Leaf water potential, gas exchange and chlorophyll a fluorescence in acariquara seedlings (Minquartia guianensis Aubl.) under water stress and recovery

OpenAIRE

Liberato, Maria Astrid Rocha; Gonçalves, José Francisco de Carvalho; Chevreuil, Larissa Ramos; Nina Junior, Adamir da Rocha; Fernandes, Andreia Varmes; Santos Junior, Ulysses Moreira dos

2006-01-01

The physiological performance of acariquara (Minquartia guianensis) seedlings submitted to water deficit and the recovery of physiological parameters during rehydration were investigated in a greenhouse experiment. The analyzed parameters were: leaf water potential, gas exchange and chlorophyll a fluorescence. After thirty-five days, non-irrigated plants exhibited a leaf water potential 70 % lower compared to control plants (irrigated daily) and the stomatal conductance reached values close t...

Variation in leaf water delta D and delta 18O values during the evapotranspiration process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leopoldo, P.R.; Foloni, L.L.

1984-01-01

A theoretical model was developed to evaluate leaf water delta D and delta 18 O variation in relation to: leaf temperature, relative humidity converted to leaf temperature and delta D and delta 18 O values of atmospheric water vapour and soil water. (M.A.C.) [pt

Homeostasis in leaf water potentials on leeward and windward sides of desert shrub crowns: water loss control vs. high hydraulic efficiency.

Science.gov (United States)

Iogna, Patricia A; Bucci, Sandra J; Scholz, Fabián G; Goldstein, Guillermo

2013-11-01

Phenotypic plasticity in morphophysiological leaf traits in response to wind was studied in two dominant shrub species of the Patagonian steppe, used as model systems for understanding effects of high wind speed on leaf water relations and hydraulic properties of small woody plants. Morpho-anatomical traits, hydraulic conductance and conductivity and water relations in leaves of wind-exposed and protected crown sides were examined during the summer with nearly continuous high winds. Although exposed sides of the crowns were subjected to higher wind speeds and air saturation deficits than the protected sides, leaves throughout the crown had similar minimum leaf water potential (ΨL). The two species were able to maintain homeostasis in minimum ΨL using different physiological mechanisms. Berberis microphylla avoided a decrease in the minimum ΨL in the exposed side of the crown by reducing water loss by stomatal control, loss of cell turgor and low epidermal conductance. Colliguaja integerrima increased leaf water transport efficiency to maintain transpiration rates without increasing the driving force for water loss in the wind-exposed crown side. Leaf physiological changes within the crown help to prevent the decrease of minimum ΨL and thus contribute to the maintenance of homeostasis, assuring the hydraulic integrity of the plant under unfavorable conditions. The responses of leaf traits that contribute to mechanical resistance (leaf mass per area and thickness) differed from those of large physiological traits by exhibiting low phenotypic plasticity. The results of this study help us to understand the unique properties of shrubs which have different hydraulic architecture compared to trees.

Towards Estimating Water Stress through Leaf and Canopy Water Content Derived from Optical and Thermal Hyperspectral Data

Science.gov (United States)

Corbin, Amie; Timmermans, Joris; van der Tol, Christiaan; Verhoef, Wout

2015-04-01

A competition for available (drinkable) water has arisen. This competition originated due to increasing global population and the respective needs of this population. The water demand for human consumption and irrigation of food producing crops and biofuel related vegetation, has led to early indication of drought as a key issue in many studies. However, while drought monitoring systems might provide some reasonable predictions, at the time of visible symptoms of plant stress, a plant may already be critically affected. Consequently, pre-symptomatic non-destructive monitoring of plants is needed. In many studies of plant stress, this is performed by examining internal plant physiology through existing remote sensing techniques, with varying applications. However, a uniform remote sensing method for identifying early plant stress under drought conditions is still developing. In some instances, observations of vegetation water content are used to assess the impact of soil water deficit on the health of a plant or canopy. When considering water content as an indicator of water stress in a plant, this comments not only on the condition of the plant itself, but also provides indicators of photosynthetic activity and the susceptibility to drought. Several indices of canopy health currently exists (NDVI, DVI, SAVI, etc.) using optical and near infrared reflectance bands. However, these are considered inadequate for vegetation health investigations because such semi-empirical models result in less accuracy for canopy measurements. In response, a large amount of research has been conducted to estimate canopy health directly from considering the full spectral behaviour. In these studies , the canopy reflectance has been coupled to leaf parameters, by using coupling leaf radiative transfer models (RTM), such as PROSPECT, to a canopy RTM such as SAIL. The major shortcomings of these researches is that they have been conducted primarily for optical remote sensing. Recently

Molluscicidal activity of crude water leaf extracts of Alternanthera ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

mortality figures by the use of probit gave LC50 of 40.42 (35.15 – 46.47) for the unevaporated crude water while the evaporated crude water extract had LC50 of 48.07 (42.81 – 54.28) for the dried leaf extract. For the fresh leaves the unevaporated crude water extract had LC50 of 32.57 (27.15 – 39.08) and evaporated crude ...

From leaf to whole-plant water use efficiency (WUE in complex canopies: Limitations of leaf WUE as a selection target

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hipólito Medrano

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Plant water use efficiency (WUE is becoming a key issue in semiarid areas, where crop production relies on the use of large volumes of water. Improving WUE is necessary for securing environmental sustainability of food production in these areas. Given that climate change predictions include increases in temperature and drought in semiarid regions, improving crop WUE is mandatory for global food production. WUE is commonly measured at the leaf level, because portable equipment for measuring leaf gas exchange rates facilitates the simultaneous measurement of photosynthesis and transpiration. However, when those measurements are compared with daily integrals or whole-plant estimates of WUE, the two sometimes do not agree. Scaling up from single-leaf to whole-plant WUE was tested in grapevines in different experiments by comparison of daily integrals of instantaneous water use efficiency [ratio between CO2 assimilation (AN and transpiration (E; AN/E] with midday AN/E measurements, showing a low correlation, being worse with increasing water stress. We sought to evaluate the importance of spatial and temporal variation in carbon and water balances at the leaf and plant levels. The leaf position (governing average light interception in the canopy showed a marked effect on instantaneous and daily integrals of leaf WUE. Night transpiration and respiration rates were also evaluated, as well as respiration contributions to total carbon balance. Two main components were identified as filling the gap between leaf and whole plant WUE: the large effect of leaf position on daily carbon gain and water loss and the large flux of carbon losses by dark respiration. These results show that WUE evaluation among genotypes or treatments needs to be revised.

Seasonal patterns of leaf gas exchange and water relations in dry rain forest trees of contrasting leaf phenology.

Science.gov (United States)

Choat, Brendan; Ball, Marilyn C; Luly, Jon G; Donnelly, Christine F; Holtum, Joseph A M

2006-05-01

Diurnal and seasonal patterns of leaf gas exchange and water relations were examined in tree species of contrasting leaf phenology growing in a seasonally dry tropical rain forest in north-eastern Australia. Two drought-deciduous species, Brachychiton australis (Schott and Endl.) A. Terracc. and Cochlospermum gillivraei Benth., and two evergreen species, Alphitonia excelsa (Fenzal) Benth. and Austromyrtus bidwillii (Benth.) Burret. were studied. The deciduous species had higher specific leaf areas and maximum photosynthetic rates per leaf dry mass in the wet season than the evergreens. During the transition from wet season to dry season, total canopy area was reduced by 70-90% in the deciduous species and stomatal conductance (g(s)) and assimilation rate (A) were markedly lower in the remaining leaves. Deciduous species maintained daytime leaf water potentials (Psi(L)) at close to or above wet season values by a combination of stomatal regulation and reduction in leaf area. Thus, the timing of leaf drop in deciduous species was not associated with large negative values of daytime Psi(L) (greater than -1.6 MPa) or predawn Psi(L) (greater than -1.0 MPa). The deciduous species appeared sensitive to small perturbations in soil and leaf water status that signalled the onset of drought. The evergreen species were less sensitive to the onset of drought and g(s) values were not significantly lower during the transitional period. In the dry season, the evergreen species maintained their canopies despite increasing water-stress; however, unlike Eucalyptus species from northern Australian savannas, A and g(s) were significantly lower than wet season values.

Water stress-induced modifications of leaf hydraulic architecture in sunflower: co-ordination with gas exchange.

Science.gov (United States)

Nardini, Andrea; Salleo, Sebastiano

2005-12-01

The hydraulic architecture, water relationships, and gas exchange of leaves of sunflower plants, grown under different levels of water stress, were measured. Plants were either irrigated with tap water (controls) or with PEG600 solutions with osmotic potential of -0.4 and -0.8 MPa (PEG04 and PEG08 plants, respectively). Mature leaves were measured for hydraulic resistance (R(leaf)) before and after making several cuts across minor veins, thus getting the hydraulic resistance of the venation system (R(venation)). R(leaf) was nearly the same in controls and PEG04 plants but it was reduced by about 30% in PEG08 plants. On the contrary, R(venation) was lowest in controls and increased in PEG04 and PEG08 plants as a likely result of reduction in the diameter of the veins' conduits. As a consequence, the contribution of R(venation) to the overall R(leaf) markedly increased from controls to PEG08 plants. Leaf conductance to water vapour (g(L)) was highest in controls and significantly lower in PEG04 and PEG08 plants. Moreover, g(L) was correlated to R(venation) and to leaf water potential (psi(leaf)) with highly significant linear relationships. It is concluded that water stress has an important effect on the hydraulic construction of leaves. This, in turn, might prove to be a crucial factor in plant-water relationships and gas exchange under water stress conditions.

Sugar and hexokinase suppress expression of PIP aquaporins and reduce leaf hydraulics that preserves leaf water potential.

Science.gov (United States)

Kelly, Gilor; Sade, Nir; Doron-Faigenboim, Adi; Lerner, Stephen; Shatil-Cohen, Arava; Yeselson, Yelena; Egbaria, Aiman; Kottapalli, Jayaram; Schaffer, Arthur A; Moshelion, Menachem; Granot, David

2017-07-01

Sugars affect central aspects of plant physiology, including photosynthesis, stomatal behavior and the loss of water through the stomata. Yet, the potential effects of sugars on plant aquaporins (AQPs) and water conductance have not been examined. We used database and transcriptional analyses, as well as cellular and whole-plant functional techniques to examine the link between sugar-related genes and AQPs. Database analyses revealed a high level of correlation between the expression of AQPs and that of sugar-related genes, including the Arabidopsis hexokinases 1 (AtHXK1). Increased expression of AtHXK1, as well as the addition of its primary substrate, glucose (Glc), repressed the expression of 10 AQPs from the plasma membrane-intrinsic proteins (PIP) subfamily (PIP-AQPs) and induced the expression of two stress-related PIP-AQPs. The osmotic water permeability of mesophyll protoplasts of AtHXK1-expressing plants and the leaf hydraulic conductance of those plants were significantly reduced, in line with the decreased expression of PIP-AQPs. Conversely, hxk1 mutants demonstrated a higher level of hydraulic conductance, with increased water potential in their leaves. In addition, the presence of Glc reduced leaf water potential, as compared with an osmotic control, indicating that Glc reduces the movement of water from the xylem into the mesophyll. The production of sugars entails a significant loss of water and these results suggest that sugars and AtHXK1 affect the expression of AQP genes and reduce leaf water conductance, to coordinate sugar levels with the loss of water through transpiration. © 2017 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Interacting Effects of Leaf Water Potential and Biomass on Vegetation Optical Depth

Science.gov (United States)

Momen, M.; Wood, J. D.; Novick, K. A.; Pockman, W.; Konings, A. G.

2017-12-01

Remotely-sensed microwave observations of vegetation optical depth (VOD) have been widely used to examine vegetation responses to climate. Such studies have alternately found that VOD is sensitive to both biomass and canopy water content. However, the relative impacts of changes in phenology or water stress on VOD have not been disentangled. In particular, understanding whether leaf water potential (LWP) affects VOD may permit the assimilation of satellite observations into new large-scale plant hydraulic models. Despite extensive validation of the relationship between satellite-derived VOD estimates and vegetation density, relatively few studies have explicitly sought to validate the sensitivity of VOD to canopy water status, and none have studied the effect of variations in LWP on VOD. In this work, we test the sensitivity of VOD to variations in LWP, and present a conceptual framework which relates VOD to a combination of leaf water potential and total biomass including leaves, whose dynamics can be measured through leaf area index, and woody biomass. We used in-situ measurements of LWP data to validate the conceptual model in mixed deciduous forests in Indiana and Missouri, as well as a pinion-juniper woodland in New Mexico. Observed X-band VOD from the AMSR-E and AMSR2 satellites showed dynamics similar to those reconstructed VOD signals based on the new conceptual model which employs in-situ LWP data (R2=0.60-0.80). Because LWP data are not available at global scales, we further estimated ecosystem LWP based on remotely sensed surface soil moisture to better understand the sensitivity of VOD across ecosystems. At the global scale, incorporating a combination of biomass and water potential in the reconstructed VOD signal increased correlations with VOD about 15% compared to biomass alone and about 30% compared to water potential alone. In wetter regions with denser and taller canopy heights, VOD has a higher correlation with leaf area index than with water

The role of water channel proteins in facilitating recovery of leaf hydraulic conductance from water stress in Populus trichocarpa.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Joan Laur

Full Text Available Gas exchange is constrained by the whole-plant hydraulic conductance (Kplant. Leaves account for an important fraction of Kplant and may therefore represent a major determinant of plant productivity. Leaf hydraulic conductance (Kleaf decreases with increasing water stress, which is due to xylem embolism in leaf veins and/or the properties of the extra-xylary pathway. Water flow through living tissues is facilitated and regulated by water channel proteins called aquaporins (AQPs. Here we assessed changes in the hydraulic conductance of Populus trichocarpa leaves during a dehydration-rewatering episode. While leaves were highly sensitive to drought, Kleaf recovered only 2 hours after plants were rewatered. Recovery of Kleaf was absent when excised leaves were bench-dried and subsequently xylem-perfused with a solution containing AQP inhibitors. We examined the expression patterns of 12 highly expressed AQP genes during a dehydration-rehydration episode to identify isoforms that may be involved in leaf hydraulic adjustments. Among the AQPs tested, several genes encoding tonoplast intrinsic proteins (TIPs showed large increases in expression in rehydrated leaves, suggesting that TIPs contribute to reversing drought-induced reductions in Kleaf. TIPs were localized in xylem parenchyma, consistent with a role in facilitating water exchange between xylem vessels and adjacent living cells. Dye uptake experiments suggested that reversible embolism formation in minor leaf veins contributed to the observed changes in Kleaf.

The role of water channel proteins in facilitating recovery of leaf hydraulic conductance from water stress in Populus trichocarpa.

Science.gov (United States)

Laur, Joan; Hacke, Uwe G

2014-01-01

Gas exchange is constrained by the whole-plant hydraulic conductance (Kplant). Leaves account for an important fraction of Kplant and may therefore represent a major determinant of plant productivity. Leaf hydraulic conductance (Kleaf) decreases with increasing water stress, which is due to xylem embolism in leaf veins and/or the properties of the extra-xylary pathway. Water flow through living tissues is facilitated and regulated by water channel proteins called aquaporins (AQPs). Here we assessed changes in the hydraulic conductance of Populus trichocarpa leaves during a dehydration-rewatering episode. While leaves were highly sensitive to drought, Kleaf recovered only 2 hours after plants were rewatered. Recovery of Kleaf was absent when excised leaves were bench-dried and subsequently xylem-perfused with a solution containing AQP inhibitors. We examined the expression patterns of 12 highly expressed AQP genes during a dehydration-rehydration episode to identify isoforms that may be involved in leaf hydraulic adjustments. Among the AQPs tested, several genes encoding tonoplast intrinsic proteins (TIPs) showed large increases in expression in rehydrated leaves, suggesting that TIPs contribute to reversing drought-induced reductions in Kleaf. TIPs were localized in xylem parenchyma, consistent with a role in facilitating water exchange between xylem vessels and adjacent living cells. Dye uptake experiments suggested that reversible embolism formation in minor leaf veins contributed to the observed changes in Kleaf.

Response of vegetation indices to changes in three measures of leaf water stress

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen, Warren B.

1991-01-01

The responses of vegetation indices to changes in water stress were evaluated in two separate laboratory experiments. In one experiment the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), the near-IR to red ratio (near-IR/red), the Infrared Index (II), and the Moisture Stress Index (MSI) were more highly correlated to leaf water potential in lodgepole pine branches than were the Leaf Water Content Index (LWCI), the mid-IR ratio (Mid-IR), or any of the single Thematic Mapper (TM) bands. In the other experiment, these six indices and the TM Tasseled Cap brightness, greenness, and wetness indices responded to changes in leaf relative water content (RWC) differently than they responded to changes in leaf water content (WC) of three plant species, and the responses were dependent on how experimental replicates were pooled. With no pooling, the LWCI was the most highly correlated index to both RWC and WC among replications, followed by the II, MSI, and wetness. Only the LWCI was highly correlated to RWC and WC when replications were pooled within species. With among species pooling the LWCI was the only index highly correlated with RWC, while the II, MSI, Mid-IR, and wetness were most highly correlated with WC.

DIURNAL CHANGES IN LEAF PHOTOSYNTHESIS AND RELATIVE WATER CONTENT OF GRAPEVINE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Monica Popescu

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Variation in light intensity, air temperature and relative air humidity leads to diurnal variations of photosynthetic rate and leaf relative water content. In order to determine the diurnal changes in net photosynthetic rate of vine plants and influence of the main environmental factors, gas exchange in the vine leaves were measure using a portable plant CO2 analysis package. The results show that diurnal changes in photosynthetic rate could be interpreted as single-peak curve, with a maximum at noon (10.794 μmol CO2 m-2 s-1. Leaf relative water content has maximum value in the morning; the values may slightly decrease during the day (day of June, with normal temperature, no rain, no water restriction in soil.

