Functional imaging of plants by magnetic resonance experiments.

Microimaging based on magnetic resonance is an experimental technique that can provide a unique view of a variety of plant physiological processes. Particularly interesting applications include investigations of water movement and spatially resolved studies of the transport and accumulation of labelled molecules in intact plant tissue. Some of the fundamental principles of nuclear and electron magnetic resonance microimaging are explained here and the potential of these techniques is shown using several representative examples.