Tracheal Cells
Definition - What does Tracheal Cells mean?
In the context of wine grape vine anatomy, tracheal cells are non-living components in grapes vines that support the conduction of minerals and water throughout the vine. The tracheal cells are located within the xylem, which is part of the permanent tissue of the grape vine and is responsible for the distribution of minerals and water throughout the plant.
WineFrog explains Tracheal Cells
The tracheal cells are an integral component of the nutrient and hydration system within the grape vine. Grapes vines don’t have circulatory systems like animals or humans, and so they use special tissues and cells within the vine to transport their nutrients. The tracheal cells are not living tissue, they have a thick cell wall, made up of a primary and secondary wall. The primary wall is made of cellulose and the secondary wall is made up of lignin.
These long cylindrical cells are spaced erratically throughout the xylem and filter and pass nutrients and hydration to each other to ensure a healthy vine. Knowing about tracheal cells and how they work is important to viticulturists, so they can learn about the overall health of grape vines. If the Vines are being irrigated or receiving adequate rainfall, and the soil is full of nutrients and the vines are struggling, it’s an indication that the vine may have a disease or pest.
