Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Mathematical and Experimental Investigation of Water Migration in Plant Xylem

  • Published:
Journal of Bionic Engineering Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Plant can take water from soil up to several metres high. However, the mechanism of how water rises against gravity is still controversially discussed despite a few mechanisms have been proposed. Also, there still lacks of a critical transportation model because of the diversity and complex xylem structure of plants.

This paper mainly focuses on the water transport process within xylem and a mathematical model is presented. With a simplified micro channel from xylem structure and the calculation using the model of water migration in xylem, this paper identified the relationship between various forces and water migration velocity. The velocity of water migration within the plant stem is considered as detail as possible using all major forces involved, and a full mathmetical model is proposed to calculate and predict the velocity of water migration in plants.

Using details of a specific plant, the velocity of water migration in the plant can be calculated, and then compared to the experimental result from Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). The two results match perfectly to each other, indicating the accuracy of the mathematical model, thus the mathematical model should have brighter future in further applications.

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

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Tyree M T. Plant hydraulics: The ascent of water. Nature, 2003, 423, 923–923.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Amritphale D, Sharma S K. Xylem hydraulics: Rising up and higher! Resonance, 2010, 15, 223–231.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Pennisi E. The sky is not the limit. Science, 2005, 310, 1896–1897.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Zimmermann M H. Hydraulic architecture of some diffuseporous trees. Canadian Journal of Botany, 1978, 56, 2286–2295.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Denny M. Tree hydraulics: How sap rises. European Journal of Physics, 2012, 33, 43–53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Ward J L, Baker J M, Beale M H. Recent applications of NMR spectroscopy in plant metabolomics. FEBS Journal, 2007, 274, 1126–1131.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Kim H K, Choi Y H, Verpoorte R. NMR-based metabolomic analysis of plants. Nature Protocols, 2010, 5, 536–549.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Mesnard F, Ratcliffe R G. NMR analysis of plant nitrogen metabolism. Photosynthesis Research, 2005, 83, 163–180.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Eisenreich W, Bacher A. Advances of high-resolution NMR techniques in the structural and metabolic analysis of plant biochemistry. Phytochemistry, 2007, 68, 2799–2815.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Kim H K, Choi Y H, Verpoorte R. NMR-based plant metabolomics: Where do we stand, where do we go? Trends Biotechnol, 2011, 29, 267–275.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Ward J L, Beale M H. NMR spectroscopy in plant metabolomics. In: Saito K, Dixon R A, Willmitzer L, eds., Plant Metabolomics, Springer Berlin Heidelberg, Berlin, Germany, 2006, 81–91.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  12. Mahrous E A, Farag M A. Two dimensional NMR spectroscopic approaches for exploring plant metabolome: A review. Journal of Advanced Research, 2015, 6, 3–15.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Farag M A. Comparative mass spectrometry & nuclear magnetic resonance metabolomic approaches for nutraceuticals quality control analysis: A brief review. Recent Patents on Biotechnology, 2014, 8, 17–24.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Bottomley P A, Rogers H H, Foster T H. NMR imaging shows water distribution and transport in plant root systems in situ. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 1986, 83, 87–89.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Van As H. NMR in horticulture: in situ plant water balance studies with NMR. International Society for Horticultural Science (ISHS), Leuven, Belgium, 1992.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Scheenen T W J, van Dusschoten D, de Jager P A, Van As H. Quantification of water transport in plants with NMR imaging. Journal of Experimental Botany, 2000, 51, 1751–1759.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Eccles C D, Callaghan P T. High-resolution imaging. The NMR microscope. Journal of Magnetic Resonance (1969), 1986, 68, 393–398.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Kuchenbrod E, Landeck M, Thürmer F, Haase A, Zimmermann U. Measurement of water flow in the xylem vessels of intact maize plants using flow-sensitive NMR imaging. Botanica Acta, 1996, 109, 184–186.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Ishida N, Koizumi M, Kano H. The NMR microscope: A unique and promising tool for plant science. Annals of Botany, 2000, 86, 259–278.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Clark C J, Hockings P D, Joyce D C, Mazucco R A. Application of magnetic resonance imaging to pre- and post-harvest studies of fruits and vegetables. Postharvest Biology and Technology, 1997, 11, 1–21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. McCarthy M, Kauten R. NMR for internal quality evaluation of fruits and vegetables. Transactions of the ASAE, 1989, 32, 1747–1753.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Garnczarska M, Zalewski T, Kempka M. Changes in water status and water distribution in maturing lupin seeds studied by MR imaging and NMR spectroscopy. Journal of Experimental Botany, 2007, 58, 3961–3969.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Petty J. Fluid flow through the vessels of birch wood. Journal of Experimental Botany, 1978, 29, 1463–1469.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Van As H, Schaafsma T. Noninvasive measurement of plant water flow by nuclear magnetic resonance. Biophysical Journal, 1984, 45, 469–472.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Carr H Y, Purcell E M. Effects of diffusion on free precession in nuclear magnetic resonance experiments. Physical Review, 1954, 94, 630–638.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Singer J. NMR diffusion and flow measurements and an introduction to spin phase graphing. Journal of Physics E: Scientific Instruments, 1978, 11, 281–291.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Packer K. The study of slow coherent molecular motion by pulsed nuclear magnetic resonance. Molecular Physics, 1969, 17, 355–368.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Dixon H H, Joly J. On the ascent of sap. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London. B, 1895, 186, 563–576.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Milburn J A. Water Flow in Plants, Longman Inc, New York, USA, 1979, 225.

