Claus Frankenstein, Uwe Schmitt
Wound effects in the xylem of poplar: A UV microspectrophotometric study
Cell wall modifications in vessels and fibres of wound wood of Populus tremula L.×P. tremuloides Michx. formed after mechanical wounding have been examined by light microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and UV microspectrophotometry (in scanning and point measurement mode), mainly focusing on the lignin distribution. With this goal, wound xylem within lateral wound callusis was collected after response periods of up to 23 months. Vessels and fibres in wound xylem deviated from their usual axial orientation. Vessels within the wound xylem were smaller in diameter and shorter in length. Xylem fibres were also shorter and developed thicker walls, especially in tissue adjacent to the wound. Cell walls and cell corners of these fibres showed on average a higher lignin content and a modified lignin composition. These wall changes probably enhance disease resistance of the wound tissue. With increasing distance from the wound edge, the modifications diminished and finally disappeared.
Holzforschung, Walter de Gruyter
Print ISSN: 0018-3830
Volume: 60, 11/2006
Pages: 595 - 600
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