Some properties of the walls of metaxylem vessels of maize roots including tests of the wettability of their lumenal wall surfaces

摘要

Background and AimsSince the proposal of the cohesion theory there has been a paradox that the lumenal surface of vessels is rich in hydrophobic lignin, while tension in the rising sap requires adhesion to a hydrophilic surface. This study sought to characterize the strength of that adhesion in maize (Zea mays), the wettability of the vessel surface, and to reconcile this with its histochemical and physical nature.