Summary
Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marsh. seedlings that were 150 days old adapted well to flooding of soil with stagnant water for 28 days. Early stomatal closure, followed by reopening as well as hypertrophy of lenticels and formation of adventitious roots on submerged portions of stems appeared to be important adaptations for flood tolerance. Leaf water potential (ψ1) was consistently higher in flooded than in unflooded seedlings, indicating higher leaf turgidity in the former. This was the result of (1) early reduction in transpiration associated with stomatal closure, and (2) subsequently increased absorption of water by the newly-formed adventitious roots as stomata reopened and transpiration increased. Waterlogging of soil was followed by large increases in ethylene content of stems, both below and above the level of submersion. Formation of hypertrophied lenticels and adventitious roots on flooded plants was correlated with increased ethylene production. However, the involvement of various compounds other than ethylene in inducing morphological changes in flooded plants is also emphasized.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Abeles F B 1973 Ethylene in Plant Biology. Academic Press, New York.
Blake T J and Reid D M 1981 Ethylene, water relations, and tolerance to waterlogging of threeEucalyptus species. Aust. J. Plant Physiol. 8, 497–505.
Broadfoot W H and Williston H L 1973 Flooding effects on southern forests. J. For. 71, 584–587.
Chang C 1982 Rooting cuttings with ethephon. Am. Nurseryman 156, 81–82.
Coutts M P 1981 Effects of waterlogging on water relations of actively growing and dormant Sitka spruce seedlings. Ann. Bot. 47, 747–753.
Haissig B E 1974 Influences of auxin and auxin synergists on adventitious root primordium initiation and development. N. Z. J. For. Sci. 4, 311–323.
Hall T F and Smith G E 1955 Effect of flooding on woody plants. West sandy dewatering project, Kentucky Reservoir. J. For. 53, 281–285.
Hook D, Brown C L and Kormanik P O 1970 Lenticels and water root development of swamp tupelo under various flooding conditions. Bot. Gaz. 131, 217–224.
Hook D D and Scholtens J R 1978 Adaptations and flood tolerance of tree species.In Plant Life and Anaerobic Environments. Eds. D D Hook and R M M Crawford, pp. 299–331. Ann Arbor Science Publs. Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Jackson M B and Campbell D J 1975 Movement of ethylene from roots to shoots, a factor in the response of tomato plants to waterlogged soil conditions. New Phytol. 74, 397–406.
Kawase M 1972 Effect of flooding on ethylene concentration in horticultural plants. J. Am. Soc. Hortic. Sci. 97, 584–588.
Kawase M 1974 Role of ethylene in induction of flooding damage in sunflower. Physiol. Plant. 31, 29–38.
Kawase M 1976 Ethylene accumulation in flooded plants. Physiol. Plant. 36, 236–241.
Kawase M 1978 Anaerobic elevation of ethylene concentration in waterlogged plants. Am. J. Bot. 65, 736–740.
Kawase M 1981 Anatomical and morphological adaptation of plants to waterlogging. HortScience 16, 8–12.
Kender W J, Hall L V, Adders L E and Forsyth F R 1969 Stimulation of rhizome and shoot growth of the lowbush blueberry by 2-chloroethanephosphonic acid. Can. J. Plant Sci. 49, 95–96.
Kozlowski T T 1982 Water Supply and Tree Growth. Part II. Flooding. For. Abstr. 43, 145–161.
Kozlowski T T and Pallardy S G 1979 Stomatal responses ofFraxinus pennsylvanica seedlings during and after flooding. Physiol. Plant. 46, 155–158.
Kramer P J and Jackson W T 1954 Causes of injury to flooded tobacco plants. Plant Physiol. 29, 241–245.
Loucks W L and Keen R A 1973 Submersion tolerance of related seedling trees. J. For. 71, 496–497.
Newsome R E, Kozlowski T T and Tang Z C 1982 Responses ofUlmus americana seedlings to flooding of soil. Can. J. Bot. 60, 1685–1695.
Pereira J S and Kozlowski T T 1977 Variation among woody angiosperms in response to flooding. Physiol. Plant. 41, 184–192.
Regehr D L, Bazzaz F A and Buggess W R 1975 Photosynthesis, transpiration and leaf conductance ofPopulus deltoides in relation to flooding and drought. Photosynthetica 9, 52–61.
Scholander P F, Hammell H T, Bradstreet E D and Hemmingsen E A 1965 Sap pressure in vascular plants. Science 148, 339–346.
Sena Gomes A R and Kozlowski T T 1980 Growth responses and adaptations ofFraxinus pennsylvanica seedlings to flooding. Plant Physiol. 66, 267–271.
Smith K A and Restall S W F 1971 The occurrence of ethylene in anaerobic soil. J. Soil. Sci. 22, 430–443.
Smith K A and Russell R S 1969 Occurrence of ethylene and its significance in anaerobic soil. Nature London 222, 769–771.
Sojka R E and Stolzy L H 1980 Soil oxygen effects on stomatal response. Soil Sci. 130, 350–358.
Stolzy L H, Taylor O C, Letey J and Szuskiewicz T E 1961 Influence of soil-oxygen diffusion rates on susceptibility of tomato plants to air-borne oxidants. Soil Sci., 91, 151–155.
Tang Z C and Kozlowski T T 1982 Some physiological and morphological responses ofQuercus macrocarpa seedlings to flooding. Can. J. For. Res. 12, 196–202.
Tang Z C and Kozlowski T T 1982 Physiological, morphological, and growth responses ofPlatanus occidentalis to flooding. Plant and Soil 66, 243–255.
Tang Z C and Kozlowski T T 1982 Some physiological and growth responses ofBetula papyrifera to flooding. Physiol. Plant. 55, 415–420.
Wallace R H 1928 Histogenesis of intumescences in the apple induced by ethylene gas. Am. J. Bot. 15, 509–524.
Hoffenden L M and Priestley J H 1924 The toxic action of coal gas upon cork and lenticel formation. Ann. Appl. Biol. 11, 42–53.
Yang S F 1980 Regulation of ethylene biosynthesis. HortScience 15, 238–243.
Yelenosky G 1964 Tolerance of trees to deficiencies of soil aeration. Proc. Int. Shade Tree Conf. 40, 127–147.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Additional information
Research supported by the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Tang, Z.C., Kozlowski, T.T. Water relations, ethylene production, and morphological adaptation ofFraxinus pennsylvanica seedlings to flooding. Plant Soil 77, 183–192 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02182922
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02182922