Does shoot water status limit leaf expansion of nitrogen-deprived barley?

Science.gov (United States)

Dodd, I C; Munns, Rana; Passioura, J B

2002-08-01

The role of shoot water status in mediating the decline in leaf elongation rate of nitrogen (N)-deprived barley plants was assessed. Plants were grown at two levels of N supply, with or without the application of pneumatic pressure to the roots. Applying enough pressure (balancing pressure) to keep xylem sap continuously bleeding from the cut surface of a leaf allowed the plants to remain at full turgor throughout the experiments. Plants from which N was withheld required a greater balancing pressure during both day and night. This difference in balancing pressure was greater at high (2.0 kPa) than low (1.2 kPa) atmospheric vapour pressure deficit (VPD). Pressurizing the roots did not prevent the decline in leaf elongation rate induced by withholding N at either high or low VPD. Thus low shoot water status did not limit leaf growth of N-deprived plants.

The enigma of effective pathlength for 18O enrichment in leaf water of conifers

Science.gov (United States)

Roden, J. S.; Kahmen, A.; Buchmann, N. C.; Siegwolf, R. T.

2013-12-01

The stable isotopes of oxygen (δ18O) in tree ring cellulose provide valuable proxy information about past environments and climate. Mechanistic models have been used to clarify the important drivers of isotope fractionation and help interpret δ18O variation in tree rings. A critical component to these models is an estimate of leaf water enrichment. However, standard models seldom accurately predict 18O enrichment in conifer needles and Péclet corrections often require effective pathlengths (L) that seem unreasonable from the perspective of needle morphology (>0.5 m). To analyze the potential role of path length on the Péclet effect in conifers we carried out experiments in controlled environment chambers. We exposed seedlings of six species of conifer (Abies alba, Larix decidua, Picea abies, Pinus cembra, P. sylvestris, Taxus bacata), that differ in needle morphology, to four different vapor pressure deficits (VPD), in order to modify transpiration rates (E) and leaf water 18O enrichment. Environmental and δ18O data (leaf, stem and chamber water vapor) were collected to parameterize leaf water models. Cross-sections of needles were sampled for an analysis of needle anatomy. Conifer needles have a single strand of vascular tissue making pathlength determinations through anatomical assessments possible. The six species differed in mesophyll distance (measured from endodermis to epidermis) and cell number, with Pinus and Picea species having the shortest distance and Abies and Taxus the longest (flat needle morphology). Other anatomical measures (transfusion distance, cell size etc.) did not differ significantly. A suberized strip was apparent in the endodermis of all species except Taxus and Abies. Conifer needles have a large proportion (from 0.2 to 0.4) of needle cross-sectional area in vascular tissues that may not be subject to evaporative enrichment. As expected, leaf water δ18O and E responded strongly to VPD and standard models (Craig

Remote sensing of leaf, canopy and vegetation water contents for satellite climate data records

Science.gov (United States)

Foliar water content is a dynamic quantity depending on water losses from transpiration and water uptake from the soil. Absorption of shortwave radiation by water is determined by various frequency overtones of fundamental bending and stretching molecular transitions. Leaf water potential and rela...

Current progress and challenges in engineering viable artificial leaf for solar water splitting

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Phuc D. Nguyen

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Large scale production of H2, a clean fuel, can be realized with just water and solar light energy by employing a viable energy conversion device called artificial leaf. In this tutorial review, we discuss on advances achieved recently and technical challenges remained toward the creation of such a leaf. Development of key components like catalysts for water electrolysis process and light harvester for harvesting solar energy as well as strategies being developed for assembling these components to create a complete artificial leaf will be highlighted.

Effects of leaf movement on leaf temperature, transpiration and radiation interception in soybean under water stress conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Isoda, A.; Wang, P.

2001-01-01

Varietal differences in leaf movement were examined in terms of radiation interception, leaf temperature and transpiration under water stressed conditions. Five cultivars (Qindou 7232, Gaofei 16, Dongnong 87 - 138, 8285 - 8 and 8874) were grown in a concrete frame field in Xinjiang, China. Irrigation treatments (irrigation and no irrigation) were made from the flowering to the pod filling stage. A leaflet in the uppermost layer of the canopy was restrained horizontally. Leaf temperatures, transpiration rate (stem sap flow rate of the main stem per unit leaf area) and intercepted radiation of each leaflet were measured. There were greater varietal differences in leaf movement, leaf temperature and transpiration rate. Leaf temperature seemed to be adjusted by leaf movement and transpiration. The extent to which is adjusted by leaf movement and transpiration differed among the cultivars; leaf temperature was influenced mainly by leaf movement for Gaofei 16 and Dongnong 87 - 138, mainly by transpiration for Qindou 7232 and 8874, and by both for 8285 - 8. Intercepted radiation in the upper two layers of the canopy (20 cm from the uppermost) was greater in the irrigated plot, although the mean values of total leaflets of the irrigated plot were not different as compared to the non-irrigated plot. Although paraheliotropic leaf movement decreased radiation interception, it offers some possibilities for the improvement in radiation penetration within a dense canopy. Cumulated amount of transpiration during a day was compared between the restrained-leaf and the non-leaf-restrained plants in 8874. Paraheliotropic leaf movement reduced water loss by 23% in the irrigated and 71% in the non-irrigated plots

A 3-D functional-structural grapevine model that couples the dynamics of water transport with leaf gas exchange.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Junqi; Dai, Zhanwu; Vivin, Philippe; Gambetta, Gregory A; Henke, Michael; Peccoux, Anthony; Ollat, Nathalie; Delrot, Serge

2017-12-23

Predicting both plant water status and leaf gas exchange under various environmental conditions is essential for anticipating the effects of climate change on plant growth and productivity. This study developed a functional-structural grapevine model which combines a mechanistic understanding of stomatal function and photosynthesis at the leaf level (i.e. extended Farqhuhar-von Caemmerer-Berry model) and the dynamics of water transport from soil to individual leaves (i.e. Tardieu-Davies model). The model included novel features that account for the effects of xylem embolism (fPLC) on leaf hydraulic conductance and residual stomatal conductance (g0), variable root and leaf hydraulic conductance, and the microclimate of individual organs. The model was calibrated with detailed datasets of leaf photosynthesis, leaf water potential, xylem sap abscisic acid (ABA) concentration and hourly whole-plant transpiration observed within a soil drying period, and validated with independent datasets of whole-plant transpiration under both well-watered and water-stressed conditions. The model well captured the effects of radiation, temperature, CO2 and vapour pressure deficit on leaf photosynthesis, transpiration, stomatal conductance and leaf water potential, and correctly reproduced the diurnal pattern and decline of water flux within the soil drying period. In silico analyses revealed that decreases in g0 with increasing fPLC were essential to avoid unrealistic drops in leaf water potential under severe water stress. Additionally, by varying the hydraulic conductance along the pathway (e.g. root and leaves) and changing the sensitivity of stomatal conductance to ABA and leaf water potential, the model can produce different water use behaviours (i.e. iso- and anisohydric). The robust performance of this model allows for modelling climate effects from individual plants to fields, and for modelling plants with complex, non-homogenous canopies. In addition, the model provides a

Effect of water availability on tolerance of leaf damage in tall morning glory, Ipomoea purpurea

Science.gov (United States)

Atala, Cristian; Gianoli, Ernesto

2009-03-01

Resource availability may limit plant tolerance of herbivory. To predict the effect of differential resource availability on plant tolerance, the limiting resource model (LRM) considers which resource limits plant fitness and which resource is mostly affected by herbivore damage. We tested the effect of experimental drought on tolerance of leaf damage in Ipomoea purpurea, which is naturally exposed to both leaf damage and summer drought. To seek mechanistic explanations, we also measured several morphological, allocation and gas exchange traits. In this case, LRM predicts that tolerance would be the same in both water treatments. Plants were assigned to a combination of two water treatments (control and low water) and two damage treatments (50% defoliation and undamaged). Plants showed tolerance of leaf damage, i.e., a similar number of fruits were produced by damaged and undamaged plants, only in control water. Whereas experimental drought affected all plant traits, leaf damage caused plants to show a greater leaf trichome density and reduced shoot biomass, but only in low water. It is suggested that the reduced fitness (number of fruits) of damaged plants in low water was mediated by the differential reduction of shoot biomass, because the number of fruits per shoot biomass was similar in damaged and undamaged plants. Alternative but less likely explanations include the opposing direction of functional responses to drought and defoliation, and resource costs of the damage-induced leaf trichome density. Our results somewhat challenge the LRM predictions, but further research including field experiments is needed to validate some of the preliminary conclusions drawn.

Impacts of water stress, environment and rootstock on the diurnal behaviour of stem water potential and leaf conductance in pistachio (Pistacia vera L.)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Memmi, H.; Couceiro, J.F.; Gijón, C.; Pérez-López, D.

2016-01-01

Little information is available on the diurnal behaviour of water potential and leaf conductance on pistachio trees despite their relevance to fine tune irrigation strategies. Mature pistachio trees were subject to simultaneous measurements of stem water potential (Ψx) and leaf conductance (gl) during the day, at three important periods of the irrigation season. Trees were grown on three different rootstocks and water regimes. An initial baseline relating Ψx to air vapor pressure deficit (VPD) is presented for irrigation scheduling in pistachio. Ψx was closely correlated with VPD but with a different fit according to the degree of water stress. No evidence of the variation of Ψx in relation to the phenology of the tree was observed. Furthermore, midday Ψx showed more accuracy to indicate a situation of water stress than predawn water potential. Under well irrigated conditions, gl was positively correlated with VPD during stage II of growth reaching its peak when VPD reached its maximum value (around 4 kPa). This behaviour changed during stage III of fruit growth suggesting a reliance of stomatal behaviour to the phenological stage independently to the tree water status. The levels of water stress reached were translated in a slow recovery of tree water status and leaf conductance (more than 40 days). Regarding rootstocks, P. integerrima showed little adaptation to water shortage compared to the two other rootstocks under the studied conditions. (Author)

Impacts of water stress, environment and rootstock on the diurnal behaviour of stem water potential and leaf conductance in pistachio (Pistacia vera L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Houssem Memmi

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Little information is available on the diurnal behaviour of water potential and leaf conductance on pistachio trees despite their relevance to fine tune irrigation strategies. Mature pistachio trees were subject to simultaneous measurements of stem water potential (Ψx and leaf conductance (gl during the day, at three important periods of the irrigation season. Trees were grown on three different rootstocks and water regimes. An initial baseline relating Ψx to air vapor pressure deficit (VPD is presented for irrigation scheduling in pistachio. Ψx was closely correlated with VPD but with a different fit according to the degree of water stress. No evidence of the variation of Ψx in relation to the phenology of the tree was observed. Furthermore, midday Ψx showed more accuracy to indicate a situation of water stress than predawn water potential. Under well irrigated conditions, gl was positively correlated with VPD during stage II of growth reaching its peak when VPD reached its maximum value (around 4 kPa. This behaviour changed during stage III of fruit growth suggesting a reliance of stomatal behaviour to the phenological stage independently to the tree water status. The levels of water stress reached were translated in a slow recovery of tree water status and leaf conductance (more than 40 days. Regarding rootstocks, P. integerrima showed little adaptation to water shortage compared to the two other rootstocks under the studied conditions.

Impacts of water stress, environment and rootstock on the diurnal behaviour of stem water potential and leaf conductance in pistachio (Pistacia vera L.)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Memmi, H.; Couceiro, J.F.; Gijón, C.; Pérez-López, D.

2016-11-01

Little information is available on the diurnal behaviour of water potential and leaf conductance on pistachio trees despite their relevance to fine tune irrigation strategies. Mature pistachio trees were subject to simultaneous measurements of stem water potential (Ψx) and leaf conductance (gl) during the day, at three important periods of the irrigation season. Trees were grown on three different rootstocks and water regimes. An initial baseline relating Ψx to air vapor pressure deficit (VPD) is presented for irrigation scheduling in pistachio. Ψx was closely correlated with VPD but with a different fit according to the degree of water stress. No evidence of the variation of Ψx in relation to the phenology of the tree was observed. Furthermore, midday Ψx showed more accuracy to indicate a situation of water stress than predawn water potential. Under well irrigated conditions, gl was positively correlated with VPD during stage II of growth reaching its peak when VPD reached its maximum value (around 4 kPa). This behaviour changed during stage III of fruit growth suggesting a reliance of stomatal behaviour to the phenological stage independently to the tree water status. The levels of water stress reached were translated in a slow recovery of tree water status and leaf conductance (more than 40 days). Regarding rootstocks, P. integerrima showed little adaptation to water shortage compared to the two other rootstocks under the studied conditions. (Author)

Leaf water 18 O and 2 H enrichment along vertical canopy profiles in a broadleaved and a conifer forest tree.

Science.gov (United States)

Bögelein, Rebekka; Thomas, Frank M; Kahmen, Ansgar

2017-07-01

Distinguishing meteorological and plant-mediated drivers of leaf water isotopic enrichment is prerequisite for ecological interpretations of stable hydrogen and oxygen isotopes in plant tissue. We measured input and leaf water δ 2 H and δ 18 O as well as micrometeorological and leaf morpho-physiological variables along a vertical gradient in a mature angiosperm (European beech) and gymnosperm (Douglas fir) tree. We used these variables and different enrichment models to quantify the influence of Péclet and non-steady state effects and of the biophysical drivers on leaf water enrichment. The two-pool model accurately described the diurnal variation of leaf water enrichment. The estimated unenriched water fraction was linked to leaf dry matter content across the canopy heights. Non-steady state effects and reduced stomatal conductance caused a higher enrichment of Douglas fir compared to beech leaf water. A dynamic effect analyses revealed that the light-induced vertical gradients of stomatal conductance and leaf temperature outbalanced each other in their effects on evaporative enrichment. We conclude that neither vertical canopy gradients nor the Péclet effect is important for estimates and interpretation of isotopic leaf water enrichment in hypostomatous trees. Contrarily, species-specific non-steady state effects and leaf temperatures as well as the water vapour isotope composition need careful consideration. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Modeling stomatal conductance in the earth system: linking leaf water-use efficiency and water transport along the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum

Science.gov (United States)

Bonan, G. B.; Williams, M.; Fisher, R. A.; Oleson, K. W.

2014-09-01

The Ball-Berry stomatal conductance model is commonly used in earth system models to simulate biotic regulation of evapotranspiration. However, the dependence of stomatal conductance (gs) on vapor pressure deficit (Ds) and soil moisture must be empirically parameterized. We evaluated the Ball-Berry model used in the Community Land Model version 4.5 (CLM4.5) and an alternative stomatal conductance model that links leaf gas exchange, plant hydraulic constraints, and the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum (SPA). The SPA model simulates stomatal conductance numerically by (1) optimizing photosynthetic carbon gain per unit water loss while (2) constraining stomatal opening to prevent leaf water potential from dropping below a critical minimum. We evaluated two optimization algorithms: intrinsic water-use efficiency (ΔAn /Δgs, the marginal carbon gain of stomatal opening) and water-use efficiency (ΔAn /ΔEl, the marginal carbon gain of transpiration water loss). We implemented the stomatal models in a multi-layer plant canopy model to resolve profiles of gas exchange, leaf water potential, and plant hydraulics within the canopy, and evaluated the simulations using leaf analyses, eddy covariance fluxes at six forest sites, and parameter sensitivity analyses. The primary differences among stomatal models relate to soil moisture stress and vapor pressure deficit responses. Without soil moisture stress, the performance of the SPA stomatal model was comparable to or slightly better than the CLM Ball-Berry model in flux tower simulations, but was significantly better than the CLM Ball-Berry model when there was soil moisture stress. Functional dependence of gs on soil moisture emerged from water flow along the soil-to-leaf pathway rather than being imposed a priori, as in the CLM Ball-Berry model. Similar functional dependence of gs on Ds emerged from the ΔAn/ΔEl optimization, but not the ΔAn /gs optimization. Two parameters (stomatal efficiency and root hydraulic

Transpiration and leaf growth of potato clones in response to soil water deficit

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

André Trevisan de Souza

2014-04-01

Full Text Available Potato (Solanum tuberosum ssp. Tuberosum crop is particularly susceptible to water deficit because of its small and shallow root system. The fraction of transpirable soil water (FTSW approach has been widely used in the evaluation of plant responses to water deficit in different crops. The FTSW 34 threshold (when stomatal closure starts is a trait of particular interest because it is an indicator of tolerance to water deficit. The FTSW threshold for decline in transpiration and leaf growth was evaluated in a drying soil to identify potato clones tolerant to water deficit. Two greenhouse experiments were carried out in pots, with three advanced clones and the cultivar Asterix. The FTSW, transpiration and leaf growth were measured on a daily basis, during the period of soil drying. FTSW was an efficient method to separate potato clones with regard to their response to water deficit. The advancedclones SMINIA 02106-11 and SMINIA 00017-6 are more tolerant to soil water deficit than the cultivar Asterix, and the clone SMINIA 793101-3 is more tolerant only under high solar radiation.

Water use in forest canopy black cherry trees and its relationship to leaf gas exchange and environment

Science.gov (United States)

B. J. Joyce; K. C. Steiner; J. M. Skelly

1996-01-01

Models of canopy gas exchange are needed to connect leaf-level measurement to higher scales. Because of the correspondence between leaf gas exchange and water use, it may be possible to predict variation in leaf gas exchange at the canopy level by monitoring rates of branch water use.

