Differences In Drought Response Research Articles

Water uptake dynamics under progressive drought stress in diverse accessions of the OryzaSNP panel of rice (Oryza sativa).

In addition to characterising root architecture, evaluating root water uptake ability is important for understanding drought response. A series of three lysimeter studies were conducted using the OryzaSNP panel, which consists of 20 diverse rice (Oryza sativa L.) genotypes. Large genotypic differences in drought response were observed in this genotype panel in terms of plant growth and water uptake. Total water uptake and daily water uptake rates in the drought-stress treatment were correlated with root length density, especially at depths below 30cm. Patterns of water uptake among genotypes remained consistent throughout the stress treatments: genotypes that initially extracted more water were the same genotypes that extracted more water at the end of the study. These results suggest that response to drought by deep root growth, rather than a conservative soil water pattern, seems to be important for lowland rice. Genotypes in the O. sativa type aus group showed some of the greatest water uptake and root growth values. Since the OryzaSNP panel has been genotyped in detail with SNP markers, we expect that these results will be useful for understanding the genetics of rice root growth and function for water uptake in response to drought.

Mortality of Australian alpine grasses (Poa spp.) after drought: species differences and ecological patterns

Aims Australian alpine ecosystems currently experience high precipitation in the snow-free season, but they are predicted to experience drier conditions under climate change. We observed high mortality of the dominant alpine grasses following drought in 2007. Our aims were as follows: to test the involvement of plant-available water (PAW) and other environmental variables in grass mortality in the field; to detect possible species differences in drought response and to link soil moisture to precipitation using soil properties and climate data. Methods The dominant tussock grasses of the Australian alpine zone, Poa hothamensis var. hothamensis N.G. Walsh, Poa hiemata Vickery and Poa phillipsiana Vickery (Poaceae), all exhibited mortality following drought in the Bogong High Plains, Victoria, Australia in 2007. PAW was calculated using soil water potential measurements, and past drought occurrence was modelled using climate data. We then tested the effects of PAW and soil depth on grass survival both at a large spatial scale spanning the elevational range of the alpine zone and at a smaller scale. Poa hothamensis and P. phillipsiana were compared in a common-garden experiment to test drought tolerance. Important Findings Poa hothamensis survival was predicted by dry-season PAW at the small spatial scale; at the large scale, soil depth and elevation were more important predictors of P. hothamensis survival, but dry-season PAW predicted P. hiemata survival. Common-garden experiments supported field observations that P. hothamensis is more droughtsensitive than is P. phillipsiana. We also present a simple polynomial relationship between rainfall and field soil moisture, which predicts that the alpine soils dry below wilting point several times a year. We suggest the timing of long rain-free periods may be more important than their duration.

Response to terminal water deficit stress of cowpea, pigeonpea, and soybean in pure stand and in competition

The response to terminal water deficit stress of three grain legumes, soybean, cowpea and pigeonpea, was evaluated in plants grown in large tubes, in competition with either the same species or one of the other two species. The aim was to explore how species differences in drought response affected water use, growth and survival of plants in pure stand and in competition. Two plants, comprising the test species and its competitor, were grown in each tube. Water was withheld 26 days after sowing by which time each plant had at least three fully expanded trifoliolate leaves. Leaf water status and plant growth were measured through destructive samples when 80% and 90% of the estimated plant available water (PAW) was depleted and at plant death, while PAW depletion, node growth and leaf survival were monitored at 2–3 day intervals until the last plants died (61 days after water was withheld). In pure stand, the rate of PAW depletion was initially slowest in cowpea despite its much larger leaf area, and fastest in soybean. Node growth was most sensitive in cowpea, ceasing at 65% PAW depletion compared with 85% PAW depletion in pigeonpea and soybean, so that the latter two species produced relatively more nodes after water was withheld. However, senescence of the lower leaves was most rapid in soybean and slowest in cowpea. Cowpea and pigeonpea extracted almost all PAW and died an average 18 days and 14 days, respectively, after maximum PAW depletion. In contrast, soybean died before 90% of PAW was depleted and so in pure stand used less water. There were otherwise only minor differences between the species combinations in the timing and maximum level of PAW depletion. The ability of cowpea and pigeonpea to maintain leaf water status above lethal levels for longer was achieved through different means. Cowpea relied primarily on dehydration avoidance and maintained tissue water status higher for longer, whereas pigeonpea demonstrated greater dehydration tolerance. While significant levels of osmotic adjustment (OA) were identified in soybean and pigeonpea, OA appeared to be of limited benefit to leaf survival in soybean. Pigeonpea invested significantly more total dry matter (TDM) in roots than either cowpea or soybean. Cowpea survived longest in pure stand whereas pigeonpea and soybean survived shortest in pure stand, suggesting that the dehydration avoidance response of cowpea was more effective in competition with like plants whereas the dehydration tolerance strategies of pigeonpea and soybean were least effective when competing against like plants. On average, TDM per plant ranked in the order cowpea > soybean > pigeonpea, largely reflecting initial differences in plant size when water was withheld. However, there was an inverse relation between TDM of a species and that of its competitor, so that in effect, water not used by a given plant to produce TDM was used by its competitor and there were no differences in TDM production per tube.

