INFIVE   05416
INSTITUTO DE FISIOLOGIA VEGETAL
Unidad Ejecutora - UE
congresos y reuniones científicas
Título:
Unraveling the functional and adaptive role of Eucalyptus wood: what do we know and what do we still ignore
Autor/es:
BAROTTO, A.J.; TESON, N.; SALLESSES, L.; MONTEOLIVA, S; FERNÁNDEZ, M. E.; GYENGE, J; ALARCON, P-; DALLA SALDA, G.; MARTÍNEZ-MEIER; BARIGAH, T.S.; QUIÑONES MARTORELLO, A.S.; ROZENBERG, P:
Lugar:
Orleans
Reunión:
Conferencia; Dynawood Conference: Wood formation and tree adaptation to climate; 2018
Institución organizadora:
INRA
Resumen:
A synthesis is presented about advances and gaps in knowledge in relation to the functional and adaptive role of wood in Eucalyptus genus. Interdisciplinary studies were focused on four comercial Eucalyptus species differing in wood density and stress resistance. Anatomical and functional measurements showed that there is no tradeoff between xylem hydraulic efficiency and safety, both within and between species. Species can have mean large vessels and low vulnerability to cavitation (E. viminalis), mean small vessels and high vulnerability to disfunction (E. grandis terminal branches), or other size-function combinations. The role of different cell types both in efficiency and safety were studied, suggesting that in these species with solitary vessels, the complex matrix of cells around vessels must be considered to interpret the influence of anatomy on function. It seems that vasicentric tracheids have a dual function of communicating functional vessels increasing hydraulic efficiency, and limiting embolism spreading when a vessel is cavitated. Some general relationships were observed between mean wood density and xylem function at the interspecific level, but these relationships mostly disappear at the intraspecific level. Therefore, wood density could be an estimator of wood safety only in some species, at least considering the limited variability of available provenances. No plasticity in vulnerability to cavitation has been observed in plants subjected to different water regimes. The functional role of Eucalyptus wood is now better understood than its real adaptive role. More research is needed relating intraspecific variability in wood function and environmental conditions of provenances, as well as the impact of density and anatomical plasticity in terms of drought resistance.