Difference in leaf water use efficiency/photosynthetic nitrogen use efficiency of Bt-cotton and its conventional peer.

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Ruqing; Sun, Shucun; Liu, Biao

2016-09-15

This study is to test the effects of Bt gene introduction on the foliar water/nitrogen use efficiency in cotton. We measured leaf stomatal conductance, photosynthetic rate, and transpiration rate under light saturation condition at different stages of a conventional cultivar (zhongmian no. 16) and its counterpart Bt cultivar (zhongmian no. 30) that were cultured on three levels of fertilization, based on which leaf instantaneous water use efficiency was derived. Leaf nitrogen concentration was measured to calculate leaf photosynthetic nitrogen use efficiency, and leaf δ(13)C was used to characterize long term water use efficiency. Bt cultivar was found to have lower stomatal conductance, net photosynthetic rates and transpiration rates, but higher instantaneous and long time water use efficiency. In addition, foliar nitrogen concentration was found to be higher but net photosynthetic rate was lower in the mature leaves of Bt cultivar, which led to lower photosynthetic nitrogen use efficiency. This might result from the significant decrease of photosynthetic rate due to the decrease of stomatal conductance. In conclusion, our findings show that the introduction of Bt gene should significantly increase foliar water use efficiency but decrease leaf nitrogen use efficiency in cotton under no selective pressure.

Inferring foliar water uptake using stable isotopes of water.

Science.gov (United States)

Goldsmith, Gregory R; Lehmann, Marco M; Cernusak, Lucas A; Arend, Matthias; Siegwolf, Rolf T W

2017-08-01

A growing number of studies have described the direct absorption of water into leaves, a phenomenon known as foliar water uptake. The resultant increase in the amount of water in the leaf can be important for plant function. Exposing leaves to isotopically enriched or depleted water sources has become a common method for establishing whether or not a plant is capable of carrying out foliar water uptake. However, a careful inspection of our understanding of the fluxes of water isotopes between leaves and the atmosphere under high humidity conditions shows that there can clearly be isotopic exchange between the two pools even in the absence of a change in the mass of water in the leaf. We provide experimental evidence that while leaf water isotope ratios may change following exposure to a fog event using water with a depleted oxygen isotope ratio, leaf mass only changes when leaves are experiencing a water deficit that creates a driving gradient for the uptake of water by the leaf. Studies that rely on stable isotopes of water as a means of studying plant water use, particularly with respect to foliar water uptake, must consider the effects of these isotopic exchange processes.

On the use of leaf spectral indices to assess water status and photosynthetic limitations in Olea europaea L. during water-stress and recovery.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Pengsen; Wahbi, Said; Tsonev, Tsonko; Haworth, Matthew; Liu, Shirong; Centritto, Mauro

2014-01-01

Diffusional limitations to photosynthesis, relative water content (RWC), pigment concentrations and their association with reflectance indices were studied in olive (Olea europaea) saplings subjected to water-stress and re-watering. RWC decreased sharply as drought progressed. Following rewatering, RWC gradually increased to pre-stress values. Photosynthesis (A), stomatal conductance (gs), mesophyll conductance (gm), total conductance (gt), photochemical reflectance index (PRI), water index (WI) and relative depth index (RDI) closely followed RWC. In contrast, carotenoid concentration, the carotenoid to chlorophyll ratio, water content reflectance index (WCRI) and structural independent pigment index (SIPI) showed an opposite trend to that of RWC. Photosynthesis scaled linearly with leaf conductance to CO2; however, A measured under non-photorespiratory conditions (A1%O2) was approximately two times greater than A measured at 21% [O2], indicating that photorespiration likely increased in response to drought. A1%O2 also significantly correlated with leaf conductance parameters. These relationships were apparent in saturation type curves, indicating that under non-photorespiratory conditions, CO2 conductance was not the major limitations to A. PRI was significant correlated with RWC. PRI was also very sensitive to pigment concentrations and photosynthesis, and significantly tracked all CO2 conductance parameters. WI, RDI and WCRI were all significantly correlated with RWC, and most notably to leaf transpiration. Overall, PRI correlated more closely with carotenoid concentration than SIPI; whereas WI tracked leaf transpiration more effectively than RDI and WCRI. This study clearly demonstrates that PRI and WI can be used for the fast detection of physiological traits of olive trees subjected to water-stress.

Linkage between canopy water storage and drop size distributions of leaf drips

Science.gov (United States)

Nanko, Kazuki; Watanabe, Ai; Hotta, Norifumi; Suzuki, Masakazu

2013-04-01

Differences in drop size distribution (DSD) of leaf drips among tree species have been estimated and physically interpreted to clarify the leaf drip generation process. Leaf drip generation experiments for nine species were conducted in an indoor location without foliage vibration using an automatic mist spray. Broad-leaved species produced a similar DSD among species whose leaves had a matte surface and a second similar DSD among species whose leaves had a coated surface. The matte broad leaves produced a larger and wider range of DSDs than the coated broad leaves. Coated coniferous needles had a wider range of DSDs than the coated broad leaves and different DSDs were observed for different species. The species with shorter dense needles generated a larger DSD. The leaf drip diameter was calculated through the estimation of a state of equilibrium of a hanging drop on the leaves based on physical theory. The calculations indicated that the maximum diameter of leaf drips was determined by the contact angle, and the range of DSDs was determined by the variation in contact length and the contact diameter at the hanging points. The results revealed that leaf drip DSD changed due to variations in leaf hydrophobicity, leaf roughness, leaf geometry and leaf inclination among the different tree species. This study allows the modelization of throughfall DSD. Furthermore, it indicates the possibility of interpreting canopy water processes from canopy water storage to drainage through the contact angle and leaf drip DSD. The part of this study is published in Nanko et al. (2013, Agric. Forest. Meteorol. 169, 74-84).

Leaf water enrichment of stable water isotopes (δ18O and δD) in a mature oil palm plantation in Jambi province, Indonesia.

Science.gov (United States)

Bonazza, Mattia; Tjoa, Aiyen; Knohl, Alexander

2017-04-01

During the last few decades, Indonesia experienced rapid and large scale land-use change towards intensively managed crops, one of them is oil palm. This transition results in warmer and dryer conditions in microclimate. The impacts on the hydrological cycle and on water-use by plants are, however, not yet completely clear. Water stable isotopes are useful tracers of the hydrological processes and can provide means to partition evapotranspiration into evaporation and transpiration. A key parameter, however, is the enrichment of water stable isotope in plant tissue such as leaves that can provide estimates on the isotopic composition of transpiration. Here we present the results of a field campaign conducted in a mature oil palm plantation in Jambi province, Indonesia. We combined continuous measurements of water vapor isotopic composition and mixing ratio with isotopic analysis of water stored in different pools like oil palm leaves, epiphytes, trunk organic matter and soil collected over a three days period. Leaf enrichment varied from -2 ‰ to 10 ‰ relative to source (ground) water. The temporal variability followed Craig and Gordon model predictions for leaf water enrichment. An improved agreement was reached after considering the Péclet effect with an appropriate value of the characteristic length (L). Measured stomatal conductance (gs) on two different sets of leaves (top and bottom canopy) was mainly controlled by radiation (photosynthetically active radiation) and vapor pressure deficit. We assume that this control could be explained in conditions where soil water content is not representing a limiting factor. Understanding leaf water enrichment provides one step towards partitioning ET.

Effects of water stress on irradiance acclimation of leaf traits in almond trees.

Science.gov (United States)

Egea, Gregorio; González-Real, María M; Baille, Alain; Nortes, Pedro A; Conesa, María R; Ruiz-Salleres, Isabel

2012-04-01

Photosynthetic acclimation to highly variable local irradiance within the tree crown plays a primary role in determining tree carbon uptake. This study explores the plasticity of leaf structural and physiological traits in response to the interactive effects of ontogeny, water stress and irradiance in adult almond trees that have been subjected to three water regimes (full irrigation, deficit irrigation and rain-fed) for a 3-year period (2006-08) in a semiarid climate. Leaf structural (dry mass per unit area, N and chlorophyll content) and photosynthetic (maximum net CO(2) assimilation, A(max), maximum stomatal conductance, g(s,max), and mesophyll conductance, g(m)) traits and stem-to-leaf hydraulic conductance (K(s-l)) were determined throughout the 2008 growing season in leaves of outer south-facing (S-leaves) and inner northwest-facing (NW-leaves) shoots. Leaf plasticity was quantified by means of an exposure adjustment coefficient (ε=1-X(NW)/X(S)) for each trait (X) of S- and NW-leaves. Photosynthetic traits and K(s-l) exhibited higher irradiance-elicited plasticity (higher ε) than structural traits in all treatments, with the highest and lowest plasticity being observed in the fully irrigated and rain-fed trees, respectively. Our results suggest that water stress modulates the irradiance-elicited plasticity of almond leaves through changes in crown architecture. Such changes lead to a more even distribution of within-crown irradiance, and hence of the photosynthetic capacity, as water stress intensifies. Ontogeny drove seasonal changes only in the ε of area- and mass-based N content and mass-based chlorophyll content, while no leaf age-dependent effect was observed on ε as regards the physiological traits. Our results also indicate that the irradiance-elicited plasticity of A(max) is mainly driven by changes in leaf dry mass per unit area, in g(m) and, most likely, in the partitioning of the leaf N content.

Specific leaf areas of the tank bromeliad Guzmania monostachia perform distinct functions in response to water shortage.

Science.gov (United States)

Freschi, Luciano; Takahashi, Cassia Ayumi; Cambui, Camila Aguetoni; Semprebom, Thais Ribeiro; Cruz, Aline Bertinatto; Mioto, Paulo Tamoso; de Melo Versieux, Leonardo; Calvente, Alice; Latansio-Aidar, Sabrina Ribeiro; Aidar, Marcos Pereira Marinho; Mercier, Helenice

2010-05-01

Leaves comprise most of the vegetative body of tank bromeliads and are usually subjected to strong longitudinal gradients. For instance, while the leaf base is in contact with the water accumulated in the tank, the more light-exposed middle and upper leaf sections have no direct access to this water reservoir. Therefore, the present study attempted to investigate whether different leaf portions of Guzmania monostachia, a tank-forming C(3)-CAM bromeliad, play distinct physiological roles in response to water shortage, which is a major abiotic constraint in the epiphytic habitat. Internal and external morphological features, relative water content, pigment composition and the degree of CAM expression were evaluated in basal, middle and apical leaf portions in order to allow the establishment of correlations between the structure and the functional importance of each leaf region. Results indicated that besides marked structural differences, a high level of functional specialization is also present along the leaves of this bromeliad. When the tank water was depleted, the abundant hydrenchyma of basal leaf portions was the main reservoir for maintaining a stable water status in the photosynthetic tissues of the apical region. In contrast, the CAM pathway was intensified specifically in the upper leaf section, which is in agreement with the presence of features more suitable for the occurrence of photosynthesis at this portion. Gas exchange data indicated that internal recycling of respiratory CO(2) accounted for virtually all nighttime acid accumulation, characterizing a typical CAM-idling pathway in the drought-exposed plants. Altogether, these data reveal a remarkable physiological complexity along the leaves of G. monostachia, which might be a key adaptation to the intermittent water supply of the epiphytic niche. Copyright 2009 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Plasticity in leaf-level water relations of tropical rainforest trees in response to experimental drought.

Science.gov (United States)

Binks, Oliver; Meir, Patrick; Rowland, Lucy; da Costa, Antonio Carlos Lola; Vasconcelos, Steel Silva; de Oliveira, Alex Antonio Ribeiro; Ferreira, Leandro; Christoffersen, Bradley; Nardini, Andrea; Mencuccini, Maurizio

2016-07-01

The tropics are predicted to become warmer and drier, and understanding the sensitivity of tree species to drought is important for characterizing the risk to forests of climate change. This study makes use of a long-term drought experiment in the Amazon rainforest to evaluate the role of leaf-level water relations, leaf anatomy and their plasticity in response to drought in six tree genera. The variables (osmotic potential at full turgor, turgor loss point, capacitance, elastic modulus, relative water content and saturated water content) were compared between seasons and between plots (control and through-fall exclusion) enabling a comparison between short- and long-term plasticity in traits. Leaf anatomical traits were correlated with water relation parameters to determine whether water relations differed among tissues. The key findings were: osmotic adjustment occurred in response to the long-term drought treatment; species resistant to drought stress showed less osmotic adjustment than drought-sensitive species; and water relation traits were correlated with tissue properties, especially the thickness of the abaxial epidermis and the spongy mesophyll. These findings demonstrate that cell-level water relation traits can acclimate to long-term water stress, and highlight the limitations of extrapolating the results of short-term studies to temporal scales associated with climate change. © 2016 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2016 New Phytologist Trust.

Plasticity in the Huber value contributes to homeostasis in leaf water relations of a mallee Eucalypt with variation to groundwater depth.

Science.gov (United States)

Carter, Jennifer L; White, Donald A

2009-11-01

Information on how vegetation adapts to differences in water supply is critical for predicting vegetation survival, growth and water use, which, in turn, has important impacts on site hydrology. Many field studies assess adaptation to water stress by comparing between disparate sites, which makes it difficult to distinguish between physiological or morphological changes and long-term genetic adaptation. When planting trees into new environments, the phenotypic adaptations of a species to water stress will be of primary interest. This study examined the response to water availability of Eucalyptus kochii ssp. borealis (C. Gardner) D. Nicolle, commonly integrated with agriculture in south-western Australia for environmental and economic benefits. By choosing a site where the groundwater depth varied but where climate and soil type were the same, we were able to isolate tree response to water supply. Tree growth, leaf area and stand water use were much larger for trees over shallow groundwater than for trees over a deep water table below a silcrete hardpan. However, water use on a leaf area basis was similar in trees over deep and shallow groundwater, as were the minimum leaf water potential observed over different seasons and the turgor loss point. We conclude that homeostasis in leaf water use and water relations was maintained through a combination of stomatal control and adjustment of sapwood-to-leaf area ratios (Huber value). Differences in the Huber value with groundwater depth were associated with different sapwood-specific conductivity and water use on a sapwood area basis. Knowledge of the coordination between water supply, leaf area, sapwood area and leaf transpiration rate for different species will be important when predicting stand water use.

[Seasonal differences in the leaf hydraulic conductance of mature Acacia mangium in response to its leaf water use and photosynthesis].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Ping; Sun, Gu-Chou; Ni, Guang-Yan; Zeng, Xiao-Ping

2013-01-01

In this study, measurements were made on the leaf water potential (psi1), stomatal conductance (g(s)), transpiration rate, leaf area index, and sapwood area of mature Acacia mangium, aimed to understand the relationships of the leaf hydraulic conductance (K1) with the leaf water use and photosynthetic characteristics of the A. mangium in wet season (May) and dry season (November). The ratio of sapwood area to leaf area (A(sp)/A(cl)) of the larger trees with an average height of 20 m and a diameter at breast height (DBH) of 0.26 m was 8.5% higher than that of the smaller trees with an average height of 14.5 m and a DBH of 0.19 m, suggesting that the larger trees had a higher water flux in their leaf xylem, which facilitated the water use of canopy leaf. The analysis on the vulnerability curve of the xylem showed that when the K1 decreased by 50%, the psi1 in wet season and dry season was -1.41 and -1.55 MPa, respectively, and the vulnerability of the xylem cavitation was higher in dry season than in wet season. The K1 peak value in wet season and dry season was 5.5 and 4.5 mmol x m(-2) x s(-1) x MPa(-1), and the maximum transpiration rate (T(r max)) was 3.6 and 1.8 mmol x m(-2) x s(-1), respectively. Both the K1 and T(r max), were obviously higher in wet season than in dry season. Within a day, the K1 and T(r), fluctuated many times, reflecting the reciprocated cycle of the xylem cavitation and refilling. The leaf stomatal closure occurred when the K1 declined over 50% or the psi1 reached -1.6 MPa. The g(s) would be maintained at a high level till the K1 declined over 50%. The correlation between the hydraulic conductance and photosynthetic rate was more significant in dry season than in wet season. The loss of leaf hydraulic conductance induced by seasonal change could be the causes of the decrease of T(r) and CO2 gas exchange.

Leaf water relations and net gas exchange responses of salinized Carrizo citrange seedlings during drought stress and recovery.

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez-Pérez, J G; Syvertsen, J P; Botía, P; García-Sánchez, F

2007-08-01

Since salinity and drought stress can occur together, an assessment was made of their interacting effects on leaf water relations, osmotic adjustment and net gas exchange in seedlings of the relatively chloride-sensitive Carrizo citrange, Citrus sinensis x Poncirus trifoliata. Plants were fertilized with nutrient solution with or without additional 100 mm NaCl (salt and no-salt treatments). After 7 d, half of the plants were drought stressed by withholding irrigation water for 10 d. Thus, there were four treatments: salinized and non-salinized plants under drought-stress or well-watered conditions. After the drought period, plants from all stressed treatments were re-watered with nutrient solution without salt for 8 d to study recovery. Leaf water relations, gas exchange parameters, chlorophyll fluorescence, proline, quaternary ammonium compounds and leaf and root concentrations of Cl(-) and Na(+) were measured. Salinity increased leaf Cl(-) and Na(+) concentrations and decreased osmotic potential (Psi(pi)) such that leaf relative water content (RWC) was maintained during drought stress. However, in non-salinized drought-stressed plants, osmotic adjustment did not occur and RWC decreased. The salinity-induced osmotic adjustment was not related to any accumulation of proline, quaternary ammonium compounds or soluble sugars. Net CO(2) assimilation rate (A(CO2)) was reduced in leaves from all stressed treatments but the mechanisms were different. In non-salinized drought-stressed plants, lower A(CO2) was related to low RWC, whereas in salinized plants decreased A(CO2) was related to high levels of leaf Cl(-) and Na(+). A(CO2) recovered after irrigation in all the treatments except in previously salinized drought-stressed leaves which had lower RWC and less chlorophyll but maintained high levels of Cl(-), Na(+) and quaternary ammonium compounds after recovery. High leaf levels of Cl(-) and Na(+) after recovery apparently came from the roots. Plants preconditioned by

Stomatal closure of Pelargonium × hortorum in response to soil water deficit is associated with decreased leaf water potential only under rapid soil drying.

Science.gov (United States)

Boyle, Richard K A; McAinsh, Martin; Dodd, Ian C

2016-01-01

Soil water deficits applied at different rates and for different durations can decrease both stomatal conductance (gs ) and leaf water potential (Ψleaf ). Understanding the physiological mechanisms regulating these responses is important in sustainable irrigation scheduling. Glasshouse-grown, containerized Pelargonium × hortorum BullsEye plants were irrigated either daily at various fractions of plant evapotranspiration (100, 75 and 50% ET) for 20 days or irrigation was withheld for 4 days. Xylem sap was collected and gs and Ψleaf were measured on days 15 and 20, and on days 16-19 for the respective treatments. Xylem sap pH and NO3 (-) and Ca(2+) concentrations did not differ between irrigation treatments. Xylem abscisic acid (ABA) concentrations ([ABA]xyl ) increased within 24 h of irrigation being withheld whilst gs and Ψleaf decreased. Supplying irrigation at a fraction of daily ET produced a similar relationship between [ABA]xyl and gs , but did not change Ψleaf . Treatment differences occurred independently of whether Ψleaf was measured in whole leaves with a pressure chamber, or in the lamina with a thermocouple psychrometer. Plants that were irrigated daily showed lower [ABA]xyl than plants from which irrigation was withheld, even at comparable soil moisture content. This implies that regular re-watering attenuates ABA signaling due to maintenance of soil moisture in the upper soil levels. Crucially, detached leaves supplied with synthetic ABA showed a similar relationship between [ABA]xyl and gs as intact plants, suggesting that stomatal closure of P. hortorum in response to soil water deficit is primarily an ABA-induced response, independent of changes in Ψleaf . © 2015 Scandinavian Plant Physiology Society.

Leaf and shoot water content and leaf dry matter content of Mediterranean woody species with different post-fire regenerative strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Saura-Mas, S; Lloret, F

2007-03-01

Post-fire regeneration is a key process in Mediterranean shrubland dynamics, strongly determining the functional properties of the community. In this study, a test is carried out to determine whether there is co-variation between species regenerative types and functional attributes related to water use. An analysis was made of the seasonal variations in leaf relative water content (RWC), leaf dry matter content (LDMC), leaf moisture (LM) and live fine fuel moisture (LFFM) in 30 woody species of a coastal shrubland, with different post-fire regenerative strategies (seeding, resprouting or both). RWC results suggest that the studied resprouters have more efficient mechanisms to reduce water losses and maintain water supply between seasons. In contrast, seeders are more drought tolerant. LDMC is higher in resprouters over the course of the year, suggesting a more efficient conservation of nutrients. The weight of the phylogenetic constraint to understand differences between regenerative strategies tends to be important for LDMC, while it is not the case for variables such as RWC. Groups of species with different post-fire regenerative strategies (seeders and resprouters) have different functional traits related to water use. In addition to the role of phylogenetical constraints, these differences are also likely to be related to the respective life history characteristics. Therefore, the presence and abundance of species with different post-fire regenerative responses influence the functional properties of the communities.

CLD1/SRL1 modulates leaf rolling by affecting cell wall formation, epidermis integrity and water homeostasis in rice.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Wen-Qiang; Zhang, Min-Juan; Gan, Peng-Fei; Qiao, Lei; Yang, Shuai-Qi; Miao, Hai; Wang, Gang-Feng; Zhang, Mao-Mao; Liu, Wen-Ting; Li, Hai-Feng; Shi, Chun-Hai; Chen, Kun-Ming

2017-12-01

Leaf rolling is considered as one of the most important agronomic traits in rice breeding. It has been previously reported that SEMI-ROLLED LEAF 1 (SRL1) modulates leaf rolling by regulating the formation of bulliform cells in rice (Oryza sativa); however, the regulatory mechanism underlying SRL1 has yet to be further elucidated. Here, we report the functional characterization of a novel leaf-rolling mutant, curled leaf and dwarf 1 (cld1), with multiple morphological defects. Map-based cloning revealed that CLD1 is allelic with SRL1, and loses function in cld1 through DNA methylation. CLD1/SRL1 encodes a glycophosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored membrane protein that modulates leaf rolling and other aspects of rice growth and development. The cld1 mutant exhibits significant decreases in cellulose and lignin contents in secondary cell walls of leaves, indicating that the loss of function of CLD1/SRL1 affects cell wall formation. Furthermore, the loss of CLD1/SRL1 function leads to defective leaf epidermis such as bulliform-like epidermal cells. The defects in leaf epidermis decrease the water-retaining capacity and lead to water deficits in cld1 leaves, which contribute to the main cause of leaf rolling. As a result of the more rapid water loss and lower water content in leaves, cld1 exhibits reduced drought tolerance. Accordingly, the loss of CLD1/SRL1 function causes abnormal expression of genes and proteins associated with cell wall formation, cuticle development and water stress. Taken together, these findings suggest that the functional roles of CLD1/SRL1 in leaf-rolling regulation are closely related to the maintenance of cell wall formation, epidermal integrity and water homeostasis. © 2017 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Factors controlling plasticity of leaf morphology in Robinia pseudoacacia: III. biophysical constraints on leaf expansion under long-term water stress

Science.gov (United States)

Yanxiang ​Zhang; Maria Alejandra Equiza; Quanshui Zheng; Melvin T. Tyree

2011-01-01

In this article, we measured the relative growth rate (RGR) of leaves of Robinia pseudoacacia seedlings under well-watered and water-stressed conditions (mid-day Ψw = leaf water potential estimated with a pressure bomb of −0.48 and −0.98 MPa, respectively). Pressure–volume (PV) curves were done on growing leaves at 25, 50 and 95% of the mature size...

Herbivory mitigation through increased water-use efficiency in a leaf-mining moth-apple tree relationship.

Science.gov (United States)

Pincebourde, Sylvain; Frak, Ela; Sinoquet, Hervé; Regnard, Jean Luc; Casas, Jérôme

2006-12-01

Herbivory alters plant gas exchange but the effects depend on the type of leaf damage. In contrast to ectophagous insects, leaf miners, by living inside the leaf tissues, do not affect the integrity of the leaf surface. Thus, the effect of leaf miners on CO2 uptake and water-use efficiency by leaves remains unclear. We explored the impacts of the leaf-mining moth Phyllonorycter blancardella (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) on light responses of the apple leaf gas exchanges to determine the balance between the negative effects of reduced photosynthesis and potential positive impacts of increased water-use efficiency (WUE). Gas exchange in intact and mined leaf tissues was measured using an infrared gas analyser. The maximal assimilation rate was slightly reduced but the light response of net photosynthesis was not affected in mined leaf tissues. The transpiration rate was far more affected than the assimilation rate in the mine integument as a result of stomatal closure from moderate to high irradiance level. The WUE was about 200% higher in the mined leaf tissues than in intact leaf portions. Our results illustrate a novel mechanism by which plants might minimize losses from herbivore attacks; via trade-offs between the negative impacts on photosynthesis and the positive effects of increased WUE.

Modelling non-steady-state isotope enrichment of leaf water in a gas-exchange cuvette environment.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Xin; Simonin, Kevin A; Loucos, Karen E; Barbour, Margaret M

2015-12-01

The combined use of a gas-exchange system and laser-based isotope measurement is a tool of growing interest in plant ecophysiological studies, owing to its relevance for assessing isotopic variability in leaf water and/or transpiration under non-steady-state (NSS) conditions. However, the current Farquhar & Cernusak (F&C) NSS leaf water model, originally developed for open-field scenarios, is unsuited for use in a gas-exchange cuvette environment where isotope composition of water vapour (δv ) is intrinsically linked to that of transpiration (δE ). Here, we modified the F&C model to make it directly compatible with the δv -δE dynamic characteristic of a typical cuvette setting. The resultant new model suggests a role of 'net-flux' (rather than 'gross-flux' as suggested by the original F&C model)-based leaf water turnover rate in controlling the time constant (τ) for the approach to steady sate. The validity of the new model was subsequently confirmed in a cuvette experiment involving cotton leaves, for which we demonstrated close agreement between τ values predicted from the model and those measured from NSS variations in isotope enrichment of transpiration. Hence, we recommend that our new model be incorporated into future isotope studies involving a cuvette condition where the transpiration flux directly influences δv . There is an increasing popularity among plant ecophysiologists to use a gas-exchange system coupled to laser-based isotope measurement for investigating non-steady state (NSS) isotopic variability in leaf water (and/or transpiration); however, the current Farquhar & Cernusak (F&C) NSS leaf water model is unsuited for use in a gas-exchange cuvette environment due to its implicit assumption of isotope composition of water vapor (δv ) being constant and independent of that of transpiration (δE ). In the present study, we modified the F&C model to make it compatible with the dynamic relationship between δv and δE as is typically associated

Quantitative variation in water-use efficiency across water regimes and its relationship with circadian, vegetative, reproductive, and leaf gas-exchange traits.

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, Christine E; Ewers, Brent E; McClung, C Robertson; Lou, Ping; Weinig, Cynthia

2012-05-01

Drought limits light harvesting, resulting in lower plant growth and reproduction. One trait important for plant drought response is water-use efficiency (WUE). We investigated (1) how the joint genetic architecture of WUE, reproductive characters, and vegetative traits changed across drought and well-watered conditions, (2) whether traits with distinct developmental bases (e.g. leaf gas exchange versus reproduction) differed in the environmental sensitivity of their genetic architecture, and (3) whether quantitative variation in circadian period was related to drought response in Brassica rapa. Overall, WUE increased in drought, primarily because stomatal conductance, and thus water loss, declined more than carbon fixation. Genotypes with the highest WUE in drought expressed the lowest WUE in well-watered conditions, and had the largest vegetative and floral organs in both treatments. Thus, large changes in WUE enabled some genotypes to approach vegetative and reproductive trait optima across environments. The genetic architecture differed for gas-exchange and vegetative traits across drought and well-watered conditions, but not for floral traits. Correlations between circadian and leaf gas-exchange traits were significant but did not vary across treatments, indicating that circadian period affects physiological function regardless of water availability. These results suggest that WUE is important for drought tolerance in Brassica rapa and that artificial selection for increased WUE in drought will not result in maladaptive expression of other traits that are correlated with WUE.

Determination of dew absorption by coffee plant through deuterium concentrations in leaf water

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Leopoldo, P R [Faculdade de Ciencias Medicas e Biologicas de Botucatu (Brazil); Salati, E; Matsui, E [Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura, Piracicaba (Brazil)

1975-12-01

The effect of dew falling on leaves on the water metabolism of the coffee plant (Coffea arabica) is examined. The use of natural stable isotopes variations in plant physiological studies is demonstrated. Water extracted from leaf samples is analysed by mass spectrometry. Analyses of deuterium concentrations in water extracted from plant leaves, dew and nutrient solutions are made. Determination of changes in deuterium concentration in the water of leaves from plants exposed to dew, compared with leaves not exposed to dew, is carried out. Results show that during daytime there is an enrichment in deuterium in water contained in the leaves, while at night the opposite occurs.

Determination of dew absorption by coffee plant through deuterium concentrations in leaf water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leopoldo, P.R.; Salati, E.; Matsui, E.

1975-01-01

The effect of dew falling on leaves on the water metabolism of the coffee plant (Coffea arabica) is examined. The use of natural stable isotopes variations in plant physiological studies is demonstrated. Water extracted from leaf samples is analysed by mass spectrometry. Analyses of deuterium concentrations in water extracted from plant leaves, dew and nutrient solutions are made. Determination of changes in deuterium concentration in the water of leaves from plants exposed to dew, compared with leaves not exposed to dew, is carried out. Results show that during daytime there is an enrichment in deuterium in water contained in the leaves, while at night the opposite occurs [pt

Leaf gas exchange performance and the lethal water potential of five European species during drought.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Shan; Feifel, Marion; Karimi, Zohreh; Schuldt, Bernhard; Choat, Brendan; Jansen, Steven

2016-02-01

Establishing physiological thresholds to drought-induced mortality in a range of plant species is crucial in understanding how plants respond to severe drought. Here, five common European tree species were selected (Acer campestre L., Acer pseudoplatanus L., Carpinus betulus L., Corylus avellana L. and Fraxinus excelsior L.) to study their hydraulic thresholds to mortality. Photosynthetic parameters during desiccation and the recovery of leaf gas exchange after rewatering were measured. Stem vulnerability curves and leaf pressure-volume curves were investigated to understand the hydraulic coordination of stem and leaf tissue traits. Stem and root samples from well-watered and severely drought-stressed plants of two species were observed using transmission electron microscopy to visualize mortality of cambial cells. The lethal water potential (ψlethal) correlated with stem P99 (i.e., the xylem water potential at 99% loss of hydraulic conductivity, PLC). However, several plants that were stressed beyond the water potential at 100% PLC showed complete recovery during the next spring, which suggests that the ψlethal values were underestimated. Moreover, we observed a 1 : 1 relationship between the xylem water potential at the onset of embolism and stomatal closure, confirming hydraulic coordination between leaf and stem tissues. Finally, ultrastructural changes in the cytoplasm of cambium tissue and mortality of cambial cells are proposed to provide an alternative approach to investigate the point of no return associated with plant death. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Chemical Composition and Water Permeability of Fruit and Leaf Cuticles of Olea europaea L.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Hua; Burghardt, Markus; Schuster, Ann-Christin; Leide, Jana; Lara, Isabel; Riederer, Markus

2017-10-11

The plant cuticle, protecting against uncontrolled water loss, covers olive (Olea europaea) fruits and leaves. The present study describes the organ-specific chemical composition of the cuticular waxes and the cutin and compares three developmental stages of fruits (green, turning, and black) with the leaf surface. Numerous organ-specific differences, such as the total coverage of cutin monomeric components (1034.4 μg cm -2 and 630.5 μg cm -2 ) and the cuticular waxes (201.6 μg cm -2 and 320.4 μg cm -2 ) among all three fruit stages and leaves, respectively, were detected. Water permeability as the main cuticular function was 5-fold lower in adaxial leaf cuticles (2.1 × 10 -5 m s -1 ) in comparison to all three fruit stages (9.5 × 10 -5 m s -1 ). The three fruit developmental stages have the same cuticular water permeability. It is hypothesized that a higher weighted average chain length of the acyclic cuticular components leads to a considerably lower permeability of the leaf as compared to the fruit cuticle.

Diurnal depression in leaf hydraulic conductance at ambient and elevated [CO2] reveals anisohydric water management in field-grown soybean

Science.gov (United States)

Diurnal cycles of photosynthesis and water use in field-grown soybean (Glycine max) are tied to light intensity and vapor pressure deficit (VPD). At high mid-day VPD, transpiration rates can lead to a decline in leaf water potential if leaf hydraulic conductance is insufficient to supply water to in...

Plumbing the depths: extracellular water storage in specialized leaf structures and its functional expression in a three-domain pressure -volume relationship.

Science.gov (United States)

Nguyen, Hoa T; Meir, Patrick; Wolfe, Joe; Mencuccini, Maurizio; Ball, Marilyn C

2017-07-01

A three-domain pressure-volume relationship (PV curve) was studied in relation to leaf anatomical structure during dehydration in the grey mangrove, Avicennia marina. In domain 1, relative water content (RWC) declined 13% with 0.85 MPa decrease in leaf water potential, reflecting a decrease in extracellular water stored primarily in trichomes and petiolar cisternae. In domain 2, RWC decreased by another 12% with a further reduction in leaf water potential to -5.1 MPa, the turgor loss point. Given the osmotic potential at full turgor (-4.2 MPa) and the effective modulus of elasticity (~40 MPa), domain 2 emphasized the role of cell wall elasticity in conserving cellular hydration during leaf water loss. Domain 3 was dominated by osmotic effects and characterized by plasmolysis in most tissues and cell types without cell wall collapse. Extracellular and cellular water storage could support an evaporation rate of 1 mmol m -2 s -1 for up to 54 and 50 min, respectively, before turgor loss was reached. This study emphasized the importance of leaf anatomy for the interpretation of PV curves, and identified extracellular water storage sites that enable transient water use without substantive turgor loss when other factors, such as high soil salinity, constrain rates of water transport. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Quantification of water uptake by arbuscular mycorrhizal hyphae and its significance for leaf growth, water relations, and gas exchange of barley subjected to drought stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Khalvati, M A; Hu, Y; Mozafar, A; Schmidhalter, U

2005-11-01

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi alleviate drought stress in their host plants via the direct uptake and transfer of water and nutrients through the fungal hyphae to the host plants. To quantify the contribution of the hyphae to plant water uptake, a new split-root hyphae system was designed and employed on barley grown in loamy soil inoculated with Glomus intraradices under well-watered and drought conditions in a growth chamber with a 14-h light period and a constant temperature (15 degrees C; day/night). Drought conditions were initiated 21 days after sowing, with a total of eight 7-day drying cycles applied. Leaf water relations, net photosynthesis rates, and stomatal conductance were measured at the end of each drying cycle. Plants were harvested 90 days after sowing. Compared to the control treatment, the leaf elongation rate and the dry weight of the shoots and roots were reduced in all plants under drought conditions. However, drought resistance was comparatively increased in the mycorrhizal host plants, which suffered smaller decreases in leaf elongation, net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, and turgor pressure compared to the non-mycorrhizal plants. Quantification of the contribution of the arbuscular mycorrhizal hyphae to root water uptake showed that, compared to the non-mycorrhizal treatment, 4 % of water in the hyphal compartment was transferred to the root compartment through the arbuscular mycorrhizal hyphae under drought conditions. This indicates that there is indeed transport of water by the arbuscular mycorrhizal hyphae under drought conditions. Although only a small amount of water transport from the hyphal compartment was detected, the much higher hyphal density found in the root compartment than in the hyphal compartment suggests that a larger amount of water uptake by the arbuscular mycorrhizal hyphae may occur in the root compartment.

