Wound Healing in Bark of Woody Plants

Bark is a complex sheath that has two primary functions, it conducts photosynthate from leaves to other parts of plants, and it provides protection from insects, diseases, and mechanical abrasions. When live bark is injured, it responds by generating a new phellogen near the site of injury. However, environmental factors that reduce plant vigor may retard the restoration process and, thus, increase susceptibility to pathogenic microbes.