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A tracheomycosis as a tool for studying the impact of stem xylem dysfunction on leaf water status and gas exchange in Citrus aurantium L.

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Abstract

Permanent xylem blockage is a common result of attacks by herbivores and fungi. The mitosporic fungus Phoma tracheiphila (Petri) Kantschaveli et Gikachvili, is the agent of a Citrus tracheomycosis (“malsecco disease”) causing xylem impairment and leading to leaf shedding and plant dieback. In the present study, this pathogen was used for monitoring the effects of increasing levels of stem hydraulic resistance (R stem) on leaf water status and gas exchange. In this view, measurements are reported of changes in the hydraulic resistance of infected stems (R stem) of C. aurantium (sour orange) during progressive and irreversible xylem blockage with parallel measurements of leaf water potential and conductance to water vapour. Leaves were highly responsive to increasing R stem as due to fungal infection, with substantial stomatal closure and drop in water potential.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Professor G. Magnano di San Lio for giving us Phoma tracheiphila conidia from his cultures as well as for helpful suggestions and stimulating discussions.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita “M. Malpighi”, sezione Botanica, Università di Messina, Salita Sperone 31, 98166, Messina, Italy

    Fabio Raimondo & Maria Assunta Lo Gullo

  2. Dipartimento di Scienze della Vita, Università di Trieste, Via L. Giorgieri 10, 34127, Trieste, Italy

    Andrea Nardini & Sebastiano Salleo

  3. Dipartimento di Chimica Biologica, Chimica Medica e Biologia Molecolare, Università di Catania, Viale Andrea Doria 6, 95126, Catania, Italy

    Santa Olga Cacciola

Authors
  1. Fabio Raimondo
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  2. Andrea Nardini
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  3. Sebastiano Salleo
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  4. Santa Olga Cacciola
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  5. Maria Assunta Lo Gullo
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Maria Assunta Lo Gullo.

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Communicated by H. Cochard.

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Raimondo, F., Nardini, A., Salleo, S. et al. A tracheomycosis as a tool for studying the impact of stem xylem dysfunction on leaf water status and gas exchange in Citrus aurantium L.. Trees 24, 327–333 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-009-0402-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-009-0402-4

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