    Google Scholar 

  30. Hodson M J, Bryant J A. Functional Biology of Plants. John Wiley & Sons, New Jersey, USA, 2012.

    Google Scholar 

  31. Sperry J S, Holbrook N M, Zimmermann M H, Tyree M T. Spring filling of xylem vessels in wild grapevine. Plant Physiology, 1987, 83, 414–417.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Tibbetts T J, Ewers F W. Root pressure and specific conductivity in temperate lianas: Exotic Celastrus orbiculatus (Celastraceae) vs. native vitis riparia (Vitaceae). American Journal of Botany, 2000, 87, 1272–1278.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Van den Honert T. Water transport in plants as a catenary process. Discussions of the Faraday Society, 1948, 3, 146–153.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Zimmerman M H, Brown C L. Trees: Structure and Function, Springer-Verlag, New York, USA, 1971.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  35. Jeje A Y A, Zimmermann M H. Resistance to water flow in xylem vessels. Journal of Experimental Botany, 1979, 30, 817–827.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Tyree M T. The cohesion-tension theory of sap ascent: Current controversies. Journal of Experimental Botany, 1997, 48, 1753–1765.

    Google Scholar 

  37. Kohonen M M, Helland Å. On the function of wall sculpturing in xylem conduits. Journal of Bionic Engineering, 2009, 6, 324–329.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Holbrook N M, Zwieniecki M A. Transporting water to the tops of trees. Physics Today, 2008, 61, 76–77.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Giordano R, Salleo A, Salleo S, Wanderlingh F. Flow in xylem vessels and Poiseuille’s law. Canadian Journal of Botany, 1978, 56, 333–338.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Siau J F. Permeability. Springer, Berlin, Germany, 1984, 73–104

    Google Scholar 

  41. Calkin H, Gibson A, Nobel P. Biophysical model of xylem conductance in tracheids of the fern Pteris vittata. Journal of Experimental Botany, 1986, 37, 1054–1064.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fluids & Thermal Engineering Group, Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK

    Jiaju Hong, Sheng Liu, Shenyi Wu & Yuying Yan

  2. Marine Engineering College, Dalian Maritime University, Dalian, 116026, China

    Jiaju Hong

  3. College of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Hohai University, Changzhou, 213022, China

    Sheng Liu

  4. School of Physics, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK

    Paul Glover

  5. Fluids & Thermal Engineering Research Centre, University of Nottingham Ningbo, Ningbo, 315100, China

    Yuying Yan

Authors
  1. Jiaju Hong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sheng Liu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Paul Glover
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Shenyi Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Yuying Yan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yuying Yan.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Hong, J., Liu, S., Glover, P. et al. Mathematical and Experimental Investigation of Water Migration in Plant Xylem. J Bionic Eng 14, 622–630 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1016/S1672-6529(16)60428-6

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1672-6529(16)60428-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation