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First mobility : Oct 2nd 2016 - Sept 30th 2017

Host : Maria Elena Fernandez and Dr Javier Gyenge - INTA Tandil

Têtè Barigah, from INRA PIAF Clermont-Ferrand, France, is testifying about his Topwood secondment at INTA, Argentina

“My secondment started on October 2nd 2016 and ended up on September 30th 2017. I spent most of the time in Tandil, a medium-size city located roughly 360 km south of Buenos Aires. Dr Maria Elena Fernandez and Dr Javier Gyenge welcomed me well in their city and in their lab, settled in one of the INTA’s facilities in Tandil.

Together, we explored two subjects regarding the water relations of three Eucalyptus species. On the one hand, we handled the propagation of xylem embolism within potted saplings of Eucalyptus camadulensis assigned to a simulated protracted water stress. The occurrence of embolism in this species was random and related to the vessel diameter and its distribution within the xylem. On the other hand, we carried out an experiment to check out whether a recently issued pneumatic device is relevant for establishing vulnerability curves for long or isolated vesseled plant-species, mainly in E. camadulensis, E. globulus and E. viminalis. We obtained nice “S-shaped” curves and the results were similar to data already published. We also showed that there was no significant difference between some E. globulus provenances for these vulnerability curves. When comparing the three species, it came out that E. camadulensis and E. viminalis had the same pattern and that E. globulus was slightly more resistant to drought than the others.

Besides, I undertook a 10-days trip to Bariloche early in April to interact with some colleagues involved in the Topwood project. This allowed me to handle measurements regarding the hydraulic architecture of three native Patagonian species; a project overseen by Dr Nicolas Martin-StPaul.”