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Abbreviations: ABA, abscisic acid; c, t-ABA, cis, trans-abscisic acid; LPI, leaf plastochron index; PI, plastochron index age; ψ P , leaf turgor pressure; ψ S , leaf osmotic potential; ψ W , leaf water potential; t , t-ABA, trans, trans
Abstract
The relationships of net photosynthesis (Pn) to soil water potential, leaf diffusive resistance, leaf water potential, and relative water content were studied with hybrid geranium (Pelargonium × hortorum Bailey cv Sprinter Scarlet) grown under conditions of greenhouse pot culture. Net photosynthesis went through 4 stages according to the effects of water stress on the plants. As water stress increased, Pn went from a steady-state maxiumum rate to slow decline, to rapid decline, to total inhibition. During rapid Pn decline, soil water potential rapidly decreased from −4 bars to −14 bars, and leaf diffusive resistance increased from 4 s cm−1 to 80s cm−1. Leaf water potential was −7 bars, and relative leaf water content was 81–87%. Leaf water potential appeared to be the best indicator of imminent Pn decline. After rewatering water-stressed plants, 3 days were required to elevate Pn to a steady-state maximum which was only 90% of initial steady-state Pn.
The effect of fall irrigation level in `Mauritius' and `Floridian' lychee (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) on soil and plant water status, flowering intensity, and yield the following year was studied in a field during 2 consecutive years. At the end of the second vegetative flush after harvest (1 Oct. 1994 and 10 Oct. 1995), four irrigation treatments were initiated: 0.5, 0.25, 0.125, and 0 Class A pan evaporation coefficients designated 100%, 50%, 25%, and 0%. The three lower irrigation levels effectively stopped shoot growth, suggesting the 50% treatment to be the threshold for shoot growth cessation in both years. For both years, flowering intensity and yield in the 100% treatment were lower than those following the other three treatments. Soil and plant water-stress indicators responded to the water-stress irrigation treatments. However soil water-potential values were highly variable relative to plant water potentials. Stem water potential differed more markedly between treatments than leaf water potential. Midday stem water potential appeared to be the best water-stress indicator for irrigation control. Midday stem water potential in both years was correlated with midday vapor-pressure deficit, suggesting that the threshold for irrigation control should take into account evaporative demand.
Abstract
‘Golden Delicious’ apples (Malus domestica Borkh.) from trickle-irrigated plots were more mature than sprinkle-irrigated apples. Trickle-irrigated apples were higher in yellow color, soluble solids, and pH. Titratable acidity and moisture were less in fresh and stored apples that were grown with trickle irrigation. Applesauce from trickle-irrigated apples was superior in consistency and developed less free liquor (weep) than sauce from sprinkle-irrigated apples. Drip losses were greater in frozen apple slices from sprinkle-irrigated apples. Canned or frozen apple slices were firmer when produced from apples that were sprinkle-irrigated. The color of apple products from trickle-irrigated apples was superior to the products from sprinkle-irrigated apples. These differences resulted from treatments where leaf water potential differed by only 1 to 2 bars, –14 and –12 bars with trickle and –12 and –11 bars with sprinklers in 1978 and 1979.
Half or whole root systems of micropropagated `Gala' apple (Malus ×domestica Borkh.) plants were subjected to drought stress by regulating the osmotic potential of the nutrient solution using polyethylene glycol (20% w/v) to investigate the effect of root drying on NO3- content and metabolism in roots and leaves and on leaf photosynthesis. No significant difference in predawn leaf water potential was found between half root stress (HRS) and control (CK), while predawn leaf water potential from both was significantly higher than for the whole root stress (WRS) treatment. However, diurnal leaf water potential of HRS was lower than CK and higher than WRS during most of the daytime. Neither HRS nor WRS influenced foliar NO3- concentration, but both significantly reduced NO3- concentration in drought-stressed roots as early as 4 hours after stress treatment started. This reduced NO3- concentration was maintained in HRS and WRS roots to the end of the experiment. However, there were no significant differences in NO3- concerntation between CK roots and unstressed roots of HRS. Similar to the effect on root NO3- concentration, both HRS and WRS reduced nitrate reductase activity in drought-stressed roots. Moreover, leaf net photosynthesis, stomatal conductance and transpiration rate of HRS plants were reduced significantly throughout the experiment when compared with CK plants, but the values were higher than those of WRS plants in the first 7 days of stress treatment though not at later times. Net photosynthesis, stomatal conductance and transpiration rate were correlated to root NO3- concentration. This correlation may simply reflect the fact that water stress affected both NO3- concentration in roots and leaf gas exchange in the same direction.
One-year-old gerbera plants subjected to 1 night at 5C had reduced leaf water losses and chlorophyll content and increased root hydraulic resistance, but stomatal conductance and leaf water potential did not change. After 3 nights, leaf water potential had decreased and leaf reflectance in the visible and the near-infrared had increased. Similarly, abscisic acid (ABA) in leaves had increased and cytokinins (CK) in leaves and roots had decreased, but ABA levels in roots did not change. After 4 days at 20C, root hydraulic resistance, reflectance and leaf water loss returned to their initial values, but leaf water potential and chlorophyll content remained lower. Leaf ABA levels reached values lower than the initial, while root ABA and leaf CK levels retained the initial values. These data suggest that in the gerbera plants studied, 3 nights at 5C produced a reversible strain but otherwise plants remained uninjured, so this gerbera variety could be cultured with low energetic inputs under Mediterranean conditions. The results may indicate that ABA and CK were acting as synergistic signals of the chilling stress. Spectral reflectance signals seemed to be useful as plant chilling injury indicators at ground level.
