Application of pneumatic method to build vulnerability curves in solitary vesselled trees: Assessement of vulnerability to cavitation of three Eucalyptus mature tree species

Air entry in the plant water-transport system leads to vascular embolism that has a major impact on plant water relations by disrupting the water-transport capacity, impairing its functioning and even triggering the plant death. Forestry tree species should exhibit both high survival and fast growth rate. From this point of view, Eucalyptus is an interesting genus since it inhabits a wide diversity of climatic and environmental conditions and covers more than 20 million planted hectares worldwide. This genus presents solitary vessels, i.e. not directly connected to other vessels but surrounded by different imperforate tracheary elements and parenchyma that participate in a less known form in xylem safety and hydraulic efficiency.