Collection of Xylem Exudates from the Model Plant Arabidopsis and the Crop Plant Soybean

Abstract

A number of molecules, such as secreted peptides, have been shown to mediate root-to-shoot signaling in response to various conditions. The xylem is a pathway for water and molecules that are translocated from roots to shoots. Therefore, collecting and analyzing xylem exudates is an efficient approach to study root-to-shoot long-distance signaling. Here, we describe a step-by-step protocol for the collection of xylem exudate from the model plant Arabidopsis and the crop plant soybean (Glycine max). In this protocol, we can collect xylem exudate from plants cultured under normal growth conditions without using special equipment.Graphical abstract: Xylem exudates on the cut surfaces of an Arabidopsis hypocotyl and a soybean internode.