The grapevine root-specific aquaporin VvPIP2;4N controls root hydraulic conductance and leaf gas exchange under well-watered conditions but not under water stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Perrone, Irene; Gambino, Giorgio; Chitarra, Walter; Vitali, Marco; Pagliarani, Chiara; Riccomagno, Nadia; Balestrini, Raffaella; Kaldenhoff, Ralf; Uehlein, Norbert; Gribaudo, Ivana; Schubert, Andrea; Lovisolo, Claudio

2012-10-01

We functionally characterized the grape (Vitis vinifera) VvPIP2;4N (for Plasma membrane Intrinsic Protein) aquaporin gene. Expression of VvPIP2;4N in Xenopus laevis oocytes increased their swelling rate 54-fold. Northern blot and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analyses showed that VvPIP2;4N is the most expressed PIP2 gene in root. In situ hybridization confirmed root localization in the cortical parenchyma and close to the endodermis. We then constitutively overexpressed VvPIP2;4N in grape 'Brachetto', and in the resulting transgenic plants we analyzed (1) the expression of endogenous and transgenic VvPIP2;4N and of four other aquaporins, (2) whole-plant, root, and leaf ecophysiological parameters, and (3) leaf abscisic acid content. Expression of transgenic VvPIP2;4N inhibited neither the expression of the endogenous gene nor that of other PIP aquaporins in both root and leaf. Under well-watered conditions, transgenic plants showed higher stomatal conductance, gas exchange, and shoot growth. The expression level of VvPIP2;4N (endogenous + transgene) was inversely correlated to root hydraulic resistance. The leaf component of total plant hydraulic resistance was low and unaffected by overexpression of VvPIP2;4N. Upon water stress, the overexpression of VvPIP2;4N induced a surge in leaf abscisic acid content and a decrease in stomatal conductance and leaf gas exchange. Our results show that aquaporin-mediated modifications of root hydraulics play a substantial role in the regulation of water flow in well-watered grapevine plants, while they have a minor role upon drought, probably because other signals, such as abscisic acid, take over the control of water flow.

Leaf area compounds height-related hydraulic costs of water transport in Oregon White Oak trees.

Science.gov (United States)

N. Phillips; B. J. Bond; N. G. McDowell; Michael G. Ryan; A. Schauer

2003-01-01

The ratio of leaf to sapwood area generally decreases with tree size, presumably to moderate hydraulic costs of tree height. This study assessed consequences of tree size and leaf area on water flux in Quercus garryana Dougl. ex. Hook (Oregon White Oak), a species in which leaf to sapwood area ratio increases with tree size. We tested hypotheses that...

Diurnal depression in leaf hydraulic conductance at ambient and elevated [CO2] and reveals anisohydric water management in field-grown soybean

Science.gov (United States)

Diurnal cycles of photosynthesis and water use in field-grown soybean (Glycine max) are tied to light intensity and vapor pressure deficit (VPD). At high mid-day VPD, transpiration rates can lead to a decline in leaf water potential ('leaf) if leaf hydraulic conductance (Kleaf) is insufficient to su...

Potencial da água na folha como um indicador de déficit hídrico em milho Leaf water potential as an indicator of water deficit in maize

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

JOÃO ITO BERGONCI

2000-08-01

Full Text Available Este trabalho foi desenvolvido na Estação Experimental Agronômica da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, localizada no município de Eldorado do Sul, nos anos agrícolas de 1993/94 e 1994/95. O objetivo foi avaliar o potencial da água na folha como indicador do déficit hídrico, em milho (Zea mays L., relacionando-o ao potencial da água no solo. O experimento constou de três níveis de irrigação, desde a capacidade de campo até a ausência de irrigação. Os valores do potencial mínimo da água na folha foram desde -1,2 a -1,5 MPa em plantas irrigadas (na capacidade de campo e de -1,6 a -2,0 MPa em plantas não irrigadas. O potencial mínimo da água na folha correlacionou-se com o potencial matricial da água no solo a 45 cm de profundidade (r² = 0,73, e mostrou ser um indicador adequado de déficit hídrico. O potencial da água na folha ao entardecer mostrou relação com o potencial mínimo da água na folha, indicando, assim, que pode ser utilizado como indicador de déficit hídrico. O potencial foliar de base apresentou diferenças evidentes entre os tratamentos extremos, mas não teve relação consistente com o potencial mínimo da água na folha.This study was carried out at the Agronomic Experimental Station of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, in Eldorado do Sul, RS, Brazil, during the agricultural seasons of 1993/94 and 1994/95. The objective was to evaluate the leaf water potential as an indicator of the water deficit in maize (Zea mays L., and its relation with the soil water potential. The experiment comprised three levels of irrigation, from field capacity to absence of irrigation. The values of the minimum leaf water potential ranged from -1.2 to -1.5 MPa in irrigated plants (field capacity and from -1.6 to -2.0 MPa in nonirrigated plants. The minimum leaf water potential was well correlated to the matric water potential measured at 45 cm deep (r² = 0.73. The sunset leaf water potential showed

Disruption of mycorrhizal extraradical mycelium and changes in leaf water status and soil aggregate stability in rootbox-grown trifoliate orange

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ying-Ning eZou

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Arbuscular mycorrhizas possess well developed extraradical mycelium (ERM network that enlarge the surrounding soil for better acquisition of water and nutrients, besides soil aggregation. Distinction in ERM functioning was studied under a rootbox system, which consisted of root+hyphae and root-free hyphae compartments separated by 37-μm nylon mesh with an air gap. Trifoliate orange (Poncirus trifoliata seedlings were inoculated with Funneliformis mosseae in root+hyphae compartment, and the ERM network was established between the two compartments. The ERM network of air gap was disrupted before 8 h of the harvest (one time disruption or multiple disruptions during seedlings acclimation. Our results showed that mycorrhizal inoculation induced a significant increase in growth (plant height, stem diameter, and leaf, stem, and root biomass and physiological characters (leaf relative water content, leaf water potential, and transpiration rate, irrespective of ERM status. Easily-extractable glomalin-related soil protein (EE-GRSP and total GRSP (T-GRSP concentration and mean weight diameter (MWD, an indicator of soil aggregate stability were significantly higher in mycorrhizosphere of root+hyphae and root-free hyphae compartments than non-mycorrhizosphere. One time disruption of ERM network did not influence plant growth and soil properties but only notably decreased leaf water. Periodical disruption of ERM network at weekly interval markedly inhibited the mycorrhizal roles on plant growth, leaf water, GRSP production, and MWD in root+hyphae and hyphae chambers. EE-GRSP was the most responsive GRSP fraction to changes in leaf water and MWD under root+hyphae and hyphae conditions. It suggests that effect of peridical disruption of ERM network was more impactful than one-time disruption of ERM network with regard to leaf water, plant growth, and aggregate stability responses, thereby, implying ERM network aided in developing the host plant metabolically

Symbiosis with AMF and leaf Pi supply increases water deficit tolerance of woody species from seasonal dry tropical forest.

Science.gov (United States)

Frosi, Gabriella; Barros, Vanessa A; Oliveira, Marciel T; Santos, Mariana; Ramos, Diego G; Maia, Leonor C; Santos, Mauro G

2016-12-01

In seasonal dry tropical forests, plants are subjected to severe water deficit, and the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) or inorganic phosphorus supply (P i ) can mitigate the effects of water deficit. This study aimed to assess the physiological performance of Poincianella pyramidalis subjected to water deficit in combination with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and leaf inorganic phosphorus (P i ) supply. The experiment was conducted in a factorial arrangement of 2 water levels (+H 2 O and -H 2 O), 2 AMF levels (+AMF and -AMF) and 2P i levels (+P i and -P i ). Leaf primary metabolism, dry shoot biomass and leaf mineral nutrients were evaluated. Inoculated AMF plants under well-watered and drought conditions had higher photosynthesis and higher shoot biomass. Under drought, AMF, P i or AMF+P i plants showed metabolic improvements in photosynthesis, leaf biochemistry and higher biomass compared to the plants under water deficit without AMF or P i . After rehydration, those plants submitted to drought with AMF, P i or AMF+P i showed a faster recovery of photosynthesis compared to treatment under water deficit without AMF or P i . However, plants under the drought condition with AMF showed a higher net photosynthesis rate. These findings suggest that AMF, P i or AMF+P i increase the drought tolerance in P. pyramidalis, and AMF associations under well-watered conditions increase shoot biomass and, under drought, promoted faster recovery of photosynthesis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

The Role of Plant Water Storage on Water Fluxes within the Coupled Soil-Plant-Atmosphere System

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, C. W.; Duman, T.; Parolari, A.; Katul, G. G.

2015-12-01

Plant water storage (PWS) contributes to whole-plant transpiration (up to 50%), especially in large trees and during severe drought conditions. PWS also can impact water-carbon economy as well as the degree of resistance to drought. A 1-D porous media model is employed to accommodate transient water flow through the plant hydraulic system. This model provides a mechanistic representation of biophysical processes constraining water transport, accounting for plant hydraulic architecture and the nonlinear relation between stomatal aperture and leaf water potential when limited by soil water availability. Water transport within the vascular system from the stem base to the leaf-lamina is modeled using Richards's equation, parameterized with the hydraulic properties of the plant tissues. For simplicity, the conducting flow in the radial direction is not considered here and the capacitance at the leaf-lamina is assumed to be independent of leaf water potential. The water mass balance in the leaf lamina sets the upper boundary condition for the flow system, which links the leaf-level transpiration to the leaf water potential. Thus, the leaf-level gas exchange can be impacted by soil water availability through the water potential gradient from the leaf lamina to the soil, and vice versa. The root water uptake is modeled by a multi-layered macroscopic scheme to account for possible hydraulic redistribution (HR) in certain conditions. The main findings from the model calculations are that (1) HR can be diminished by the residual water potential gradient from roots to leaves at night due to aboveground capacitance, tree height, nocturnal transpiration or the combination of the three. The degree of reduction depends on the magnitude of residual water potential gradient; (2) nocturnal refilling to PWS elevates the leaf water potential that subsequently delays the onset of drought stress at the leaf; (3) Lifting water into the PWS instead of HR can be an advantageous strategy

Compared leaf anatomy and water relations of commercial and traditional Prunus dulcis (Mill.) cultivars under rain-fed conditions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Oliveira, I.; Meyer, A.; Afonso, S.

2018-01-01

Leaf anatomy and water relations of seven almond (Prunus dulcis Mill.) cultivars, traditional (Bonita, Casanova, Parada, Pegarinhos and Verdeal) and commercial (Ferragnès and Glorieta), grown under rain-fed conditions, were studied. The performed measurements included thickness of leaf tissues...... cuticle thickness, while Pegarinhos adds a thicker epidermis and palisade parenchyma to increase protection to water loss. These data is one of the first comparative approaches to the leaf characterization of these cultivars, and should now be combined with physiological and biochemical studies...

Leaf and stem water potential as vine water status indicators, in Tempranillo grapevine, under different water regimes in the Duero valley

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jesús Yuste

2004-03-01

The measurement of water potential of the leaf has been easier to take, because it is not necessary to cover the leaves prior to taking the measurement (except in the measurement before dawn, in which case one must be in the vineyard at an unpleasant hour. However, using the potential of the xylem it has been possible to make better observations of the differences between treatments, when these differences are not very important.

Leaf gas exchange, fv/fm ratio, ion content and growth conditions of the two moringa species under magnetic water treatment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hasan, M.M.; Alharby, H.F.; Hajar, A.; Hakeem, K.R.

2017-01-01

The current greenhouse experiment investigates the role of magnetic water on the two Moringa species (Moringa oleifera and Moringa peregrina). Both species were exposed to the magnetic field (30 mT). The magnetic water increased the plant height, leaf number, leaflet number, and internode distances in both the species, respectively. Relative water content (RWC) and leaf area in both the species showed changes under magnetic water treatment. The results showed in magnetic water treatment, the leaf gas exchange parameters such as assimilation (A), stomatal conductance (gs), transpiration rate (E), and vapor pressure deficit (VPD) were increased. Similarly, Photosynthetic pigments (Chl a, Chl b, Chl (a+b), Carotenoids), photosynthetic water use efficiency (WUE) were also increased significantly. Magnetized water had also significant effects on the maximal efficiency of PSII photochemistry (Fv/Fm). Our study suggested that magnetic water treatment could be used as an environment-friendly technology for improving the growth and physiology of Moringa species. In addition, this technology could be further incorporated into the traditional methods of agriculture for the improvement of crop plants, particularly in the arid and sub-arid areas of the world. (author)

Validation of an O-18 leaf water enrichment model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jaeggi, M.; Saurer, M.; Siegwolf, R.

2002-03-01

The seasonal trend in {delta}{sup 18}O{sub ol} in leaf organic matter of spruce needles of mature trees could be modelled for two years. The seasonality was mainly explained by the {delta}{sup 18}O of top-soil water, whereas between years differences were due to variation in air humidity. Application of a third year's data set improved the correlation between modelled and measured {delta}{sup 18}O{sub ol} and thus validated our extended Dongmann model. (author)

The Temporal Variation of Leaf Water Potential in Pistachio under Irrigated and Non-Irrigated Conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yusuf AYDIN

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The present study was carried out in the experimental field of Pistachio Research Institute on pistachio trees which has uzun variety that was 30 years old. The aim of this research was to determine the Leaf Water Potential (LWP of Pistacia vera L. under irrigated and non-irrigated conditions. In the study, the leaf water potential of pistachio was investigated under fully irrigated and non irrigated conditions. The leaf water potential values were measured one day before and after irrigation by using pressure chamber technique at the beginning, mid and end of irrigation season. According to the results obtained from measurements, the LWP value at the beginning of the irrigation season was -3.7 MPa at noon time due to relatively high temperature for both treatments. At the time of pre-dawn and sunset, this value increased and reached to - 1.6 MPa due to relatively low temperature. In general, the LWP values during the mid of irrigation season, in the irrigated treatments, reached to almost -2.5 MPa in the non-irrigated treatment and the value was measured as -3.68 MPa.

Leaf water stress detection utilizing thematic mapper bands 3, 4 and 5 in soybean plants

Science.gov (United States)

Holben, B. N.; Schutt, J. B.; Mcmurtrey, J., III

1983-01-01

The total and diffuse radiance responses of Thematic Mapper bands 3 (0.63-0.69 microns), 4 (0.76-0.90 microns), and 5 (1.55-1.75 microns) to water stress in a soybean canopy are compared. Polarization measurements were used to separate the total from the diffuse reflectance; the reflectances were compared statistically at a variety of look angles at 15 min intervals from about 09.00 until 14.00 hrs EST. The results suggest that remotely sensed data collected in the photographic infrared region (TM4) are sensitive to leaf water stress in a 100 percent canopy cover of soybeans, and that TM3 is less sensitive than TM4 for detection of reversible foliar water stress. The mean values of TM5 reflectance data show similar trends to TM4. The primary implication of this study is that remote sensing of water stress in green plant canopies is possible in TM4 from ground-based observations primarily through the indirect link of leaf geometry.

Response of the water status of soybean to changes in soil water potentials controlled by the water pressure in microporous tubes

Science.gov (United States)

Steinberg, S. L.; Henninger, D. L.

1997-01-01

Water transport through a microporous tube-soil-plant system was investigated by measuring the response of soil and plant water status to step change reductions in the water pressure within the tubes. Soybeans were germinated and grown in a porous ceramic 'soil' at a porous tube water pressure of -0.5 kpa for 28 d. During this time, the soil matric potential was nearly in equilibrium with tube water pressure. Water pressure in the porous tubes was then reduced to either -1.0, -1.5 or -2.0 kPa. Sap flow rates, leaf conductance and soil, root and leaf water potentials were measured before and after this change. A reduction in porous tube water pressure from -0.5 to -1.0 or -1.5 kPa did not result in any significant change in soil or plant water status. A reduction in porous tube water pressure to -2.0 kPa resulted in significant reductions in sap flow, leaf conductance, and soil, root and leaf water potentials. Hydraulic conductance, calculated as the transpiration rate/delta psi between two points in the water transport pathway, was used to analyse water transport through the tube-soil-plant continuum. At porous tube water pressures of -0.5 to-1.5 kPa soil moisture was readily available and hydraulic conductance of the plant limited water transport. At -2.0 kPa, hydraulic conductance of the bulk soil was the dominant factor in water movement.