The influence of deficit irrigation on predawn leaf water potential (Ψpd) and leaf gas-exchange parameters was analyzed in almond [Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D.A. Webb] and compared to hazelnut (Corylus avellana L.). Both species were planted in adjacent plots in which four irrigation treatments were applied: T-100%, T-130%, and T-70%, which were irrigated at full crop evapotranspiration (ETc), 1.3 × ETc, and 0.7 × ETc, respectively, and a regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) treatment, which consisted of full irrigation for the full season, except from middle June to late August when 0.2 × ETc was applied. Under nonstressful conditions, hazelnut had a lower net CO2 assimilation rate (A) (12.2 μmol·m-2·s-1) than almond (15.5 μmol·m-2·s-1). Reductions in net CO2 assimilation rate (A) induced by decreases in Ψpd were higher in hazelnut than in almond. Gas-exchange activity from early morning to midday decreased in hazelnut for all irrigation treatments, but in almond increased in the well-watered treatments and decreased slightly or remained constant in the RDI. Hazelnut had a higher A sensitivity to variations in stomatal conductance (gs) than almond, especially at low gs values. The Ψpd values in almond and hazelnut of the T-100% and T-130% treatments were affected by decreasing values in midsummer, but in hazelnut Ψpd was probably also affected by sink kernel filling. These facts indicate that hazelnut RDI management could be more problematic than in almond.
Abstract
To compare the effects of water deficits and restricted root volume, 1- and 2-year-old peach trees (Prunus persica L.) with roots divided among four 2.5-Iiter pots were irrigated daily with 30% (deficit irrigation) or 100% (non-deficit) replacement of water used the day before. The water was applied to one, two, or all four pots during the period of rapid terminal growth. After 7 weeks, all trees received 100% replacement of water used the previous day. After terminal growth ended, the root : shoot ratio of the 2-year-old trees was adjusted by 1) tripling available soil volume, 2) removing two-thirds of lateral branches, 3) both 1 and 2, 4) treatment 3 defoliated, or 5) left unchanged. Deficit irrigation reduced midday leaf water potential, leaf conductance, and terminal growth equally, regardless of irrigated soil volume, whereas in non-deficit irrigated trees these factors were proportional to the irrigated soil volume. After deficit irrigation ended, terminal growth resumed at rates above those of the trees with non-deficit irrigation applied to all four pots and proportional to the severity of growth reduction during deficit irrigation. Pruning and defoliation increased leaf conductance within 3 days. Increased soil volume increased leaf conductance after 4 weeks. Deficit irrigation nearly eliminated flowering for the following year. Tripling the soil volume overcame the effect of deficit irrigation on flowering, but pruning did not. Defoliation inhibited flowering. The effect of restricted irrigated soil volume was similar to that of deficit irrigation. Increasing root : shoot ratios by adjusting the soil volume or by pruning the shoot always increased leaf conductance.
Abstract
‘Delicious’ and ‘Golden Delicious’ apples (Malus domestica Borkh.) on seedling rootstock were grown with trickle and sprinkler irrigation, both operated at high frequency of irrigation (daily). Trees with trickle irrigation developed lower leaf water potentials and produced less vegetative growth than trees with sprinkler irrigation, but fruit and productivity were similar. Apples from the trickle-irrigated trees had less water content and higher soluble solids than those from sprinkler-irrigated trees. Titratable acidity tended to be lower and both red color in ‘Delicious’ and yellow color in ‘Golden Delicious’ tended to be higher in fruit from trickle-irrigated trees than from sprinkled trees; firmness at harvest was similar regardless of irrigation procedure. Storage life was not influenced consistently by irrigation. Where differences did occur, the fruit from trickle-irrigated trees was softer after storage. Changes in fruit quality similar to those observed in trickle-irrigated trees were produced by imposing, through high frequency deficit irrigation with sprinklers, similar moisture deficits on apple trees, as measured by leaf water potential.
Seasonal patterns of soil water content and diurnal leaf water potential (LWP), stomatal conductance(gs), and net CO2 assimilation (A) were determined in a high-density peach [Prunus persica(L) Batsch cv. Cal Red] subjected to regulated deficit irrigation scheduling. The regulated deficit irrigation treatment caused clear differences in soil water content and predawn LWP relative to control irrigation treatments. Treatment differences in midday LWP, gs, and A were also significant, but not as distinct as differences in predawn LWP. Leaves on trees subject of the deficit irrigation treatment were photosynthetically more water-use-efficient during the latter part of the stress period than were the nonstressed trees. Midday LWP and gs, on trees that received the regulated deficit irrigation treatment did not recover to control treatment values until more than 3 weeks after full irrigation was resumed at the beginning of state III of fruit growth, because of water infiltration problems in the dry soil caused by the deficit irrigation. The regulated deficit irrigation treatment caused only a 8% reduction in trunk growth relative to the control, but resulted in a 40% savings in irrigation requirements.