Influence of hydraulic properties of rootstocks and the rootstock-scion graft on water use and productivity of apple trees

Abstract

This one year exploratory project investigated hydraulic architecture of apple dwarfing rootstocks. The hypothesis was that hydraulic conductance is correlated with rootstock vigor. A previous study of trees on three rootstocks in Israel showed that dwarfed trees used less water than un-dwarfed trees. Analysis showed that if the tree maintains leaf water potentials above minimum values, then this implies that the dwarfed trees have lower leaf conductance, which may also be the cause of dwarfing. The current project studied small 2-year old unworked rootstock trees, and full sized trees bearing commercial yields. In both cases hydraulic conductance was determined with two methods - the non-destructive evaporative flux (EF)-leaf water potential (L WP) method, and a destructive method in which water was forced through the plant at known pressure using the "high pressure flow meter" (HPFM). Detailed work allowed measurement of conductance of the rootstock-scion union. This was achieved both with the HPFM and with the EF-LWP methods, the former in the US and the latter in Israel. Direct measurements of leaf conductance were made, and carbon isotope ratios ( d ¹³ C) were determined for leaves sampled at the end of the season. The latter can indicate sustained differences in leaf conductance behavior. HPFM and EF-LWP methods did not give the same results. In the small plants results were similar in magnitude, but not significantly correlated. In large trees, EF- L WP measurements were a fraction of those obtained with the HPFM. The latter indicates that some of the xylem is not normally functional but transports water when pressurized. Additional experimental work targeted this result. Xylem was stained before and after perfusion with water at high pressure. This showed that at least for one rootstock a significant amount of xylem was blocked before perfusion. The "air method" for determining xylem vessel properties was improved and employed. Length, radius and density of xylem vessels of different rootstocks were found to be similar, and significant differences found were not clearly related to rootstock vigor. Measurements in the commercial orchard in Israel showed that the graft union in a dwarfing rootstock was a large obstacle for water transport (i.e. had a high resistance). This apparently led to low leaf conductance to water vapor, as indicated by lower d ¹³ C, which implies low internal CO ₂ concentrations. In the US orchard, d ¹³ C in 2001 was correlated with rootstock vigor, and significant differences were found in leaf conductance. However, the d ¹³ C differences were not observed in 2002, were opposite to those found in the Israeli orchard, and measurements of the graft union with the HPFM did not find large resistances. We speculate that the graft union is not necessarily a large impediment to water transport unless the scion starts to separate from the rootstock. It was concluded that significant differences in hydraulic conductance exist between different dwarfing rootstocks. These differences may be caused by differences in xylem properties and in the degree of cavitation, as well as resistance in the graft union. However, no general relationship to rootstock vigor was found. Therefore, hydraulic conductance alone cannot explain dwarfing, but may be one of two or more factors that lead to dwarfing. Future work should integrate more factors with hydraulic relations, e.g. nutrient and solute transport and production of hormones.