bioRxiv Science⌕ Search
Home/Archive/bioRxiv

bioRxiv · 10.1101/237826

The co-regulatory interaction of transpiration and water potential: Implications for stomatal conductance models and height growth in trees

Beyer, R.·Pretzsch, H.·Cournede, P.-H.
View original source ↗Export metadata ↓

Abstract

Leaf water potential decreases with increasing transpiration rate according to an analogue of Ohms law, while transpiration rate decreases with decreasing leaf water potential in the framework of stomatal control. This interaction is not accommodated in present-day models of stomatal conductance. We formally derive the equilibrium between these two counteracting processes for steady-state water conditions. We show that the mechanism considered causes an attenuation of the immediate effect of atmospheric variables on transpiration, which can improve existing models of stomatal conductance that presume noninterdependent variables. Parameters from European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) are used to illustrate the results.

Explore related subjects

plant biologyPreprint

Keep this discovery

Explore connections, maps & timelines

BibTeXRIS

Beyer, R., Pretzsch, H., Cournede, P.-H.. 2017-12-21. The co-regulatory interaction of transpiration and water potential: Implications for stomatal conductance models and height growth in trees. https://doi.org/10.1101/237826

Cite the original work for its findings. Save a collection to share your selection of sources.

KEEP EXPLORING

Related preprints

bioRxiv2026

Compost-associated microbiota modulates root transcriptional responses and enhances tomato drought resilience

Compost is a promising sustainable alternative to mineral fertilization because it supplies nutrients and organic matter while hosting diverse microbial communities. However, even if its application to plants has been proven to alleviate different biotic and abiotic stresses, it remains unclear whether its benefits arise from its physico-chemical properties, its associated microbiota, or both. In this study, we compared the impact of compost, sterile compost and an NPK treatment providing equivalent macronutrient inputs on tomato plants cv. Micro-Tom. After assessing physiological parameters of the leaves and molecular responses of the roots under optimal conditions, we performed a drought stress experiment under the three fertilization treatments, complementing the analysis with the investigation of substrate water-retention properties. Although all fertilized treatments improved plant performance relative to nutrient-poor soil, RNA sequencing revealed distinct root transcriptional profiles among compost, sterile compost and NPK, with the compost treatment upregulating several pathways related to plant growth and health, such as hormone signaling, nutrient metabolism, and stress responses. When subjected to severe water stress, compost-treated plants retained the highest photosynthetic efficiency and compost showed the highest available water content compared to the other treatments. These findings suggest that compost may enhance tomato drought resilience through combined effects of substrate water availability and compost-associated microbiota.

plant biology↗
bioRxiv2026

Organic Fertilizer Substitution for Chemical Fertilizer Improves Yield, Medicinal Active Compounds and Amino-Acid Profiles of Dendrobium officinale with Multi-Index Comprehensive Evaluation

Dendrobium officinale (D. officinale) is an important medicinal horticultural crop. Its wild resources are threatened by over-exploitation. Fertilization regimes that balance yield and medicinal quality are urgently required for its artificial cultivation. This study aimed to investigate the effects of reduced chemical fertilizer combined with organic fertilizer on the yield and quality of D. officinale, and screen the optimal combined fertilization pattern, so as to provide a theoretical basis for standardized fertilization in D. officinale cultivation. A bed-cultivation experiment was carried out in greenhouse. Seven treatments were set up, including no fertilizer application (CK), sole chemical fertilizer (CF), 20% organic fertilizer substitution for chemical fertilizer (T20), 40% organic fertilizer substitution for chemical fertilizer (T40), 60% organic fertilizer substitution for chemical fertilizer (T60), 80% organic fertilizer substitution for chemical fertilizer (T80), and single organic fertilizer application (OM). Plant growth traits, yield, active ingredients, protein and amino acid components of D. officinale were determined. The membership function method was adopted for comprehensive evaluation of all treatments. Fertilization significantly improved the growth traits, yield and quality of D. officinale. Compared with CK, stem length, stem diameter and yield under fertilized treatments increased significantly by 15.5%-60.3%, 34.2%-64.7% and 65%-143.2%, respectively; dendrobine, polyphenols and alcohol-soluble extract contents increased significantly by 21.2%-83.7%, 14.0%-49.1% and 10.8%-26.9%, respectively. The highest plant growth and yield were observed under sole chemical fertilizer treatment. With the increase of organic fertilizer substitution ratio, plant growth and yield decreased gradually, while medicinal active ingredients including dendrobine, polysaccharides and flavonoids showed a trend of rising first and then falling. A total of 17 amino acids were detected in all treatments. T40 and T60 treatments significantly increased total amino acids, essential amino acids, as well as contents of medicinal, umami and bitter-tasting amino acids, whereas excessive proportion of organic fertilizer led to the decline of amino acid contents. Most growth, quality and amino acid indicators showed significant or extremely significant positive correlations with each other. The comprehensive evaluation order by membership function method was T40 > T60 > CF > T20 > T80 > OM > CK, and T40 obtained the highest comprehensive evaluation value. Sole chemical fertilizer contributes to yield increase of D. officinale, while combined application with organic fertilizer improves its medicinal quality. The 40?% organic substitution scheme provides a feasible fertilization strategy for high-quality greenhouse production of this medicinal horticultural plant.

plant biology↗
bioRxiv2026

Large-scale forward genetics reveals genetically separable components of plant cell proliferative capacity

Plant cell cultures underpin regeneration, transformation and emerging applications in biotechnology and plant cell agriculture, yet the genetic determinants of proliferative performance remain poorly characterized. Here, we combined large-scale forward genetics with automated image-based phenotyping to quantify 27,648 calli representing 2,880 Arabidopsis thaliana T-DNA insertion lines. Of these, 2,456 lines produced calli smaller than the WT population mean, whereas only 190 produced larger calli, revealing a strongly asymmetric phenotypic distribution. Enhanced callus growth was not consistently associated with increased vegetative growth, indicating that these traits can be genetically uncoupled. Validation of selected high-growth mutants in suspension culture identified lines with enhanced biomass accumulation, while serial propagation revealed independent variation in sustained proliferative capacity. Thus, callus growth, whole-plant growth, short-term suspension biomass accumulation and sustained proliferation represent distinct, not necessarily coupled components of proliferative performance. These findings establish a scalable framework for identifying genetic determinants relevant to the development of improved plant cell production lines.

plant biology↗