Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Anatomical structure associated with vegetative growth variation in macadamia

  • Regular Article
  • Published:
Plant and Soil Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Aims

Low-vigour scion cultivars and dwarfing rootstocks are a significant contributing factor to the success of modern temperate orchard systems. Planting density and canopy efficiency are currently limited in macadamia by a lack of low-vigour cultivars and rootstocks. The relationships between xylem vessel diameter, hydraulic conductivity and vigour are implicated in dwarf cultivars and low-vigour rootstocks of peach and apple. This study aims to determine relationships between vessel anatomy and tree-scale vigour in subtropical macadamia, to stimulate the development of low vigour cultivars and dwarfing rootstocks.

Methods

Stem sections from the most recent mature flush were collected from five replicates of three macadamia cultivars: ‘D4’ (high vigour), ‘B25’ (intermediate vigour) and ‘B63’ (low vigour). Sections were imaged under a fluorescence microscope in order to measure the number and size of all xylem vessels in the stem.

Results

The three cultivars showed distinct differences in height over 5 years of measurement (P < 0.001). Change in tree height related to the xylem vessel characteristics of mean vessel area of the ten largest vessels per section (R2 = 0.57, P < 0.001), pith size (R2 = 0.70, P < 0.001) and total additive vessel area (R2 = 0.41, P < 0.01).

Conclusions

This study indicates that relationships between anatomical structure and vigour in macadamia are likely to be similar to those of well-studied temperate tree crops and that anatomical traits may be useful in the selection of low-vigour cultivars. Future work should investigate hydraulic relationships with vigour and rootstock-scion interactions in macadamia.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

Co:

Cortex

Ep:

Epidermis

FC:

Outer fibre cap

MR:

Medullary rays

Ph:

Phloem

VB:

Vascular bundle

XT:

Xylem tissue area

XV:

Individual metaxylem vessel

XV10 :

Mean of ten largest metaxylem vessels

XVA:

Total additive area of metaxylem lumen per section

References

  • Abubaker M, El Hawary SS, Mahrous EA, El-Kader EMA (2018) Botanical study and DNA fingerprinting of Macadamia integrifolia maiden and Betche cultivated in Egypt. J Pharm Res 12(3):298–304

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bruckner CH, DeJong TM (2014) Proposed pre-selection method for identification of dwarfing peach rootstocks based on rapid shoot xylem vessel analysis. Sci Hortic 165:404–409

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • DeJong TM, Tombesi S, Basile B, Da Silva D (2013) Beakbane and Thompson (1939, east Malling) had it right: scion vigour is physiologically linked to the xylem anatomy of the rootstock. Asp Appl Biol 119:51–58

    Google Scholar 

  • Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Queensland (2017) Macadamia industry benchmark report - 2009 to 2016 seasons. Technical report. State of Queensland

  • Lauri PÉ, Gorza O, Cochard H, Martinez S, Celton JM, Ripetti V, Lartaud M, Bry X, Trottier C, Costes E (2011) Genetic determinism of anatomical and hydraulic traits within an apple progeny. Plant Cell Environ 34(8):1276–1290

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McFadyen LM, Morris SG, Oldham MA, Huett DO, Meyers NM, Wood J, McConchie CA (2004) The relationship between orchard crowding, light interception and productivity in macadamia. Aust J Agric Res 55:1029–1038

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McFadyen LM, Robertson D, Sedgley M, Kristiansen P, Olesen T (2011) Post-pruning shoot growth increases fruit abscission and reduces stem carbohydrates and yield in macadamia. Ann Bot 107(6):993–1001

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • R Core Team, 2018. R: a language and environment for statistical computing. R Foundation for statistical computing, Vienna, Austria. URL: https://www.R-project.org/

  • Robinson T (2011) Advances in apple culture worldwide. Rev Bras Frutic 33(SPE1):37–47

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schindelin J, Arganda-Carreras I, Frise E, Kaynig V, Longair M, Pietzsch T, Preibisch S, Rueden C, Saalfeld S, Schmid B, Tinevez JY (2012) Fiji: an open-source platform for biological-image analysis. Nat Methods 9(7):676–682

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sevanto S, Nikinmaa E, Riikonen A, Daley M, Pettijohn JC, Mikkelsen TN, Phillips N, Holbrook NM (2008) Linking xylem diameter variations with sap flow measurements. Plant Soil 305(1–2):77–90

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Toft BD, Hanan JS, Topp B, Auzmendi I, Wilkie JD (2016) Can greater understanding of macadamia canopy architecture lay the foundation for orchard productivity improvements? Acta Hortic 1228:51–58

    Google Scholar 

  • Toft BD, Alam M, Topp B (2018) Estimating genetic parameters of architectural and reproductive traits in young macadamia cultivars. Tree Genet Genomes 14(4):50

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Toft BD, Alam M, Wilkie JD, Topp BL (2019) Phenotypic association of multi-scale architectural traits with canopy volume and yield: moving toward high-density systems for macadamia. HortScience 54(4):1–7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tombesi S, Johnson RS, Day KR, DeJong TM (2009) Relationships between xylem vessel characteristics, calculated axial hydraulic conductance and size-controlling capacity of peach rootstocks. Ann Bot 105(2):327–331

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tombesi S, Johnson RS, Day KR, DeJong TM (2010) Interactions between rootstock, inter-stem and scion xylem vessel characteristics of peach trees growing on rootstocks with contrasting size-controlling characteristics. AoB Plants 2010. https://doi.org/10.1093/aobpla/plq013

  • Tombesi S, Almehdi A, DeJong TM (2011) Phenotyping vigour control capacity of new peach rootstocks by xylem vessel analysis. Sci Hortic 127(3):353–357

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Topp B, Hardner CM, Neal J, Kelly A, Russell D, McConchie C, O'Hare P (2016) Overview of the Australian macadamia industry breeding program. Acta Hortic 1127:45–50

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Webster AD (1995) Rootstock and interstock effects on deciduous fruit tree vigour, precocity, and yield productivity. N Z J Crop Hortic Sci 23(4):373–382

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zach A, Schuldt B, Brix S, Horna V, Culmsee H, Leuschner C (2010) Vessel diameter and xylem hydraulic conductivity increase with tree height in tropical rainforest trees in Sulawesi, Indonesia. Flora-Morphology, Distribution, Functional Ecology of Plants 205(8):506–512

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank Rob Sullivan, Rumelo Amor and Andrew Thompson for use of the histology labs and imaging facilities at Queensland Brain Institute. This work was supported by Hort Innovation using the Hort Innovation Across Horticulture research and development levy, co-investment from DAF and contributions from the Australian Government. Hort Innovation is the grower-owned, not-for-profit research and development corporation for Australian horticulture. This work is part of the Macadamia Breeding and Conservation Project and the Small Tree – High Productivity Initiative including research collaborations between the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF), NSW Department of Primary Industries and the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Queensland Alliance for Agriculture & Food Innovation, Maroochy Research Facility, The University of Queensland, Box 5083 SCMC, QLD, Nambour, PO, 4570, Australia

    Benjamin D. Toft, Mobashwer M. Alam & Bruce L. Topp

Authors
  1. Benjamin D. Toft
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mobashwer M. Alam
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Bruce L. Topp
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Benjamin D. Toft.

Additional information

Responsible Editor: Janusz J. Zwiazek.

Publisher’s note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Toft, B.D., Alam, M.M. & Topp, B.L. Anatomical structure associated with vegetative growth variation in macadamia. Plant Soil 444, 343–350 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-019-04285-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11104-019-04285-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation