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Govt. of India Trust Reg.no. : E/11049/Rajkot
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Income tax of India Reg.no.for 12A : AADTK8161HE20217

Volume 6 – Issue 2 – 2024

Original Research Article

Root And Stem Vessels Of Some Nigerian Hardwood Species

I.M.Adeniyi*1, B.Ajayi2, K.S.Aina1, O.A.David3

1Department of Forest Products Development and Utilization Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria,
P.M.B 5054, Ibadan, Oyo State, (NIGERIA)
2Forestry and Wood Technology Department, Federal University Technology, P.M.B 704, Akure, Ondo State, (NIGERIA)
3Department of Plant Science and Biotechnology, Federal University of Oye-Ekiti, Ekiti State, (NIGERIA)

PAGE NO: 107-114

ABSTRACT – DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47204/EMSR.6.2.2024.107-114

The stem and the root regions are connected to form part of a living tree for water and mineral nutrient uptake. Stem and root wood from thirteen Nigerian trees were investigated for their vessels. Wood samples from stem were collected from the inner and outer tree using an increment borer of diameter 12 mm and length 28 cm at the tree breast height of 1.35 m, while root wood samples were obtained from the lateral root of each mature tree. Sectioning of sample materials into about 20 μm thick was performed using a Reichert microtome sliding machine. Microscopic investigations of wood samples were performed using an Olympus (CH series) light microscope at 80 ×. Qualitatively, results showed that vessel traits that were uniquely exhibited by each wood species in the root regions were greatly similar to those from the stem regions. However, quantitative analysis revealed that values of vessel elements within the stem varied greatly from the root region in all the wood species; vessel traits such as vessel density and vessel groupings where they occurred in trees were species dependent, or influenced by edaphic features or response of trees to environmental factors and therefore cannot be generalised. Vessel group index (VGI) and vessel density, wherever they are reinforced in a tree are essential to provide alternative conduits in case of vessel malfunctions during cavitation or embolism.