Susceptibility of plants to vascular disruption by macromolecules.

The xylem of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) was found to be susceptible to vascular obstruction by picomole quantities of dextrans. Not all parts of the xylem were equally susceptible to this plugging. The quantity of dextran of 2 x 10(6) molecular weight required to stop vascular flow was 8 picomoles in petiole junctions and 0.4 picomole in leaflet veins. Vascular flow through stems was greatly reduced but not stopped, even by over 150 picomoles of the dextran. The ability of dextrans to interfere with vascular conductance was directly correlated with their molecular weight. Dextrans of molecular weight less than 250,000 had little ability to stop vascular flow.