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ARS Home » Plains Area » Houston, Texas » Children's Nutrition Research Center » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #291226
Title: The plant vascular system: Evolution, development and functions

Author
item LUCAS, WILLIAM - University Of California
item GROOVER, ANDREW - Forest Service (FS)
item LICHTENBERGER, RAFFAEL - University Of Helsinki
item FURUTA, KAORI - University Of Helsinki
item YADAV, SHRI-RAM - University Of Helsinki
item HELARIUTTA, YKA - University Of Helsinki
item HE, XIN-QIANG - Peking University
item FUKUDA, HIROO - University Of Tokyo
item KANG, JULIE - University Of Northern Iowa
item BRADY, SIOBAHN - University Of California
item PATRICK, JOHN - University Of Newcastle
item SPERRY, JOHN - University Of Utah
item YOSHIDA, AKIKO - University Of California
item LOPEZ-MILLAN, ANA-FLOR - Consejo Superior De Investigaciones Cientificas (CSIC)
item Grusak, Michael
item KACHROO, PRADEEP - University Of Kentucky

Submitted to: Journal of Integrative Plant Biology
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/1/2013
Publication Date: 4/1/2013
Citation: Lucas, W.J., Groover, A., Lichtenberger, R., Furuta, K., Yadav, S., Helariutta, Y., He, X., Fukuda, H., Kang, J., Brady, S.M., Patrick, J.W., Sperry, J., Yoshida, A., Lopez-Millan, A., Grusak, M.A., Kachroo, P. 2013. The plant vascular system: Evolution, development and functions. Journal of Integrative Plant Biology. 55(4):294-388.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The emergence of the tracheophyte-based vascular system of land plants had major impacts on the evolution of terrestrial biology, in general, through its role in facilitating the development of plants with increased stature, photosynthetic output, and ability to colonize a greatly expanded range of environmental habitats. Recently, considerable progress has been made in terms of our understanding of the developmental and physiological programs involved in the formation and function of the plant vascular system. In this review, we first examine the evolutionary events that gave rise to the tracheophytes, followed by analysis of the genetic and hormonal networks that cooperate to orchestrate vascular development in the gymnosperms and angiosperms. The two essential functions performed by the vascular system, namely the delivery of resources (water, essential mineral nutrients, sugars, and amino acids) to the various plant organs and provision of mechanical support, are next discussed. Here, we focus on critical questions relating to structural and physiological properties controlling the delivery of material through the xylem and phloem. Recent discoveries into the role of the vascular system as an effective long-distance communication system are next assessed in terms of the coordination of developmental, physiological, and defense-related processes, at the whole-plant level. A concerted effort has been made to integrate all these new findings into a comprehensive picture of the state-of-the-art in the area of plant vascular biology. Finally, areas important for future research are highlighted in terms of their likely contribution both to basic knowledge and to applications to primary industry.