Scientists at the HortResearch institute in New Zealand have won funding for two years to investigate how living cells in the sapwood of plants help control water transport in drought conditions using kiwifruit.

'Vines like kiwifruit often have very high rates of water use,' said Mike Clearwater (pictured) who is leading the research, 'but very little is known about the properties of their unusual sapwood.' The research will therefore involve subjecting plants to the stress of drought to see how cells in the sapwood respond. Dr Clearwater believes that some factors may allow plants to adjust their 'plumbing' in response to stress.

'The conventional view of sapwood is as an inert, passive tissue,' said Dr Clearwater. 'But if plants control the concentration of sap, they basically control their plumbing. Plants area lot more complex that is often thought,' he said.

Picture: HortResearch New Zealand.