Effect of soil moisture on water potential gradients in the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum (SPAC) of apple orchards in the Loess Plateau, Northwest China

Abstract

The variations of water potential gradients through the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum (SPAC) are of great significance to reveal the responses of plant water use to environmental changes. We conducted a continuous experiment to monitor the potentials in the near-canopy atmosphere (Ψair), soil (Ψsoil) and plant xylems (Ψstem) during the growing season in an apple orchard located in the Loess Plateau. The results showed that the average Ψstem during the growing season ranged from -0.24 to -2.0 MPa, with a mean value of -0.57 MPa. The average water potential gradient in soil-plant-atmosphere system was 1:9.8:1155 (Ψsoil:Ψstem:Ψair). We found a significant positive linear correlation between the Ψstem:Ψsoil gradient and volumetric soil water content (VWC, %). The Ψstem was more strongly correlated with Ψsoil than Ψair. Moreover, the sensitivity of Ψstem to Ψsoil decreased when Ψsoil was lower than -0.08 MPa which corresponded to VWC=17%, 0.56 times of field capacity. This was reflected by the increased linearity between Ψair /Ψstem and Ψsoil as Ψsoil decreased. There was a threshold effect for the relationship between Ψair and Ψstem. That is, the Ψstem in a day increased with the increasing of Ψair before the latter reached -69 MPa, after which the Ψstem decreased. The decline of soil water content caused an obvious decrease in water potential gradient through the SPAC system, and the threshold effect existed when VWC was below 17%. The results provide a basis for understanding the mechanisms of plant water in response to soil and atmospheric drought.