified as a substantial source of error in estimating whole-tree transpiration, there has yet to be a universal adoption of a single scaling method. This study evaluated the temporal dependency of the radial profile of sap flux on seasonality and meteorological drivers and assessed the accuracy of six radial profile estimation methods of varying complexity in comparison with a robust multi-point estimation of sap flow. Of the six scaling approaches examined in this study, the use of a linear regression to compare outer flow rates with whole tree flow generated the least error when compared with the multi-point estimation (0.6% error). A cross validation demonstrated that statistical models remain accurate when applied to individuals not included in the training of the statistical models (mean adjusted R2 = 0.961). These findings suggest that future sap flux studies seeking to scale to whole-tree or stand level could robustly instrument a subset of trees with multiple radial depth measurement points to train one of the statistical models described in this study. These models can then be applied to additional trees instrumented with a single measurement point in the outer xylem, reducing the cost of deployment and potential sources of error.</p>","PeriodicalId":23286,"journal":{"name":"Tree physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144601710","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Tree species mixing effects on root exudation rate and exudate metabolome: variations across forest stand age.","authors":"Peng He, Huiqing Song, Runhong Liu, Xinyu Luo, Angang Ming, Weiwei Shu, Weijun Shen","doi":"10.1093/treephys/tpaf082","DOIUrl":"10.1093/treephys/tpaf082","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Root exudates play a crucial role in soil carbon sequestration and nutrient cycling within forest ecosystems. However, limited attention has been given to how forest management strategies, such as tree species mixing, influence the quantity and quality of root exudates, particularly across different stand ages. In this study, we collected root exudates from Pinus massoniana Lamb. trees in pure and mixed stands (with Castanopsis hystrix Hook. f. & Thomson ex A. DC.) at four stand ages (25, 36, 46 and 63 years) to examine the root exudation rate of carbon (REC) and the metabolomic profile of exudates. We also assessed stand characteristics, root traits and soil properties to explore their interactions with root exudation. Results indicated that species mixing had minimal effects on REC, except in the 36-year-old stand. However, tree species mixing significantly influenced the metabolome of root exudates, with the primary differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) being amino acids and peptides, fatty acids and shikimates and phenylpropanoids. The mixing effects on all metabolites significantly varied with stand age, with the maximum (26.92-46.75%) occurring at the 46- or 63-year-old stands and the minimum (-17.64 to 6.04%) occurring at the 25- or 36-year-old stands. Root traits were the dominant drivers regulating mixing effects on REC across stand ages, while stand characteristics and soil properties primarily regulated the variation in mixing effects on metabolites with stand age. Overall, our findings demonstrate that the effects of tree species mixing on root exudates are stand age-dependent and highlight the potential functions of DAMs. Determining the exact role of DAMs under tree species mixing requires further research into the relationship among DAMs, rhizosphere microbial communities and ecological processes, thus providing more comprehensive proposition for sustainable forest management.</p>","PeriodicalId":23286,"journal":{"name":"Tree physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144627164","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Evaluation of resistance resources and analysis of drought resistance mechanisms in apple rootstock hybrid progenies.","authors":"Shuo Xu, Yubin Qing, Quanqi Cheng, Mengfei Liu, Ziyi Xu, Xumei Jia, Chao Yang, Guangquan Jing, Zhijun Zhang, Jie Yang, Chao Li, Fengwang Ma","doi":"10.1093/treephys/tpaf083","DOIUrl":"10.1093/treephys/tpaf083","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Drought is a major environmental problem that limits apple (Malus domestica Borkh.) production in the northwest region of China. Rootstocks play an important role in improving drought resistance in apple trees. However, breeding programs to develop new drought-resistant rootstocks remain scarce. In this study, we evaluated drought resistance in Malus prunifolia (denoted as QZ), R3 (M. domestica), and their hybrid progenies (m2, m5, m13, k3, k5 and k15). The principal component analysis revealed that their drought resistance capabilities could be ranked as follows: k15 > k5 > k3 > QZ > m5 > m13 > m2 > R3. Compared with the drought-sensitive rootstock progeny m2, the drought-resistant rootstock progeny k15 exhibited less drought-related damage and higher antioxidant enzyme activity when under drought stress. Transcriptomics analysis showed that more stress-responsive genes were expressed in k15 under drought stress than in m2. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses revealed that carbohydrate metabolism and starch and sucrose metabolism were more active in k15 than in m2. In addition, k15 increased starch degradation by upregulating two genes encoding β-amylase (BAM), leading to the accumulation of higher levels of soluble sugars than m2 under drought stress. Overall, our results revealed that k15 sustained normal growth under drought stress by enhancing reactive oxygen species scavenging and elevating soluble sugar content. This study deepens our understanding of how apple rootstock resources respond to drought stress and provides insights that will help breed new drought-resistant rootstocks adapted to arid regions. One-sentence summary The hybrid progeny k15 of apple rootstocks enhanced the drought tolerance by improving its antioxidant capacity and osmotic adjustment ability.</p>","PeriodicalId":23286,"journal":{"name":"Tree physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144660363","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Tree physiologyPub Date : 2025-08-05DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpaf087
