Abstract
The effect of water deficit on growth, water status and stomatal functioning of Prosopis tamarugo was investigated under controlled water conditions. The study was done at the Antumapu Experiment Station of the University of Chile. Three levels of water stress were tested: (i) well-watered (WW), (ii) medium stress intensity (low-watered (LW)) and (iii) intense stress (non-watered (NW)), with 10 replicates each level. All growth parameters evaluated, such as twig growth, specific leaf area and apical dominance index, were significantly decreased under water deficit. Tamarugo twig growth decreased along with twig water potential. The stomatal conductance and CO2 assimilation decreased significantly under the water deficit condition. Tamarugo maintained a high stomatal conductance at low leaf water potential. In addition, tamarugo reduced its leaf area as a strategy to diminish the water demand. These results suggest that, despite a significant decrease in water status, tamarugo can maintain its growth at low leaf water potential and can tolerate intense water deficit due to a partial stomatal closing strategy that allows the sustaining of CO2 assimilation in the condition of reduced water availability.
Highlights
Water is one of the most limiting factors for plant growth
Reports demonstrate that water deficit can affect several variables and functions in plants, such as stomata functioning [5], hydric traits such as water potentials and xylem hydraulic conductivity [6,7,8] and growth traits like twig growth, specific leaf area and leaf shoot ratio [9,10]
A clear significant difference was observed for the twig growth rate in all watering levels
Summary
Water is one of the most limiting factors for plant growth. for fighting stress caused by water limitation, plants have developed mechanisms that allow them to cope with drought caused by water shortage. Reports demonstrate that water deficit can affect several variables and functions in plants, such as stomata functioning [5], hydric traits such as water potentials and xylem hydraulic conductivity [6,7,8] and growth traits like twig growth, specific leaf area and leaf shoot ratio [9,10]. The functioning of these parameters and other processes may determine the growth capacity and the survival of the plant [11]. Growth of tamarugo was studied under the semi-controlled condition in the Antumapu Experiment Station of the Faculty of Agronomy of the University of Chile during the spring of 2016, with the objective of determining the effects of the water stress on the water status growth and the stomata functioning of P. tamarugo
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