The effect of strobilurins on leaf gas exchange, water use efficiency and ABA content in grapevine under field conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Diaz-Espejo, Antonio; Cuevas, María Victoria; Ribas-Carbo, Miquel; Flexas, Jaume; Martorell, Sebastian; Fernández, José Enrique

2012-03-01

Strobilurins are one of the most important classes of agricultural fungicides. In addition to their anti-fungal effect, strobilurins have been reported to produce simultaneous effects in plant physiology. This study investigated whether the use of strobilurin fungicide improved water use efficiency in leaves of grapevines grown under field conditions in a Mediterranean climate in southern Spain. Fungicide was applied three times in the vineyard and measurements of leaf gas exchange, plant water status, abscisic acid concentration in sap ([ABA]), and carbon isotope composition in leaves were performed before and after applications. No clear effect on stomatal conductance, leaf water potential and intrinsic water use efficiency was found after three fungicide applications. ABA concentration was observed to increase after fungicide application on the first day, vanishing three days later. Despite this transient effect, evolution of [ABA] matched well with the evolution of leaf carbon isotope ratio, which can be used as a surrogate for plant water use efficiency. Morning stomatal conductance was negatively correlated to [ABA]. Yield was enhanced in strobilurin treated plants, whereas fruit quality remained unaltered. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Photodegradation of Leaf Litter in Water-Limited Ecosystems

Science.gov (United States)

Cory, R. M.; Powers, H.; McDowell, N.; Rahn, T.

2008-12-01

The longstanding view of terrestrial decomposition holds that heterotrophic respiration drives release of CO2, but recent studies, such as Austin and Vivanco (2006) have shown that in water-limited environments, photochemical decomposition of leaf litter may be equally or more effective than microbial decomposition. Although initial studies have concluded that photochemical degradation can be important in some environments, it has been difficult to quantify and the oxidative mechanisms involved remain unknown. Thus, the objectives of our study were to (1) quantify the CO2 emitted during photochemical degradation of leaf litter and (2) use the stable isotopic signatures of evolved CO2 to elucidate pathways of production. Emitted CO2 and its isotopic signature were measured using a tunable diode laser (TDL) to assess the pool of photochemically-labile plant matter (δ13C-CO2) in a given sample and to assess the source of the oxygen (δ18O-CO2). We quantified the photochemical release of CO2 and its isotopic signature from dried leaf litter of 10 tree and grass species prevalent in major biotic zones of New Mexico. The cumulative CO2 released upon exposure of 0.1-0.3 g of dried leaf litter to three hours of simulated sunlight ranged from 8-25 mg CO2-C g-1 dried litter, corresponding to 1-2% mass loss. Generally, the δ13C-CO2 was more depleted (4-7 ± 2 per mil) than the average δ13C of the respective leaf litter sample. The δ18O-CO2 evolved is approximately equal to δ18O of atmospheric O2, suggesting that the oxidation mechanism involves direct reaction with atmospheric O2.

Growth and yield response to plant density of water leaf ( Talinum ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The effects of different planting spaces (15cm x 15cm, 20cm x 20cm, 25cm x 25cm and 30cm x 30cm) on the growth and yield of Talinum triangulare (Water leaf) were investigated in two cropping seasons from 2012 to 2013 (rainy and dry seasons) at University of Port Harcourt Teaching and Research farm, Port Harcourt, ...

Coordination of leaf and stem water transport properties in tropical forest trees

Science.gov (United States)

Frederick C. Meinzer; David R. Woodruff; Jean-Christophe Domec; Guillermo Goldstein; Paula I. Campanello; Genoveva M. Gatti; Randol Villalobos-Vega

2008-01-01

Stomatal regulation of transpiration constrains leaf water potential (ψ l) within species-specific ranges that presumably avoid excessive tension and embolism in the stem xylem upstream. However, the hydraulic resistance of leaves can be highly variable over short time scales, uncoupling tension in the xylem of leaves from that in the...

Fusaric acid is a crucial factor in the disturbance of leaf water imbalance in Fusarium-infected banana plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Xian; Ling, Ning; Wang, Min; Shen, Qirong; Guo, Shiwei

2012-11-01

Fusarium wilt of banana is caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense infection. The initial chlorosis symptoms occur progressively from lower to upper leaves, with wilt symptoms subsequently occurring in the whole plant. To determine the effect of the pathogen infection on the gas exchange characteristics and water content in banana leaves, hydroponic experiments with pathogen inoculation were conducted in a greenhouse. Compared with control plants, infected banana seedlings showed a higher leaf temperature as determined by thermal imaging. Reduced stomatal conductance (g(s)) and transpiration rate (E) in infected plants resulted in lower levels of water loss than in control plants. Water potential in heavily diseased plants (II) was significantly reduced and the E/g(s) ratio was higher than in noninfected plants, indicating the occurrence of uncontrolled water loss not regulated by stomata in diseased plants. As no pathogen colonies were detected from the infected plant leaves, the crude toxin was extracted from the pathogen culture and evaluated about the effect on banana plant to further investigate the probable reason of these physiological changes in Fusarium-infected banana leaf. The phytotoxin fusaric acid (FA) was found in the crude toxin, and both crude toxin and pure FA had similar effects as the pathogen infection on the physiological changes in banana leaf. Additionally, FA was present at all positions in diseased plants and its concentration was positively correlated with the incidence of disease symptoms. Taken together, these observations indicated that FA secreted by the pathogen is an important factor involved in the disturbance of leaf temperature, resulting in uncontrolled leaf water loss and electrolyte leakage due to damaging the cell membrane. In conclusion, FA plays a critical role in accelerating the development of Fusarium wilt in banana plants by acting as a phytotoxin. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Effects of spring prescribed fire on short-term, leaf-level photosynthesis and water use efficiency in longleaf pine

Science.gov (United States)

John K. Jackson; Dylan N. Dillaway; Michael C. Tyree; Mary Anne Sword Sayer

2015-01-01

Fire is a natural and important environmental disturbance influencing the structure, function, and composition of longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) ecosystems. However, recovery of young pines to leaf scorch may involve changes in leaf physiology, which could influence leaf water-use efficiency (WUE). This work is part of a larger seasonal...

Leaf gas films delay salt entry and enhance underwater photosynthesis and internal aeration of Melilotus siculus submerged in saline water

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Teakle, Natasha Lea; Colmer, Timothy David; Pedersen, Ole

2014-01-01

A combination of flooding and salinity is detrimental to most plants. We studied tolerance of complete submergence in saline water for Melilotus siculus, an annual legume with superhydrophobic leaf surfaces that retain gas films when under water. M. siculus survived complete submergence of 1 week...... at low salinity (up to 50 mol m(-3) NaCl), but did not recover following de-submergence from 100 mol m(-3) NaCl. The leaf gas films protected against direct salt ingress into the leaves when submerged in saline water, enabling underwater photosynthesis even after 3 d of complete submergence. By contrast......, leaves with the gas films experimentally removed suffered from substantial Na(+) and Cl(-) intrusion and lost the capacity for underwater photosynthesis. Similarly, plants in saline water and without gas films lost more K(+) than those with intact gas films. This study has demonstrated that leaf gas...

MEASURING LEAF WATER CONTENT USING MULTISPECTRAL TERRESTRIAL LASER SCANNING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Junttila

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Climate change is increasing the amount and intensity of disturbance events, i.e. drought, pest insect outbreaks and fungal pathogens, in forests worldwide. Leaf water content (LWC is an early indicator of tree stress that can be measured remotely using multispectral terrestrial laser scanning (MS-TLS. LWC affects leaf reflectance in the shortwave infrared spectrum which can be used to predict LWC from spatially explicit MS-TLS intensity data. Here, we investigated the relationship between LWC and MS-TLS intensity features at 690 nm, 905 nm and 1550 nm wavelengths with Norway spruce seedlings in greenhouse conditions. We found that a simple ratio of 905 nm and 1550 nm wavelengths was able to explain 84 % of the variation (R2 in LWC with a respective prediction accuracy of 0.0041 g/cm2. Our results showed that MS-TLS can be used to estimate LWC with a reasonable accuracy in environmentally stable conditions.

Measuring Leaf Water Content Using Multispectral Terrestrial Laser Scanning

Science.gov (United States)

Junttila, S.; Vastaranta, M.; Linnakoski, R.; Sugano, J.; Kaartinen, H.; Kukko, A.; Holopainen, M.; Hyyppä, H.; Hyyppä, J.

2017-10-01

Climate change is increasing the amount and intensity of disturbance events, i.e. drought, pest insect outbreaks and fungal pathogens, in forests worldwide. Leaf water content (LWC) is an early indicator of tree stress that can be measured remotely using multispectral terrestrial laser scanning (MS-TLS). LWC affects leaf reflectance in the shortwave infrared spectrum which can be used to predict LWC from spatially explicit MS-TLS intensity data. Here, we investigated the relationship between LWC and MS-TLS intensity features at 690 nm, 905 nm and 1550 nm wavelengths with Norway spruce seedlings in greenhouse conditions. We found that a simple ratio of 905 nm and 1550 nm wavelengths was able to explain 84 % of the variation (R2) in LWC with a respective prediction accuracy of 0.0041 g/cm2. Our results showed that MS-TLS can be used to estimate LWC with a reasonable accuracy in environmentally stable conditions.

Effects of leaf age within growth stages of pepper and sorghum plants on leaf thickness, water, chlorophyll, and light reflectance. [in spectral vegetation discrimination

Science.gov (United States)

Gausman, H. W.; Cardenas, R.; Berumen, A.

1974-01-01

Pepper and sorghum plants (characterized by porous and compact leaf mesophylls, respectively) were used to study the influence of leaf age on light reflectance. Measurements were limited to the upper five nodal positions within each growth stage, since upper leaves make up most of the reflectance surfaces remotely sensed. The increase in leaf thickness and water content with increasing leaf age was taken into consideration, since each of these factors affects the reflectance as well as the selection of spectral wavelength intervals for optimum discrimination of vegetation.

Coordination and transport of water and carbohydrates in the coupled soil-root-xylem-phloem leaf system

Science.gov (United States)

Katul, Gabriel; Huang, Cheng-Wei

2017-04-01

In response to varying environmental conditions, stomatal pores act as biological valves that dynamically adjust their size thereby determining the rate of CO2 assimilation and water loss (i.e., transpiration) to the atmosphere. Although the significance of this biotic control on gas exchange is rarely disputed, representing parsimoniously all the underlying mechanisms responsible for stomatal kinetics remain a subject of some debate. It has been conjectured that stomatal control in seed plants (i.e., angiosperm and gymnosperm) represents a compromise between biochemical demand for CO2 and prevention of excessive water loss. This view has been amended at the whole-plant level, where xylem hydraulics and sucrose transport efficiency in phloem appear to impose additional constraints on gas exchange. If such additional constraints impact stomatal opening and closure, then seed plants may have evolved coordinated photosynthetic-hydraulic-sugar transporting machinery that confers some competitive advantages in fluctuating environmental conditions. Thus, a stomatal optimization model that explicitly considers xylem hydraulics and maximum sucrose transport is developed to explore this coordination in the leaf-xylem-phloem system. The model is then applied to progressive drought conditions. The main findings from the model calculations are that (1) the predicted stomatal conductance from the conventional stomatal optimization theory at the leaf and the newly proposed models converge, suggesting a tight coordination in the leaf-xylem-phloem system; (2) stomatal control is mainly limited by the water supply function of the soil-xylem hydraulic system especially when the water flux through the transpiration stream is significantly larger than water exchange between xylem and phloem; (3) thus, xylem limitation imposed on the supply function can be used to differentiate species with different water use strategy across the spectrum of isohydric to anisohydric behavior.

Up-scaling of water use efficiency from leaf to canopy as based on leaf gas exchange relationships and the modeled in-canopy light distribution

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Linderson, Maj-Lena; Mikkelsen, Teis Nørgaard; Ibrom, Andreas

2012-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the extent to which water use efficiency (WUE) at leaf scale can be used to assess WUE at canopy scale, leaf WUE being assumed to be a constant function of vapor pressure deficit and to thus not be dependent upon other environmental factors or varying leaf...... properties. Leaf WUE and its variability and dependencies were assessed using leafgas-exchange measurements obtained during two growing seasons, 1999 and 2000, at the Soroe beech forest study site on Zealand in Denmark. It was found that the VPD-normalized leaf WUE, WUEnormleaf, although dependent...

Effect of drought stress on leaf soluble sugar content, leaf rolling index and relative water content of proso millet (Panicum miliaceum L. genotypes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

mohamad javad seghatol eslami

2009-06-01

Full Text Available With respect to water shortage in arid and semi- arid regions, the study about drought stress effects on crop plants and selection of resistance cultivars, are among the most important goals in the agricultural researches. In order to examine drought stress effects on millet, an experiment was conducted in Birjand and Sarbisheh, simultaneously. In this experiment, five irrigation treatments (well-watered, drought stress in vegetative stage, in ear emergence stage, in seed filling stage and in vegetative and seed filling stage and five proso millet genotypes (Native, K-C-M.2, K-C-M.4, K-C-M.6 and K-C-M.9 were compared in a split plot design along with three replications. Drought stress increased grain protein content, leaf rolling index and soluble sugars concentration and decreased seed germination and leaf RWC. Although seed protein content and germination percentage of genotypes were not significantly different, there were some differences among leaf rolling index, RWC and soluble sugar content of these genotypes. The results of this study indicated that leaf sugar content, RWC and leaf rolling index can not be considered as the only parameters for selection of high yield genotypes. Therefore, it is recommended that some other factors should also be used apart from the above mentioned ones.

Transition of the Isotopic Composition of Leaf Water to the Isotopic Steady State in Soybean and Corn

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, K.; Lee, X.; Welp, L. R.

2007-12-01

The isotope composition of leaf water (δL) plays an important role in the isotopic water and carbon fluxes between terrestrial plants and the atmosphere. The objective of this study is to improve our understanding of environmental and biological controls on the transition of δL to steady state through laboratory experiments. Plants (soybean, Glycine max; corn, Zea mays) were grown hydroponically with water of a known isotopic content in a greenhouse. On the day of the experiment, they were first moved to ambient environment in full sunlight for at least 6 hr and then into a dark container inside the lab for up to 48 hr in which water vapor isotope ratios, temperature, and humidity were controlled. This arrangement created a step change in the forcing on the plant isotopic exchange. Leaves were sampled prior to the transfer to the dark container and 6 more times every 4 - 12 hr over the experiment. In the first set of experiments, humidity inside the container was saturated to mimic dew events in field conditions. In the second set, humidity was controlled at approximately 95%. Water from the leaf samples was extracted by a vacuum line and was analyzed for both δD and δ18O. The dataset will allow us to evaluate leaf water isotopic theories by exploring the transitions of δL in response to the step change. Specifically, we are interested in whether the stomatal opening is an effective pathway for gaseous exchange in total darkness and how the transitional behaviors of δL differ between the C3 and C4 photosynthesis pathways.

Importance of water source in controlling leaf leaching losses in a dwarf red mangrove ( Rhizophora mangle L.) wetland

Science.gov (United States)

Davis, Stephen E., III; Childers, Daniel L.

2007-01-01

The southern Everglades mangrove ecotone is characterized by extensive dwarf Rhizophora mangle L. shrub forests with a seasonally variable water source (Everglades - NE Florida Bay) and residence times ranging from short to long. We conducted a leaf leaching experiment to understand the influence that water source and its corresponding water quality have on (1) the early decay of R. mangle leaves and (2) the early exchange of total organic carbon (TOC) and total phosphorus (TP) between leaves and the water column. Newly senesced leaves collected from lower Taylor River (FL) were incubated in bottles containing water from one of three sources (Everglades, ambient mangrove, and Florida Bay) that spanned a range of salinity from 0 to 32‰, [TOC] from 710 to 1400 μM, and [TP] from 0.17 to 0.33 μM. We poisoned half the bottles in order to quantify abiotic processes (i.e., leaching) and assumed that non-poisoned bottles represented both biotic (i.e., microbial) and abiotic processes. We sacrificed bottles after 1,2, 5, 10, and 21 days of incubation and quantified changes in leaf mass and changes in water column [TOC] and [TP]. We saw 10-20% loss of leaf mass after 24 h—independent of water treatment—that leveled off by Day 21. After 3 weeks, non-poisoned leaves lost more mass than poisoned leaves, and there was only an effect of salinity on mass loss in poisoned incubations—with greatest leaching-associated losses in Everglades freshwater. Normalized concentrations of TOC in the water column increased by more than two orders of magnitude after 21 days with no effect of salinity and no difference between poisoned and non-poisoned treatments. However, normalized [TP] was lower in non-poisoned incubations as a result of immobilization by epiphytic microbes. This immobilization was greatest in Everglades freshwater and reflects the high P demand in this ecosystem. Immobilization of leached P in mangrove water and Florida Bay water was delayed by several days and may

Response of nutrients, minerals, antioxidant leaf pigments, vitamins, polyphenol, flavonoid and antioxidant activity in selected vegetable amaranth under four soil water content.

Science.gov (United States)

Sarker, Umakanta; Oba, Shinya

2018-06-30

Four selected vegetable amaranths were grown under four soil water content to evaluate their response in nutrients, minerals, antioxidant leaf pigments, vitamins, polyphenol, flavonoid and total antioxidant activity (TAC). Vegetable amaranth was significantly affected by variety, soil water content and variety × soil water content interactions for all the traits studied. Increase in water stress, resulted in significant changes in proximate compositions, minerals (macro and micro), leaf pigments, vitamin, total polyphenol content (TPC), and total flavonoid content (TFC) of vegetable amaranth. Accessions VA14 and VA16 performed better for all the traits studied. Correlation study revealed a strong antioxidant scavenging activity of leaf pigments, ascorbic acid, TPC and TFC. Vegetable amaranth can tolerate soil water stress without compromising the high quality of the final product in terms of nutrients and antioxidant profiles. Therefore, it could be a promising alternative crop in semi-arid and dry areas and also during dry seasons. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Assessment of nutritional quality of water hyacinth leaf protein concentrate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oyeyemi Adeyemi

2016-09-01

Full Text Available This study was embarked upon to convert water hyacinth, an environmental nuisance, to a natural resource for economic development. Water hyacinth leaf protein concentrate (WHLPC was extracted in edible form and determination of its physicochemical characteristics, total alkaloids and phenolic compounds was done. Analysis of proximate composition and amino acid profile of the WHLPC was also done. The level of heavy metals (mg/kg in WHLPC was found to be Cd (0.02 ± 0.001, Cr (0.13 ± 0.001, Pd (0.003 ± 0.001 and Hg (0.02 ± 0.001 while concentrations of Pb, Pt, Sn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Ni and Co were found to be 0.001 ± 0.00. Level of all heavy metals was found to be within safe limit. Proximate analysis revealed that protein in WHLPC accounted for 50% of its nutrients, carbohydrate accounted for 33% of its nutrients while fat, ash and fibre made up the remaining nutrients. Amino acid analysis showed that WHLPC contained 17 out of 20 common amino acids, particularly, Phe (3.67%, Leu (5.01%. Level of total alkaloids and phenolic compounds was 16.6 mg/kg and 6.0 mg/kg respectively. Evidence from this study suggests that WHLPC is a good source of leaf protein concentrate (LPC; it is nutritious and acutely non toxic.