Roos Goessen, Nathalie Isabel, Christian Wehenkel, Eliana Gonzales-Vigil, Osmond Hui, Lyne Touchette, Justine Gagné, Mebarek Lamara, Jean Bousquet, Karen E Mock, Raju Soolanayakanahally, Ilga Porth
{"title":"Characterizing genetic adaptations and plastic stress responses within a transcontinental North American keystone species.","authors":"Roos Goessen, Nathalie Isabel, Christian Wehenkel, Eliana Gonzales-Vigil, Osmond Hui, Lyne Touchette, Justine Gagné, Mebarek Lamara, Jean Bousquet, Karen E Mock, Raju Soolanayakanahally, Ilga Porth","doi":"10.1093/treephys/tpaf087","DOIUrl":"10.1093/treephys/tpaf087","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Local adaptation can lead to the intraspecific variation in a species' genetic makeup, shaping both its physiological and morphological traits as well as its molecular responses. In this study, we assessed variation in key functional leaf traits, such as stomata density, carbon and nitrogen content, cuticular wax composition and leaf shapes, within the transcontinental North American Populus tremuloides Michaux (quaking aspen) by sampling individuals from its four major genetic lineages. We also performed a small-scale common garden experiment with imposed higher temperature and drought stress during which we sampled for transcriptomes using RNAseq and performed physiological measurements to obtain insights into the intraspecific responses among aspen lineages to such abiotic stressors. Our findings revealed several differences in functional traits indicative of local adaptation, such as variation in cuticular wax content, petiole lengths and δ13C. Notably, stomatal density was significantly associated with mean annual precipitation. Moreover, genotypes from the most southern lineage (Mexico) exhibited the largest decline in net photosynthesis under drought, suggesting a more conservative water-use strategy. Gene expression analyses revealed numerous differentially expressed genes under different stress conditions and in different lineages, with overlaps with previous gene selection scans, confirming their possible roles in local adaptation. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis further identified 22 co-expressed gene modules, several of which strongly associated with temperature responses and geographic origin of genetic lineage. Our findings highlight substantial intraspecific variation in functional traits and gene expression patterns in P. tremuloides linked to geographical origin and local environmental conditions. Understanding such adaptive variation is crucial for predicting how forest trees may cope with and adapt to the challenges of climate change.</p>","PeriodicalId":23286,"journal":{"name":"Tree physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12381763/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144675738","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Tree physiologyPub Date : 2025-08-05DOI: 10.1093/treephys/tpaf088
Dustin M Ray, Andrew C Arthur, Jasmine Baerg, Elise W McKeever, Jessica A Savage
{"title":"Cambial and phloem reactivation timing in relation to floral phenology in four co-occurring woody species.","authors":"Dustin M Ray, Andrew C Arthur, Jasmine Baerg, Elise W McKeever, Jessica A Savage","doi":"10.1093/treephys/tpaf088","DOIUrl":"10.1093/treephys/tpaf088","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The timing of spring floral production is crucial for plant reproduction and thus fitness. Floral production in spring is a carbon sink, as is the construction of new cell walls for xylem and phloem, and leaf production. As carbon transport is necessary to support any growth in the spring, it is important to understand the timing of the production and resumption of phloem activity in the spring. Phloem and cambial reactivation have been studied in relation to leaf-out, but not in relation for floral phenology. We sampled the stems of three co-occurring temperate broad-leaved woody plants and one shrub to investigate the timing of phloem and cambial reactivation in relation to spring floral production and environmental factors. We find that cambial reactivation is primarily predicted by environmental factors. Wood porosity also is tied to the timing of cambial reactivation. Phloem reactivation, however, was not influenced by environmental effects during the period of our study. We further present evidence that overwintering strategies could be inferred by tracking changes in phloem increment width during spring. Our results underscore the importance of cambial reactivation in supporting floral and foliar spring phenology.</p>","PeriodicalId":23286,"journal":{"name":"Tree physiology","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2025-08-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144733390","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}