Journal
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
Volume 61, Issue 1, Pages 157-164Publisher
OXFORD UNIV PRESS
DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erp288
Keywords
Potassium deprivation; potassium transport; sunflower root; water transport
Categories
Funding
- Ministerio de Educacion y Ciencia [AGL 2005-03074/AGR]
- Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion [2008-02239/AGR]
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The effect of K+ deprivation on water and K+ transport in roots was studied in sunflower plants. Deprivation was achieved in two different ways: by removing K+ from the growth medium for varying intervals; and by growing plants permanently in a low-K+ medium. Removal of K+ from the growth medium for a few hours prompted a significant increase in xylem sap exudation, associated with an increase in root hydraulic conductivity; however, it did not give rise to any significant change in plant K+ content, nor did it favour root K+ exudation. By contrast, prolonged K+ deprivation led to a decline in the internal K+ content and stimulated water and K+ transport in roots. Leaf application of K+ (Rb+) in plants grown permanently in a low-K+ medium inhibited the effect of K+ deprivation on root water and K+ transport, without significantly modifying the internal K+ content of the plants. This treatment had no effect on normal-K+ plants. These results suggest the existence of mechanisms enabling perception of plant K+ status and/or K+ availability in the medium, which trigger transduction processes governing the transport of water and K+ from the root to the shoot.
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