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Root structure and biomass partitioning in tilted plants from twisted- and straight-stemmed populations of Pinus pinaster Ait

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Straight-stemmed populations of Pinus pinaster under mechanical stress allocate more biomass to the stem relative to the branches and show greater variability in the roots than twisted-stemmed populations.

Abstract

Pinus pinaster Ait. has a tendency to exhibit stem flexuosity that negatively affects the quality of its wood and its productivity. There is a wide geographical variability in this trait, and there is evidence of genetic control. We hypothesized that root structure and biomass allocation adjustments in response to a given mechanical stress might differ among populations of P. pinaster and might be related to the typical straightness of the stems of a given population. We analyzed root structure and biomass allocation in a provenance test in which plants were artificially tilted at 45° and naturally exposed to wind. Ten provenances were tested: five with typically straight-stemmed plants and five with twisted-stemmed plants. The wind affected the taper and the development of thickenings in the windward second-order roots, although the winds experienced were generally light. The straight-stemmed populations exhibited greater variability in the studied traits than the twisted-stemmed populations. This variability may reflect higher root responsiveness as well as various strategies to address mechanical stresses. Three possible additional distinguishing characteristics of various straight-stemmed populations are proposed: (a) greater allocation of biomass to the stem compared with the branches, (b) development of a thick, cylindrical taproot and tapered lateral roots and (c) strengthening of second-order roots with local thickening in the sectors of the root under tension.

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Author contribution statement

Fermín Garrido: performed field and lab work, analysis and discussion of the results in collaboration with the other authors. Roberto San Martín: performed the statistical analysis and collaborated in the discussion of the results. Francisco José Lario: collaborated in establishing hypotheses, designing the structures of the trials, took over the plants in the experiment and assisted in the field work. Rosario Sierra-de-Grado: conceived the research project, obtained the funding, collaborated in analysis and discussion of the results and wrote the paper.

Acknowledgments

We are grateful to TRAGSA-Maceda, where the experiment was carried out, and to Ainhoa Calleja, Arancha Otaño, Feli López and Evelio Alonso from the University of Valladolid for their help with measurements and devices. We thank F. Danjon for sharing his expertise with us at the beginning of the work. This study was supported by the Project AGL2007-62335 DEREPIN (Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation and FEDER).

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Plant Production and Forest Resources, Universidad de Valladolid, ETSIIAA, Avda. de Madrid 44, 34071, Palencia, Spain

    Fermín Garrido, Roberto San Martín & Rosario Sierra-de-Grado

  2. Sustainable Forest Management Research Institute UVa-INIA, Palencia, Spain

    Fermín Garrido, Roberto San Martín & Rosario Sierra-de-Grado

  3. Tragsa, Maceda, Ourense, Spain

    Francisco José Lario

Authors
  1. Fermín Garrido
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  2. Roberto San Martín
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  3. Francisco José Lario
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  4. Rosario Sierra-de-Grado
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rosario Sierra-de-Grado.

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Communicated by Y. Sano.

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Garrido, F., San Martín, R., Lario, F.J. et al. Root structure and biomass partitioning in tilted plants from twisted- and straight-stemmed populations of Pinus pinaster Ait. Trees 29, 759–774 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-015-1154-y

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