Open Access

ARTICLE

Morphological differences of vessels in the secondary xylem of columnar and standard apple trees

by Zhang YG, SX Guo, HY Dai

College of Landscaping and Horticulture, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, Shandong Province 266109, China.

Address correspondence to: Zhang Yugang: e-mail: ; Dai Hongyi: e-mail:

Phyton-International Journal of Experimental Botany 2012, 81(all), 229-232. https://doi.org/10.32604/phyton.2012.81.229

Abstract

The length, dimension and type of the vessel elements in the secondary xylem of columnar and standard apple trees were studied by isolation method and micrograph. Results showed that the shoot xylem vessel cells were reticulate and pitted in columnar and standard apples. Most of the end walls were simple perforation plates. Compared with columnar apple trees, standard apple trees showed more abnormal cells in the xylem vessel cells. The average diameter of the xylem vessel cells of shoots was significantly wider in columnar apple (43.27μm) than in standard apple, (32.64 μm). Length of the xylem vessel cells of shoots didn’t have a consistent pattern in columnar and standard apple trees. Results of this study might help to explain why columnar apple trees had higher photosynthetic rates and light energy utilization ratios than standard apple trees. These traits might have contributed to early flowering and fruiting in columnar apple trees.

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