Water- and nitrogen-dependent alterations in the inheritance mode of transpiration efficiency in winter wheat at the leaf and whole-plant level.

Science.gov (United States)

Ratajczak, Dominika; Górny, Andrzej G

2012-11-01

The effects of contrasting water and nitrogen (N) supply on the observed inheritance mode of transpiration efficiency (TE) at the flag-leaf and whole-season levels were examined in winter wheat. Major components of the photosynthetic capacity of leaves and the season-integrated efficiency of water use in vegetative and grain mass formation were evaluated in parental lines of various origins and their diallel F(2)-hybrids grown in a factorial experiment under different moisture and N status of the soil. A broad genetic variation was mainly found for the season-long TE measures. The variation range in the leaf photosynthetic indices was usually narrow, but tended to slightly enhance under water and N shortage. Genotype-treatment interaction effects were significant for most characters. No consistency between the leaf- and season-long TE measures was observed. Preponderance of additivity-dependent variance was mainly identified for the season-integrated TE and leaf CO(2) assimilation rate. Soil treatments exhibited considerable influence on the phenotypic expression of gene action for the residual leaf measures. The contribution of non-additive gene effects and degree of dominance tended to increase in water- and N-limited plants, especially for the leaf transpiration rate and stomatal conductance. The results indicate that promise exists to improve the season-integrated TE. However, selection for TE components should be prolonged for later hybrid generations to eliminate the masking of non-additive causes. Such evaluation among families grown under sub-optimal water and nitrogen supply seems to be the most promising strategy in winter wheat.

CDOM PRODUCTION BY MANGROVE LEAF LITTER AND SARGASSUM COLONIES IN FLORIDA KEYS COASTAL WATERS

Science.gov (United States)

We have investigated the importance of leaf litter from red mangroves (Rhizophora mangle) and living Sargassum plants as sources of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) to the coastal ocean waters and coral reef system of the Florida Keys. The magnitude of UVB exposure t...

On the controls of leaf-water oxygen isotope ratios in the atmospheric Crassulacean acid metabolism epiphyte Tillandsia usneoides.

Science.gov (United States)

Helliker, Brent R

2011-04-01

Previous theoretical work showed that leaf-water isotope ratio (δ(18)O(L)) of Crassulacean acid metabolism epiphytes was controlled by the δ(18)O of atmospheric water vapor (δ(18)O(a)), and observed δ(18)O(L) could be explained by both a non-steady-state model and a "maximum enrichment" steady-state model (δ(18)O(L-M)), the latter requiring only δ(18)O(a) and relative humidity (h) as inputs. δ(18)O(L), therefore, should contain an extractable record of δ(18)O(a). Previous empirical work supported this hypothesis but raised many questions. How does changing δ(18)O(a) and h affect δ(18)O(L)? Do hygroscopic trichomes affect observed δ(18)O(L)? Are observations of changes in water content required for the prediction of δ(18)O(L)? Does the leaf need to be at full isotopic steady state for observed δ(18)O(L) to equal δ(18)O(L-M)? These questions were examined with a climate-controlled experimental system capable of holding δ(18)O(a) constant for several weeks. Water adsorbed to trichomes required a correction ranging from 0.5‰ to 1‰. δ(18)O(L) could be predicted using constant values of water content and even total conductance. Tissue rehydration caused a transitory change in δ(18)O(L), but the consequent increase in total conductance led to a tighter coupling with δ(18)O(a). The non-steady-state leaf water models explained observed δ(18)O(L) (y = 0.93*x - 0.07; r(2) = 0.98) over a wide range of δ(18)O(a) and h. Predictions of δ(18)O(L-M) agreed with observations of δ(18)O(L) (y = 0.87*x - 0.99; r(2) = 0.92), and when h > 0.9, the leaf did not need to be at isotopic steady state for the δ(18)O(L-M) model to predict δ(18)O(L) in the Crassulacean acid metabolism epiphyte Tillandsia usneoides.

Leaf physiology and biomass allocation of backcross hybrid American chestnut (Castanea dentata) seedlings in response to light and water availability.

Science.gov (United States)

Brown, Caleb E; Mickelbart, Michael V; Jacobs, Douglass F

2014-12-01

Partial canopy cover promotes regeneration of many temperate forest trees, but the consequences of shading on seedling drought resistance are unclear. Reintroduction of blight-resistant American chestnut (Castanea dentata (Marsh.) Borkh.) into eastern North American forests will often occur on water-limited sites and under partial canopy cover. We measured leaf pre-dawn water potential (Ψpd), leaf gas exchange, and growth and biomass allocation of backcross hybrid American chestnut seedlings from three orchard sources grown under different light intensities (76, 26 and 8% full photosynthetically active radiation (PAR)) and subjected to well-watered or mid-season water-stressed conditions. Seedlings in the water-stress treatment were returned to well-watered conditions after wilting to examine recovery. Seedlings growing under medium- and high-light conditions wilted at lower leaf Ψpd than low-light seedlings. Recovery of net photosynthesis (Anet) and stomatal conductance (gs) was greater in low and medium light than in high light. Seed source did not affect the response to water stress or light level in most cases. Between 26 and 8% full PAR, light became limiting to the extent that the effects of water stress had no impact on some growth and morphological traits. We conclude that positive and negative aspects of shading on seedling drought tolerance and recovery are not mutually exclusive. Partial shade may help American chestnut tolerate drought during early establishment through effects on physiological conditioning. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Leaf gas exchange, carbon isotope discrimination, and grain yield in contrasting rice genotypes subjected to water deficits during the reproductive stage.

Science.gov (United States)

Centritto, Mauro; Lauteri, Marco; Monteverdi, Maria Cristina; Serraj, Rachid

2009-01-01

Genotypic variations in leaf gas exchange and yield were analysed in five upland-adapted and three lowland rice cultivars subjected to a differential soil moisture gradient, varying from well-watered to severely water-stressed conditions. A reduction in the amount of water applied resulted in a significant decrease in leaf gas exchange and, subsequently, in above-ground dry mass and grain yield, that varied among genotypes and distance from the line source. The comparison between the variable J and the Delta values in recently synthesized sugars methods, yielded congruent estimations of mesophyll conductance (g(m)), confirming the reliability of these two techniques. Our data demonstrate that g(m) is a major determinant of photosynthesis (A), because rice genotypes with inherently higher g(m) were capable of keeping higher A in stressed conditions. Furthermore, A, g(s), and g(m) of water-stressed genotypes rapidly recovered to the well-watered values upon the relief of water stress, indicating that drought did not cause any lasting metabolic limitation to photosynthesis. The comparisons between the A/C(i) and corresponding A/C(c) curves, measured in the genotypes that showed intrinsically higher and lower instantaneous A, confirmed this finding. Moreover, the effect of drought stress on grain yield was correlated with the effects on both A and total diffusional limitations to photosynthesis. Overall, these data indicate that genotypes which showed higher photosynthesis and conductances were also generally more productive across the entire soil moisture gradient. The analysis of Delta revealed a substantial variation of water use efficiency among the genotypes, both on the long-term (leaf pellet analysis) and short-term scale (leaf soluble sugars analysis).

Oxygen isotope analysis of plant water without extraction procedure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gan, K.S.; Wong, S.C.; Farquhar, G.D.; Yong, J.W.H.

2001-01-01

Isotopic analyses of plant water (mainly xylem, phloem and leaf water) are gaming importance as the isotopic signals reflect plant-environment interactions, affect the oxygen isotopic composition of atmospheric O 2 and CO 2 and are eventually incorporated into plant organic matter. Conventionally, such isotopic measurements require a time-consuming process of isolating the plant water by azeotropic distillation or vacuum extraction, which would not complement the speed of isotope analysis provided by continuous-flow IRMS (Isotope-Ratio Mass Spectrometry), especially when large data sets are needed for statistical calculations in biological studies. Further, a substantial amount of plant material is needed for water extraction and leaf samples would invariably include unenriched water from the fine veins. To measure sub-microlitre amount of leaf mesophyll water, a new approach is undertaken where a small disc of fresh leaf is cut using a specially designed leaf punch, and pyrolysed directly in an IRMS. By comparing with results from pyrolysis of the dry matter of the same leaf, the 18 O content of leaf water can be determined without extraction from fresh leaves. This method is validated using a range of cellulose-water mixtures to simulate the constituents of fresh leaf. Cotton leaf water δ 18 O obtained from both methods of fresh leaf pyrolysis and azeotropic distillation will be compared. The pyrolysis technique provides a robust approach to measure the isotopic content of water or any volatile present in a homogeneous solution or solid hydrous substance

[Foliar water use efficiency of Platycladus orientalis sapling under different soil water contents].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yong E; Yu, Xin Xiao; Chen, Li Hua; Jia, Guo Dong; Zhao, Na; Li, Han Zhi; Chang, Xiao Min

2017-07-18

The determination of plant foliar water use efficiency will be of great value to improve our understanding about mechanism of plant water consumption and provide important basis of regional forest ecosystem management and maintenance, thus, laboratory controlled experiments were carried out to obtain Platycladus orientalis sapling foliar water use efficiency under five different soil water contents, including instantaneous water use efficiency (WUE gs ) derived from gas exchange and short-term water use efficiency (WUE cp ) caculated using carbon isotope model. The results showed that, controlled by stomatal conductance (g s ), foliar net photosynthesis rate (P n ) and transpiration rate (T r ) increased as soil water content increased, which both reached maximum va-lues at soil water content of 70%-80% field capacity (FC), while WUE gs reached a maximum of 7.26 mmol·m -2 ·s -1 at the lowest soil water content (35%-45% FC). Both δ 13 C of water-soluble leaf and twig phloem material achieved maximum values at the lowest soil water content (35%-45% FC). Besides, δ 13 C values of leaf water-soluble compounds were significantly greater than that of phloem exudates, indicating that there was depletion in 13 C in twig phloem compared with leaf water-soluble compounds and no obvious fractionation in the process of water-soluble material transportation from leaf to twig. Foliar WUE cp also reached a maximum of 7.26 mmol·m -2 ·s -1 at the lowest soil water content (35%-45% FC). There was some difference between foliar WUE gs and WUE cp under the same condition, and the average difference was 0.52 mmol·m -2 ·s -1 . The WUE gs had great space-time variability, by contrast, WUE cp was more representative. It was concluded that P. orientalis sapling adapted to drought condition by increasing water use efficiency and decreasing physiological activity.

Potencial de água no solo e na folha da videira "Sugraone" sob déficit hídrico Soil and leaf water potential of "Sugraone" grape under water deficit

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lígia B. Marinho

2011-11-01

Full Text Available Propôs-se com este estudo conhecer a variação do potencial da água no solo e na folha da videira "Superior Seedless", tal como o crescimento da baga da uva sob diferentes condições de irrigação na fase de maturação da uva, na Fazenda Agrobrás Tropical do Brasil S/A, em Casa Nova, BA, em outubro de 2007. A videira foi irrigada nas épocas 21, 13 e 5 dias antes da colheita, com lâminas de 100, 50 e 0% da evapotranspiração da cultura e um tratamento adicional ("manejo do produtor". O potencial da água na folha e no solo foi aferido com a câmara de pressão e tensiômetros, respectivamente. O potencial da água da folha variou de -0,95 a -1,80 MPa, ao meio- dia e de -0,10 a -0,27 MPa, ao alvorecer. O potencial mátrico da água do solo atingiu valores de -5 a -79,5 kPa para os tratamentos menos e mais deficitários. O potencial da água na folha ao meio-dia sugere que, em alguns dias, o parreiral se encontrava sob estresse moderado e, em outros, sob estresse severo, independendo dos tratamentos de déficit hídrico. Ao alvorecer, o potencial indicou que as videiras estavam sob estresse suave ou em condições adequadas de manejo de água, mesmo a potencial matricial do solo elevado, em que não houve redução significativa no crescimento das bagas das uvas.This study aimed to measure the variation of soil and leaf water potential in the Sugraone (Superior Seedless grape, as well as the berry growth, under different irrigation conditions in the Fazenda Agrobrás Tropical do Brazil S/A, in Casa Nova, BA, in October, 2007 during maturation stage. The Superior Seedless cultivar was irrigated at 21, 13 e 5 days before harvest with water depths of 100, 50 e 0% of crop evapotranspiration (ETc and an additional treatment consisting of the farmer management. The results of leaf water potential using a pressure chamber and the respective soil matric potential from tensiometric readings are shown. Measurements of leaf water potential reached

Characterization of a plant leaf cuticle model wax, phase behaviour of model wax–water systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fagerström, Anton; Kocherbitov, Vitaly; Westbye, Peter; Bergström, Karin; Mamontova, Varvara; Engblom, Johan

2013-01-01

Highlights: • Four individual crystalline phases were discovered in the model wax–water system. • Eutectic melting occurred in both dry and hydrated model wax. • The total transition enthalpy is smaller for the cuticle wax than for the model wax. • Water has a large plasticizing effect on cuticle wax. • The thermotropic transitions of model wax fit in the window of extracted leaf waxes. - Abstract: We investigated the thermotropic phase behaviour of plant leaf intracuticular wax and two representatives of its main components, 1-docosanol (C 22 H 45 OH) and dotriacontane (C 32 H 66 ), in dry and hydrated state. One objective was to obtain a model wax, which can be used to estimate formulations effects on cuticle diffusivity in vitro. The two wax components were chosen based on results from Gas Chromatography coupled to Mass Spectrometry analysis of cuticular wax. The wax was extracted from Clivia Miniata Regel leaves and contained 68% primary alcohols (C 16 –C 32 ) and 16% n-alkanes (C 21 –C 33 ). Differential Scanning Calorimetry, Polarized Light Microscopy and Small- and Wide Angle X-ray Diffraction were used to characterize the cuticular extract and the phase behaviour of the C 22 H 45 OH/C 32 H 66 /H 2 O model system. Four individual crystalline phases were discovered in the model wax–water system and eutectic melting occurred in both dry and hydrated state. The thermotropic transitions of the model wax occur within the broader transition region of the extracted leaf wax

Interacting Effects of Leaf Water Potential and Biomass on Vegetation Optical Depth: Effects of LWP and Biomass on VOD

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Momen, Mostafa [Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford CA USA; Wood, Jeffrey D. [School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri, Columbia MO USA; Novick, Kimberly A. [School of Public and Environmental Affairs, Indiana University-Bloomington, Bloomington IN USA; Pangle, Robert [Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque NM USA; Pockman, William T. [Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque NM USA; McDowell, Nate G. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland WA USA; Konings, Alexandra G. [Department of Earth System Science, Stanford University, Stanford CA USA

2017-11-01

Remotely sensed microwave observations of vegetation optical depth (VOD) have been widely used for examining vegetation responses to climate. Nevertheless, the relative impacts of phenological changes in leaf biomass and water stress on VOD have not been explicitly disentangled. In particular, determining whether leaf water potential (ψL) affects VOD may allow these data sets as a constraint for plant hydraulic models. Here we test the sensitivity of VOD to variations in ψL and present a conceptual framework that relates VOD to ψL and total biomass including leaves, whose dynamics are measured through leaf area index, and woody components. We used measurements of ψL from three sites across the US—a mixed deciduous forests in Indiana and Missouri and a piñon-juniper woodland in New Mexico—to validate the conceptual model. The temporal dynamics of X-band VOD were similar to those of the VOD signal estimated from the new conceptual model with observed ψL (R2 = 0.6–0.8). At the global scale, accounting for a combination of biomass and estimated ψL (based on satellite surface soil moisture data) increased correlations with VOD by ~ 15% and 30% compared to biomass and water potential, respectively. In wetter regions with denser and taller canopy heights, VOD has a higher correlation with leaf area index than with water stress and vice versa in drier regions. Our results demonstrate that variations in both phenology and ψL must be considered to accurately interpret the dynamics of VOD observations for ecological applications.

A meta-analysis of leaf gas exchange and water status responses to drought.

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Weiming; Zhong, Yangquanwei; Shangguan, Zhouping

2016-02-12

Drought is considered to be one of the most devastating natural hazards, and it is predicted to become increasingly frequent and severe in the future. Understanding the plant gas exchange and water status response to drought is very important with regard to future climate change. We conducted a meta-analysis based on studies of plants worldwide and aimed to determine the changes in gas exchange and water status under different drought intensities (mild, moderate and severe), different photosynthetic pathways (C3 and C4) and growth forms (herbs, shrubs, trees and lianas). Our results were as follows: 1) drought negatively impacted gas exchange and water status, and stomatal conductance (gs) decreased more than other physiological traits and declined to the greatest extent in shrubs and C3 plants. Furthermore, C4 plants had an advantage compared to C3 plants under the same drought conditions. 2) The decrease in gs mainly reduced the transpiration rate (Tr), and gs could explain 55% of the decrease in the photosynthesis (A) and 74% of the decline in Tr. 3). Finally, gas exchange showed a close relationship with the leaf water status. Our study provides comprehensive information about the changes in plant gas exchange and water status under drought.

