Steam Girdling

[Janice M. Glime]

  I'm missing part of this story.  I understand how to examine xylem
conduction (although new ideas would be welcome), but how do you show the
loss of phloem conduction after killing the xylem?  And why does the stem
need support after killing it?  Does this have anything to do with living
parenchyma cells providing water as water tension builds during the day
(ala Canny's recent papers)?
Thanks.
Janice
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 Janice M. Glime, Professor  
 Department of Biological Sciences
 Michigan Technological University
 Houghton, MI 49931-1295
 jmglime at mtu.edu
 906-487-2546
 FAX 906-487-3167 
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