Short-term response to waterlogging in Quercus petraea and Quercus robur: A study of the root hydraulic responses and the transcriptional pattern of aquaporins

International audience; We characterized the short-term response to waterlogging in Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl. and Quercus robur L. as the initial response towards their known long-term differences in tolerance to waterlogging. One-month old seedlings were subjected to hypoxic stress and leaf gas exchange, shoot water potential (Psi(s)) and root hydraulic conductivity (Lp(r)) were measured. In parallel, the expression of nine aquaporins (AQPs) along the primary root was analysed by quantitative RT-PCR. Results showed a similar reduction in net assimilation (A) and stomatal conductance (g(s)) for the two species. Notably, the response of Lpr differed temporally between the two species. Q…