The Effect of Guttation on the Growth of Bamboo Shoots

Abstract

Guttation is the process of exudating droplets from the tips, edges, and adaxial and abaxial surfaces of the undamaged leaves. Guttation is a natural and spontaneous biological phenomenon that occurs in a wide variety of plants. Despite its generally positive effect on plant growth, many aspects of this cryptic process are unknown. In this study, the guttation phenomenon characteristic of bamboo shoots and the anatomical feature of these and culm sheaths were systematically observed. In addition, the water transport pathway and the compounds in guttation droplets of bamboo shoots were analyzed, and the effect of bamboo sheaths’ guttation on the growth of bamboo shoots was assessed. The results revealed that bamboo shoots began to exudate liquid in the evening through to the next morning, during which period the volume of guttation liquid gradually increases and then decreases before sunrise. Many vascular bundles are in bamboo shoots and culm sheaths to facilitate this water transport. The exudate liquid contains organic acids, sugars, and hormones, among other compounds. Our findings suggest that the regular guttation of the sheath blade is crucial to maintain the normal growth of bamboo shoots.

Spatiotemporal dynamic changes in transpiration in the shoot sheath and its relation to water transportation during rapid growth of Moso bamboo

“…Additionally, the upper part of bamboo culm sheaths (s21-s31) was purplish-brown and densely covered with brown spines, whereas the lower part (s1-s10) contained scattered purple spots. Zheng et al (2022) observed numerous vascular bundles in the lower part of culm sheaths, where a greater number of xylem ducts were apparent in a vascular bundle and their cross-sectional area exceeded that of the phloem. This suggested that lower parts of the culm sheaths (s1-s10) exhibit a high capacity for water transport.…”

“…This study found that the pulp cavity of the bamboo shoots was unable to transport water (Figure 7A), and the vascular bundle adjacent to the pulp cavity of the bamboo wall served as the primary pathway for water transport (Figures 7B-D). Staining was also observed in the ducts of the bamboo nodal diaphragm (Figure 7D), Indicating that these interconnecting ducts played a crucial role in facilitating an efficient water-transport system in bamboo shoots (Zheng et al, 2022).…”

A bamboo ‘PeSAPK4‐PeMYB99‐PeTIP4‐3’ regulatory model involved in water transport

“…The bamboo root pressure exhibited circadian rhythms, with negative pressure in the daytime and positive pressure at night (Fig. 1a), and the root pressure fluctuation showed similar variation patterns with guttation rhythm (Zheng et al ., 2021). Importantly, we discovered a sharp upward trend in root pressure during the period of 18:00 to 21:00, coinciding with the fastest growth rate of bamboo shoots (Cheng et al ., 2017).…”

Plasticity in the Morphology of Growing Bamboo: A Bayesian Analysis of Exogenous Treatment Effects on Plant Height, Internode Length, and Internode Numbers

“…The catabolism of starch and soluble sugars was significantly increased in the spring shoots of P. edulis [34]. The culm sheath uses water as a medium to transport organic acids, sugars, and other compounds to the internodes for the growth of P. edulis shoots [35]. Wang et al [36] found that sugar content was high in the fast elongation and mature internodes of Fargesia yunnanensis, implying that the elongation of bamboo internodes requires a large amount of sugar.…”