Solute Accumulation as a Cause for Quality Losses in Sugar Beet Submitted to Continuous and Temporary Drought Stress

AbstractAdaptation to low water availability in sugar beet includes the accumulation of solutes relevant for the technical quality of the beet. Two sugar beet genotypes were grown in pot experiments under drought stress of different severity to study effects on taproot composition and concentration of solutes relevant for technical quality, reversibility of drought effects after re‐watering and genotypic differences in drought response. Differences in stress sensitivity between the genotypes were not observed as reductions in taproot and leaf dry weight and white sugar yield were the same. Increasing dry matter concentration with decreasing water supply could, in part, be attributed to an increase in the concentration of cell wall components. The major solutes in the taproot were sucrose, potassium, amino N (the sum of amino acids) and betaine. Sucrose concentration decreased considerably under drought, indicating limited availability of assimilates. In contrast, all further solutes increased in concentration with increasing severity of stress. However, the response of individual solutes varied largely. Changes in amino N and nitrate were most pronounced and probably reflect accumulation of non‐utilized metabolites under limited growth. The drought‐induced accumulation of taproot solutes implicates a considerable decrease in the technical quality of the beet. It was only in part reversible by re‐watering. Genotypic variability for solute accumulation under water deficiency was observed but was not linked to drought tolerance.

Population differences in physiological and morphological adaptations of Populus davidiana seedlings in response to progressive drought stress

Population differences in dry matter accumulation and allocation, gas exchange, abscisic acid content and water use efficiency of Populus davidiana seedlings were measured after exposure to well-watered and progressive drought stress treatments. Three populations used were form dry, middle and wet climate regions, respectively. Significant differences in height growth (Ht), total biomass (Tb), total leaf area (La), root/shoot ratio (Rs), specific leaf area (Sla), net photosynthesis ( A), transpiration ( E) and instantaneous water use efficiency (WUE i) between the populations were detected under two watering regimes; population differences in abscisic acid content (ABA) and carbon isotope composition ( δ 13 C ) were also detected under progressive drought stress treatment, but these differences were not significant under well-watered treatment. Compared with the wet climate population, the dry climate population had lower Ht, Tb, La, Sla, A and E, and higher Rs and WUE i. On the other hand, the dry climate population also exhibited higher ABA and δ 13 C as effected by drought stress than the wet climate population. These morphological and physiological adaptations to water availability showed that the different populations may employ different survival strategies under drought stress at the initial phase of seedling growth and establishment. The wet climate population possesses a prodigal water use strategy and quick growth, while the dry climate population exhibits a conservative water use strategies and slow growth. These differences in drought responses may be used as criteria for genotype selection in different climate regions.

Impact of successive drought and re-watering cycles on growth and specific leaf area of two Populus x canadensis (Moench) clones, 'Dorskamp' and 'Luisa_Avanzo'.

Responses to successive drought and re-watering cycles (1-3 cycles) were compared in greenhouse-grown cuttings of Populus x canadensis (Moench) clones, 'Luisa_ Avanzo' and 'Dorskamp.' Total leaf number increment rate, duration of leaf expansion, total and individual leaf area expansion rates and stomatal conductance were recorded periodically during the experiment. Soil water content (SWC) and predawn leaf water potential (Psi(WP)) were measured four times during each drought cycle. In parallel, relative leaf water content (RWC) and specific leaf area (SLA) were estimated on leaves collected from the top to bottom of each cutting. Under well-watered conditions, 'Luisa_Avanzo' and 'Dorskamp' differed in their patterns of leaf area expansion. Although duration of leaf expansion was similar between clones, 'Luisa_ Avanzo' exhibited higher total leaf number increment rates and individual leaf area increases than 'Dorskamp.' As a result, 'Luisa_Avanzo' cuttings reached larger individual and total leaf areas than 'Dorskamp.' 'Dorskamp' leaves had lower SLA than 'Luisa_Avanzo' leaves. In response to successive drought cycles, both clones underwent decreases in total leaf number increment rates and in total leaf area expansion rates, but both whole-plant and individual leaf areas were drastically reduced only in 'Luisa_Avanzo.' 'Dorskamp' maintained a constant leaf area as a result of an increase in the duration of leaf expansion during drought and a significant stimulation of individual leaf area expansion rate and total leaf number increment rate in response to re-watering. Drought caused a greater decrease in SLA in 'Luisa_Avanzo' than in 'Dorskamp.' Expanded leaves of 'Dorskamp' were constitutively dense or thick, or both, whereas leaves of 'Luisa_Avanzo' became dense or thick, or both, only in response to drought. In both clones, re-watering caused partial recovery of SLA to control values. Our data confirm previous field and greenhouse observations that 'Dorskamp' is more tolerant to successive drought and re-watering cycles than 'Luisa_Avanzo.' We conclude that this difference is mainly attributable to the plasticity of 'Dorskamp' after re-watering, rather than to clonal differences in drought responses.

