Hydraulic redistribution and water movement mechanisms in grapevines

Context and purpose of the study – Plants have been shown to redistribute water between root sections and soil layers along a gradient of decreasing water availability. One benefit of this hydraulic redistribution is that water can be transported from roots in wet soil to others in dry soil, delaying the onset of water stress and increasing root longevity in dry environments. Grapevines are thought to redistribute water laterally across the trunk from wet to dry portions of the root system. However, it is unknown whether the phloem contributes to such water redistribution. The objectives of the present study were: (1) to determine the pathways of water transport through the vine form wet soil areas to the dry areas; (2) to determine the potential phloem contribution to this water movement.