Measurement of plant water status by the pressure chamber technique

The pressure chamber has been widely used in the measurement of total water potential and pressure-volume relations of leaves, twigs and, to a lesser extent, roots. Some of the benefits and precautions in its use in these studies are reviewed and discussed. The pressure chamber has also been used to determine hydraulic resistances of plants, to collect xylem sap, to determine the water potential at various points in the xylem and to establish membrane damage of plants. Developments in this field are reviewed and discussed.