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Determination of water sorption by cuticles isolated from fir tree needles

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Summary

The water sorption by isolated cuticles from needles of Abies alba was measured between 4% and 80% relative humidity using a magnetic suspension microbalance. The sorption isotherms were not linear and sorption increased more rapidly at the lowest and highest values of relative humidity. The mean values, calculated for 1- to 5-year-old adaxial cuticles developed from 1984 to 1988, increased from 2.9% to 17.1% of the dehydrated weight, and from 4% to 80% relative humidity. Results did not depend on the age of needles and the comparison between healthy and declining trees revealed no major difference in water sorption by cuticles isolated from these two types of trees. Data are discussed in relation to cuticular permeability and one determinant of water permeability, the partition coefficient relating the equilibrium water concentration of the cuticle to that of the surrounding atmosphere, was calculated.

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Chamel, A., Escoubes, M., Baudrand, G. et al. Determination of water sorption by cuticles isolated from fir tree needles. Trees 6, 109–114 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00226589

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