Factors controlling drought resistance in grapevine (Vitis vinifera, chardonnay): application of a new microCT method to assess functional embolism resistance.

Premise: Quantifying resistance to embolism in woody plants is important for understanding their drought response. Methods to accurately quantify resistance to embolism continue to be debated.

Methods: We used a new microCT-based approach that quantifies embolized conduits and also analyzes conductive conduits by using an x-ray-dense, iodine-rich tracer that moves though the vascular system and can easily be observed in microCT images.