Mahmoodi, Cyrus E.2010-02-262010-02-262009-12https://hdl.handle.net/11299/58548University of Minnesota Ph.D. dissertation. December 2009. Major: Applied Plant Sciences. Advisor: Dr. Nicolas Jordan. 1 computer file (PDF); vii, 104 pages, appendices A (pages 91-104)Water potential gradients have been largely ignored as a primary factor capable of influencing interplant transfer even though there was evidence of hydraulic conductivity across the biotrophic plant fungi interface. Using two fluorescence tracer molecules, phorwite and rhodamine, a direct transfer pathway was observed and direct transfer quantified between two Illinois Bundleflower (Desmanthus illinoensis) plant root systems linked by arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) hyphae. Three water potential gradients were tested: (i) receiver plant water-stressed -0.25 ±.03 MPa, (ii) no water stress, and (iii) donor plant water-stressed. When the receiver plant was water-stressed, rapid (< 18 h) dye transfer occurred, obeying the source/sink paradigm often utilized in other interplant nutrient transfer studies.en-USAMFArbuscular mycorrhizal fungiDesmanthus illinoensisInterplant transferWater potential transferApplied Plant SciencesThesis or Dissertation