Plant Physiol, May 2003, Vol. 132, pp. 206-217

Apoplasmic Barriers and Oxygen Transport Properties of Hypodermal Cell Walls in Roots from Four Amazonian Tree Species¹

Max-Planck Institute for Limnology, Tropical Ecology Workgroup, P.O. Box 165, D-24302 Plön, Germany (O.D.S., K. Haase, E.M., W.J.J.); University of Bonn, Ecophysiology of Plants, Institute of Botany, Kirschallee 1, D-53115 Bonn, Germany (K. Hartmann, L.S.); and University of Oldenburg, Department of Biology, P.O. Box 2503, D-26111 Oldenburg, Germany (W.S.)

The formation of suberized and lignified barriers in the exodermis is suggested to be part of a suite of adaptations to flooded or waterlogged conditions, adjusting transport of solutes and gases in and out of roots. In this study, the composition of apoplasmic barriers in hypodermal cell walls and oxygen profiles in roots and the surrounding medium of four Amazon tree species that are subjected to long-term flooding at their habitat was analyzed. In hypodermal cell walls of the deciduous tree Crateva benthami, suberization is very weak and dominated by monoacids, 2-hydroxy acids, and -hydroxycarboxylic acids. This species does not show any morphological adaptations to flooding and overcomes the aquatic period in a dormant state. Hypodermal cells of Tabernaemontana juruana, a tree which is able to maintain its leaf system during the aquatic phase, are characterized by extensively suberized walls, incrusted mainly by the unsaturated C₁₈ -hydroxycarboxylic acid and the ,-dicarboxylic acid analogon, known as typical suberin markers. Two other evergreen species, Laetia corymbulosa and Salix martiana, contained 3- to 4-fold less aliphatic suberin in the exodermis, but more than 85% of the aromatic moiety of suberin are composed of para-hydroxybenzoic acid, suggesting a function of suberin in pathogen defense. No major differences in the lignin content among the species were observed. Determination of oxygen distribution in the roots and rhizosphere of the four species revealed that radial loss of oxygen can be effectively restricted by the formation of suberized barriers but not by lignification of exodermal cell walls.