Authorship：Lead author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Language：Japanese   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Wiley  

Abstract

Tracer injection has long been recognized as a valuable tool for delineating tree hydraulics and assessing water transport pathways. Recently, isotope tracers have emerged as innovative instruments for investigating tree hydraulics, providing new insights into tree water dynamics. Nevertheless, there is a critical need for further research to comprehensively grasp water movement and distribution within trees. A previously introduced technique for analyzing the isotopic ratio of water in wet tissues, offering millimeter‐scale resolution for visualizing tracer movement, faces challenges due to its underdeveloped sample preparation techniques. In this study, we introduced an H₂¹⁸O tracer into S. gracilistyla samples, exclusively comprising indeterminate roots, stems, and leaves, cultivated through hydroponics and grown within the current year. Our objective was to assess the axial distribution of the tracer in the xylem. Additionally, we devised a novel method for preparing frozen wet tissue samples, enhancing the repeatability and success rate of experiments. The results demonstrated that all frozen wet tissue samples exhibited an average water loss rate of less than 0.6%. Isotopic analysis of these samples unveiled a consistent decline in tracer concentration with increasing height in all Salix specimens, with three out of five samples revealing a significant isotope gradient. Our findings affirm the efficacy and practicality of combining isotopic labeling with freezing, stabilization, and preparation techniques. Looking ahead, our isotopic labeling and analysis methods are poised to transcend woody plants, finding extensive applications in plant physiology and ecohydrology.

DOI： 10.1111/ppl.14292

Scopus

PubMed

Authorship：Lead author,　Corresponding author   Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)   Publisher：Springer Science and Business Media LLC  

Abstract

Key message

We elucidated the age trends of narrow-sense heritability and phenotypic/genetic correlations and the age–age genetic correlation of growth ring components of Cryptomeria japonica D. Don by investigating progenies of controlled crossings by soft X-ray densitometry analysis. Wood density in the C. japonica breeding program can be efficiently improved by selecting trees with a higher earlywood density and latewood percentage as early as forest stand ages of 5–9 years.

Context

Wood density within the trunk is affected by the intra-ring wood density profile and its age trend from pith to bark. Wood density can be efficiently improved by clarifying whether wood density and highly correlated intra-ring components are under additive genetic control.

Aims

The aim of this study was to elucidate the age trends of narrow-sense heritability and phenotypic/genetic correlations of growth ring components and investigate the possibility of early selection for improving wood density in Cryptomeria japonica.

Methods

We quantified seven growth ring components (width, density, earlywood/latewood width, average earlywood/latewood density, and latewood percentage) for 5112 annual rings of 342 18-year-old trees derived from 24 controlled pollinated full-sib families of C. japonica plus tree clones by soft X-ray densitometry analysis. Genetic parameters and correlations among the seven growth ring components were analyzed using a linear mixed model and the breedR package.

Results

Earlywood density and latewood percentage exhibited a higher phenotypic and genetic correlation with ring density than the other ring components at almost all ages. Earlywood density and latewood percentage exhibited a lower correlation with ring width than the other ring components after a stand age of 5 years. The age–age genetic correlation of earlywood density and latewood percentage was 0.70 for a stand age of 17 years and was strong at stand ages of 5 and 9 years.

Conclusion

Efforts focusing on improving earlywood density and latewood percentage may contribute to improving wood density efficiently in tree breeding programs for C. japonica. Traits related to the ring density of C. japonica trees can possibly be selected as early as stand ages of 5–9 years, and the required period for progeny selection may be substantially shortened when selecting trees with high wood density.

DOI： 10.1186/s13595-023-01212-9

Scopus

Other Link： https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13595-023-01212-9/fulltext.html

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

DOI： 10.1093/treephys/tpad056

Scopus

PubMed

Language：English   Publishing type：Research paper (scientific journal)  

Language：Japanese   Publishing type：Article, review, commentary, editorial, etc. (bulletin of university, research institution)  

J-GLOBAL

Authorship：Lead author   Language：Japanese   Publishing type：Article, review, commentary, editorial, etc. (other)  

J-GLOBAL

Event date： 2022.5

Language：English  

[in Japanese]

Event date： 2021.3

Language：Japanese   Presentation type：Poster presentation  

Language：Japanese   Presentation type：Poster presentation  

Language：Japanese   Presentation type：Oral presentation (general)  

Language：Japanese   Presentation type：Poster presentation