Differences in drought responses of three contrasting Eucalyptus microtheca F. Muell. populations

Changes in dry matter accumulation and allocation, leaf stomatal properties and some aspects of leaf water relations of three contrasting Eucalyptus microtheca F. Muell. populations were recorded after exposure to drought stress. The populations used were from West Kimberleys (northwestern Australia), Central Australia and Walgett (southeastern Australia). In the controlled environment study there were three watering regimes which were watered to 100, 50 and 25% field capacity, respectively. Significant differences in dry matter accumulation and allocation, leaf guard cell length, the minimum daily leaf water potential, carbon isotope composition (described as water-use efficiency) and abscisic acid (ABA) concentration were detected among populations. Compared with the southeastern population, under water deficit the northwestern and central populations had lower biomass production and higher root/shoot ratio, foliage area/stem cross-sectional area ratio and specific leaf area density. The northwestern and central populations also exhibited higher minimum daily water potentials, water-use efficiencies and ABA accumulation as effected by drought than the southeastern population. These morphological and physiological responses to water availability showed that the different populations may employ different survival strategies under drought stress at the initial phase of seedling growth and establishment. The southeastern population possesses a prodigal water-use strategy and quick growth, while the northwestern and central populations exhibit conservative water-use strategies and slow growth. These differences in drought responses maybe used as criteria for genotype selection in arid and semi-arid regions.

Drought Response of Three Ornamental Herbaceous Perennials

Boltonia asteroides L. `Snowbank' (Snowbank boltonia), Eupatorium rugosum L. (eastern white snakeroot), and Rudbeckia triloba L. (three-lobed coneflower) were subjected to drought for 2, 4, and 6 days during the fall and spring. Leaf gas exchange, leaf water potential, growth, and carbohydrate partitioning were measured during drought and throughout the following growing season. Leaf gas exchange of B. asteroides was not affected by drought treatment in the fall, not until day 6 of spring drought, and there were no long-term effects on growth. Transpiration and stomatal conductance of R. triloba decreased when substrate moisture decreased to 21% after drought treatment during both seasons. Assimilation of drought-treated R. triloba decreased when substrate moisture content decreased to 12% during spring but was not affected by drought in the fall. There was a decrease in the root-to-shoot ratio of R. triloba that had been treated for 4 days, which was attributed to an increase in the shoot dry weight (DW) of treated plants. Reductions in spring growth of E. rugosum were observed only after fall drought of 6 days, and there were no differences in final DWs of plants subjected to any of the drought durations. Spring drought had no effect on growth index or DW of any of the perennials. Boltonia asteroides and R. triloba had increases in low-molecular-weight sugars on day 4 of drought, but E. rugosum did not have an increase in sugars of low molecular weight until day 6 of drought. Differences in drought response of B. asteroides, E. rugosum, and R. triloba were attributed to differences in water use rates.

Influence of drought stress and low irradiance on plant water relations and structural constituents in needles of Pinus ponderosa seedlings.

The influence of low light on tolerance to prolonged drought was tested on unshaded and shaded seedlings of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa var. scopulorum Dougl. ex Laws.). Unshaded seedlings of P. ponderosa var. ponderosa were also drought stressed to compare varietal responses to drought. The maximum irradiance received by shaded seedlings was 10% of full light. Seedlings were progressively drought stressed until predawn water potentials (Psi(x)) were -5.0 MPa. Relative water content (RWC) and the reciprocal of Psi(x) were analyzed by means of an unusual application of the pressure-volume relationship for determination of RWC of the apoplast (RWC(a)), osmotic potential at full turgor (Psi(oft)), and ratio of fully turgid weight to dry weight. Major varietal differences in drought response were in RWC(a) and needle cellulose content. The shaded seedlings showed tissue damage at relative water contents < 60%, and were killed by water deficits from which unshaded seedlings recovered. Correspondingly, shaded plants had significantly higher cell volume/cell mass ratio, Psi(oft), less cellulose in needle tissue, and lower RWC(a) than unshaded plants. These differences suggest that low irradiance restricts drought adaptation in ponderosa pine.

Screening Soybeans for Drought Resistance. II. Drought Box Procedure1

The effects of progressively increasing soil moisture stress on soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) plant growth rate (PGR) and leaf lamina expansion rate (LER) were studied in a greenhouse experiment. Twenty cultivars were observed through a 30‐day drought period in an effort to identify differences in drought response. Cultivars were classified as drought resistant, intermediate, or drought susceptible for each variable based on their individual response to soil moisture stress relative to the average response measured for all the cultivars in the study. Analysis of the pooled data indicated that PGR and LER were dramatically decreased under the severe soil moisture stress encountered late in the droughting period. An overall estimate of cultivar performance under drought based on this procedure suggested that one cultivar (‘Grant’) is drought resistant and two (‘Manitoba Brown’ and ‘Pagoda’) are drought susceptible. Although the results supported the hypothesis that soybean cultivars in this study differ in vegetative response to the imposed drought period, the procedure appeared to be more conservative than others cited in measuring cultivar performance under soil moisture stress since most cultivars fell into an intermediate group. Comparison of the results of this study to those of two independent studies suggests the desirability of further testing of the material in the field to fully characterize individual cultivar differences in drought resistance.