Poroelastic model of long-distance signals in vascular plants

Plants exhibit remarkable adaptability in response to various environmental factors. To maintain hydration in an unsaturated environment, plants hold water in a state of stress characterized by negative water potentials and local chemical and mechanical equilibrium with the tissue matrix. This state can be perturbed by both biotic (e.g., wounding by pests, infection) and abiotic (e.g., drought, heat) stresses. Evidence suggests that the propagation of such perturbations can mediate long-distance signaling that allows the plant to mount a systemic coordinated response. However, we currently lack a theoretical framework for the mechanical and convective processes associated with such propagation of signals.

In this work, I will briefly introduce the biology of long-distance signals and the current state of understanding. I will then: 1. Develop a poroelastic transport model that captures the poroelastic relaxation of the plant tissue subjected to water stress perturbations; 2. Identify dimensionless groups that characterize different regimes of the system and discuss their dependence on plant properties (i.e., cell wall elasticity, cell-to-cell coupling); 3. Confront the model with experimentally available data; and 4. Guide a design of experiments needed to understand the molecular mechanisms and potential sensors responsible for decoding the long-distance signals.