Effect of root pruning and irrigation regimes on leaf water relations and xylem ABA and ionic concentrations in pear trees

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wang, Yufei; Bertelsen, Marianne G.; Petersen, Karen Koefoed

2014-01-01

relation characteristics, stomatal conductance and xylem sap abscisic acid (ABA) and ionic concentrations. Results showed that leaf water potential, leaf turgor and stomatal conductance of root pruning (RP) treatment was significantly lower than those of non-root pruning (NP) treatment indicating that root...

Molecular modeling of the green leaf volatile methyl salicylate on atmospheric air/water interfaces.

Science.gov (United States)

Liyana-Arachchi, Thilanga P; Hansel, Amie K; Stevens, Christopher; Ehrenhauser, Franz S; Valsaraj, Kalliat T; Hung, Francisco R

2013-05-30

Methyl salicylate (MeSA) is a green leaf volatile (GLV) compound that is emitted in significant amounts by plants, especially when they are under stress conditions. GLVs can then undergo chemical reactions with atmospheric oxidants, yielding compounds that contribute to the formation of secondary organic aerosols (SOAs). We investigated the adsorption of MeSA on atmospheric air/water interfaces at 298 K using thermodynamic integration (TI), potential of mean force (PMF) calculations, and classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Our molecular models can reproduce experimental results of the 1-octanol/water partition coefficient of MeSA. A deep free energy minimum was found for MeSA at the air/water interface, which is mainly driven by energetic interactions between MeSA and water. At the interface, the oxygenated groups in MeSA tend to point toward the water side of the interface, with the aromatic group of MeSA lying farther away from water. Increases in the concentrations of MeSA lead to reductions in the height of the peaks in the MeSA-MeSA g(r) functions, a slowing down of the dynamics of both MeSA and water at the interface, and a reduction in the interfacial surface tension. Our results indicate that MeSA has a strong thermodynamic preference to remain at the air/water interface, and thus chemical reactions with atmospheric oxidants are more likely to take place at this interface, rather than in the water phase of atmospheric water droplets or in the gas phase.

Convergence of tree water use within an arid-zone woodland.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Grady, A P; Cook, P G; Eamus, D; Duguid, A; Wischusen, J D H; Fass, T; Worldege, D

2009-07-01

We examined spatial and temporal patterns of tree water use and aspects of hydraulic architecture in four common tree species of central Australia--Corymbia opaca, Eucalyptus victrix, E. camaldulensis and Acacia aneura--to better understand processes that constrain water use in these environments. These four widely distributed species occupy contrasting niches within arid environments including woodlands, floodplains and riparian environments. Measurements of tree water use and leaf water potential were made at two sites with contrasting water table depths during a period of high soil water availability following summer rainfall and during a period of low soil water availability following 7 months of very little rainfall during 2007. There were significant differences in specific leaf area (SLA), sapwood area to leaf area ratios and sapwood density between species. Sapwood to leaf area ratio increased in all species from April to November indicating a decline in leaf area per unit sapwood area. Despite very little rainfall in the intervening period three species, C. opaca, E. victrix and E. camaldulensis maintained high leaf water potentials and tree water use during both periods. In contrast, leaf water potential and water use in the A. aneura were significantly reduced in November compared to April. Despite contrasting morphology and water use strategies, we observed considerable convergence in water use among the four species. Wood density in particular was strongly related to SLA, sapwood area to leaf area ratios and soil to leaf conductance, with all four species converging on a common relationship. Identifying convergence in hydraulic traits can potentially provide powerful tools for scaling physiological processes in natural ecosystems.

Comparison of leaf gas exchange and stable isotope signature of water-soluble compounds along canopy gradients of co-occurring Douglas-fir and European beech.

Science.gov (United States)

Bögelein, Rebekka; Hassdenteufel, Martin; Thomas, Frank M; Werner, Willy

2012-07-01

Combined δ(13) C and δ(18) O analyses of water-soluble leaf and twig phloem material were used to determine intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE) and variability of stomatal conductance at different crown positions in adult European beech (Fagus sylvatica) and Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) trees. Simultaneous gas exchange measurements allowed evaluation of the differences in calculating iWUE from leaf or phloem water-soluble compounds, and comparison with a semi-quantitative dual isotope model to infer variability of net photosynthesis (A(n) ) between the investigated crown positions. Estimates of iWUE from δ(13) C of leaf water-soluble organic matter (WSOM) outperformed the estimates from phloem compounds. In the beech crown, δ(13) C of leaf WSOM coincided clearly with gas exchange measurements. The relationship was not as reliable in the Douglas-fir. The differences in δ(18) O between leaf and phloem material were found to correlate with stomatal conductance. The semi-quantitative model approach was applicable for comparisons of daily average A(n) between different crown positions and trees. Intracanopy gradients were more pronounced in the beech than in the Douglas-fir, which reached higher values of iWUE at the respective positions, particularly under dry air conditions. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Response of three broccoli cultivars to salt stress, in relation to water status and expression of two leaf aquaporins.

Science.gov (United States)

Muries, Beatriz; Carvajal, Micaela; Martínez-Ballesta, María Del Carmen

2013-05-01

The aim of this study was to compare differences in water relations in the leaves of three broccoli cultivars and differential induction of the expression of PIP2 aquaporin isoforms under salt stress. Although broccoli is known to be moderately tolerant to salinity, scarce information exists about the involvement of leaf aquaporins in its adaptation to salinity. Thus, leaf water relations, leaf cell hydraulic conductivity (Lpc), gas exchange parameters and the PIP2 expression pattern were determined for short- (15 h) and long- (15 days) term NaCl treatments. In the long term, the lower half-time of water exchange in the cells of cv. Naxos, compared with Parthenon and Chronos, and its increased PIP2 abundance may have contributed to its Lpc maintenance. This unmodified Lpc in cv. Naxos under prolonged salinity may have diluted NaCl in the leaves, as suggested by lower Na(+) concentrations in the leaf sap. By contrast, the increase in the half-time of water exchange and the lower PIP2 abundance in cvs. Chronos and Parthenon would have contributed to the reduced Lpc values. In cv. Parthenon, there were no differences between the ε values of control and salt-stressed plants; in consequence, cell turgor was enhanced. Also, the increases in BoPIP2;2 and BoPIP2;3 expression in cv. Chronos for the short-term NaCl treatment suggest that these isoforms are involved in osmotic regulation as downstream factors in this cultivar, in fact, in the short-term, Chronos had a significantly reduced osmotic potential and higher PIP2 isoforms expression.

Characterization of a plant leaf cuticle model wax, phase behaviour of model wax–water systems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fagerström, Anton, E-mail: anton.fagerstrom@mah.se [Biomedical Science, Faculty of Health and Society, Malmö University, Malmö (Sweden); Kocherbitov, Vitaly [Biomedical Science, Faculty of Health and Society, Malmö University, Malmö (Sweden); Westbye, Peter; Bergström, Karin [Agro Applications Europe, AkzoNobel Surface Chemistry AB, Stenungsund (Sweden); Mamontova, Varvara [Ecological and Chemical Research, St. Petersburg Scientific Research Center for Ecological Safety, Russian Academy of Sciences, St. Petersburg (Russian Federation); Engblom, Johan [Biomedical Science, Faculty of Health and Society, Malmö University, Malmö (Sweden)

2013-11-10

Highlights: • Four individual crystalline phases were discovered in the model wax–water system. • Eutectic melting occurred in both dry and hydrated model wax. • The total transition enthalpy is smaller for the cuticle wax than for the model wax. • Water has a large plasticizing effect on cuticle wax. • The thermotropic transitions of model wax fit in the window of extracted leaf waxes. - Abstract: We investigated the thermotropic phase behaviour of plant leaf intracuticular wax and two representatives of its main components, 1-docosanol (C{sub 22}H{sub 45}OH) and dotriacontane (C{sub 32}H{sub 66}), in dry and hydrated state. One objective was to obtain a model wax, which can be used to estimate formulations effects on cuticle diffusivity in vitro. The two wax components were chosen based on results from Gas Chromatography coupled to Mass Spectrometry analysis of cuticular wax. The wax was extracted from Clivia Miniata Regel leaves and contained 68% primary alcohols (C{sub 16}–C{sub 32}) and 16% n-alkanes (C{sub 21}–C{sub 33}). Differential Scanning Calorimetry, Polarized Light Microscopy and Small- and Wide Angle X-ray Diffraction were used to characterize the cuticular extract and the phase behaviour of the C{sub 22}H{sub 45}OH/C{sub 32}H{sub 66}/H{sub 2}O model system. Four individual crystalline phases were discovered in the model wax–water system and eutectic melting occurred in both dry and hydrated state. The thermotropic transitions of the model wax occur within the broader transition region of the extracted leaf wax.

Final report on the safety assessment of AloeAndongensis Extract, Aloe Andongensis Leaf Juice,aloe Arborescens Leaf Extract, Aloe Arborescens Leaf Juice, Aloe Arborescens Leaf Protoplasts, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice,aloe Barbadensis Leaf Polysaccharides, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Aloe Ferox Leaf Extract, Aloe Ferox Leaf Juice, and Aloe Ferox Leaf Juice Extract.

Science.gov (United States)

2007-01-01

Plant materials derived from the Aloe plant are used as cosmetic ingredients, including Aloe Andongensis Extract, Aloe Andongensis Leaf Juice, Aloe Arborescens Leaf Extract, Aloe Arborescens Leaf Juice, Aloe Arborescens Leaf Protoplasts, Aloe Barbadensis Flower Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Polysaccharides, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Water, Aloe Ferox Leaf Extract, Aloe Ferox Leaf Juice, and Aloe Ferox Leaf Juice Extract. These ingredients function primarily as skin-conditioning agents and are included in cosmetics only at low concentrations. The Aloe leaf consists of the pericyclic cells, found just below the plant's skin, and the inner central area of the leaf, i.e., the gel, which is used for cosmetic products. The pericyclic cells produce a bitter, yellow latex containing a number of anthraquinones, phototoxic compounds that are also gastrointestinal irritants responsible for cathartic effects. The gel contains polysaccharides, which can be acetylated, partially acetylated, or not acetylated. An industry established limit for anthraquinones in aloe-derived material for nonmedicinal use is 50 ppm or lower. Aloe-derived ingredients are used in a wide variety of cosmetic product types at concentrations of raw material that are 0.1% or less, although can be as high as 20%. The concentration of Aloe in the raw material also may vary from 100% to a low of 0.0005%. Oral administration of various anthraquinone components results in a rise in their blood concentrations, wide systemic distribution, accumulation in the liver and kidneys, and excretion in urine and feces; polysaccharide components are distributed systemically and metabolized into smaller molecules. aloe-derived material has fungicidal, antimicrobial, and antiviral activities, and has been effective in wound healing and infection treatment in animals. Aloe barbadensis (also known as Aloe vera)-derived ingredients were not toxic

Effects of ultraviolet-B radiation on plants during mild water stress, 4: The insensitivity of soybean internal water relations to ultraviolet-B radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teramura, A.H.; Forseth, I.N.; Lydon, J.

1984-01-01

The combined effects of ultraviolet-B (UV-B, 280–320 nm) radiation and water stress were investigated on the water relations of greenhouse grown soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr. cv. Essex]. On a weighted (Caldwell 1971), total daily dose basis, plants received either 0 or 3 000 effective J m 2 UV-B BE supplied by filtered FS-40 sunlamps. The latter dose simulated the solar UV-B radiation anticipated at College Park, Maryland, U.S.A. (39°N latitude) in the event that the global stratospheric ozone column is reduced by 25%. Plants were either well-watered or preconditioned by drought stress cycles. Diurnal measurements of water potential and stomatal conductance were made on the youngest fully expanded leaf. Various internal water relations parameters were determined for detached leaves. Plants were monitored before, during and after water stress. There were no significant differences in leaf water potential or stomatal conductance between treatments before plants were preconditioned to water stress. However, drought stress resulted in significantly lower midday and afternoon leaf water potentials and lower leaf conductances as compared to well-watered plants. UV-B radiation had no additional effect on leaf water potential; however, UV did result in lower leaf conductances in plants preconditioned to water stress. Turgid weight:dry weight ratio, elastic modulus, bound water and relative water content were unaffected by UV-B radiation. Osmotic potentials at full and zero turgor were significantly lower in the drought stressed treatments as compared to well-watered plants. (author)

The effect of vapour pressure deficit on stomatal conductance, sap pH and leaf-specific hydraulic conductance in Eucalyptus globulus clones grown under two watering regimes.

Science.gov (United States)

Hernandez, Maria Jose; Montes, Fernando; Ruiz, Federico; Lopez, Gustavo; Pita, Pilar

2016-05-01

Stomatal conductance has long been considered of key interest in the study of plant adaptation to water stress. The expected increase in extreme meteorological events under a climate change scenario may compromise survival in Eucalyptus globulus plantations established in south-western Spain. We investigated to what extent changes in stomatal conductance in response to high vapour pressure deficits and water shortage are mediated by hydraulic and chemical signals in greenhouse-grown E. globulus clones. Rooted cuttings were grown in pots and submitted to two watering regimes. Stomatal conductance, shoot water potential, sap pH and hydraulic conductance were measured consecutively in each plant over 4 weeks under vapour pressure deficits ranging 0·42 to 2·25 kPa. Evapotranspiration, growth in leaf area and shoot biomass were also determined. There was a significant effect of both clone and watering regime in stomatal conductance and leaf-specific hydraulic conductance, but not in sap pH. Sap pH decreased as water potential and stomatal conductance decreased under increasing vapour pressure deficit. There was no significant relationship between stomatal conductance and leaf-specific hydraulic conductance. Stomata closure precluded shoot water potential from falling below -1·8 MPa. The percentage loss of hydraulic conductance ranged from 40 to 85 %. The highest and lowest leaf-specific hydraulic conductances were measured in clones from the same half-sib families. Water shortage reduced growth and evapotranspiration, decreases in evapotranspiration ranging from 14 to 32 % in the five clones tested. Changes in sap pH seemed to be a response to changes in atmospheric conditions rather than soil water in the species. Stomata closed after a considerable amount of hydraulic conductance was lost, although intraspecific differences in leaf-specific hydraulic conductance suggest the possibility of selection for improved productivity under water-limiting conditions

Discovering the Importance of Bi-directional Water Fluxes in Leaves

Science.gov (United States)

Kayler, Z. E.; Saurer, M.; Siegwolf, R.

2007-12-01

The stable isotope ratio 18O/16O is used for constraining climate change models, partitioning ecosystem water fluxes and for studies of plant ecophysiology. Leaf water enrichment is an essential starting point for each of these applications. In order to obtain a complete picture of the role leaf water plays, not only the 18O values from leaf water but also the signature of transpired water must be accurately predicted for plants under varying environmental conditions. We used a novel chamber approach using highly depleted water (-330 ‰) as a vapor source to leaves of the velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens). We used a Walz gas exchange system consisting of a chamber that is controlled for humidity, light, and temperature. Water and carbon dioxide fluxes were measured by an infrared gas analyzer and chamber vapor was collected in cold traps chilled to - 60°C. Three leaves were collected after 2 hours to insure isotopic steady-state followed by leaf water extraction and isotope analysis. From this experiment we were able to measure the outward flux of soil source water and the inward flux of ambient vapor over a range of environments that varied in relative humidity (80%, 45%, 20%), light (50, 1000 μmolm-2s-1) and CO2 (50, 800 ppm). Leaf water isotopic values were below the source water values reflecting the influx of the labeled vapor. The degree to which leaf water values were depleted was strongly related to the relative humidity. The Craig-Gordon model overestimated depletion of leaf water under high relative humidity and predictions were improved with the Péclet correction. However, our initial analysis indicates that these models may not fully account for stomatal conductance in predicting leaf water isotopic values.

How Does Silicon Mediate Plant Water Uptake and Loss Under Water Deficiency?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daoqian Chen

2018-03-01

Full Text Available In plants, water deficiency can result from a deficit of water from the soil, an obstacle to the uptake of water or the excess water loss; in these cases, the similar consequence is the limitation of plant growth and crop yield. Silicon (Si has been widely reported to alleviate the plant water status and water balance under variant stress conditions in both monocot and dicot plants, especially under drought and salt stresses. However, the underlying mechanism is unclear. In addition to the regulation of leaf transpiration, recently, Si application was found to be involved in the adjustment of root hydraulic conductance by up-regulating aquaporin gene expression and concentrating K in the xylem sap. Therefore, this review discusses the potential effects of Si on both leaf transpiration and root water absorption, especially focusing on how Si modulates the root hydraulic conductance. A growing number of studies support the conclusion that Si application improves plant water status by increasing root water uptake, rather than by decreasing their water loss under conditions of water deficiency. The enhancement of plant water uptake by Si is achievable through the activation of osmotic adjustment, improving aquaporin activity and increasing the root/shoot ratio. The underlying mechanisms of the Si on improving plant water uptake under water deficiency conditions are discussed.

An ATP-binding cassette subfamily G full transporter is essential for the retention of leaf water in both wild barley and rice.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Guoxiong; Komatsuda, Takao; Ma, Jian Feng; Nawrath, Christiane; Pourkheirandish, Mohammad; Tagiri, Akemi; Hu, Yin-Gang; Sameri, Mohammad; Li, Xinrong; Zhao, Xin; Liu, Yubing; Li, Chao; Ma, Xiaoying; Wang, Aidong; Nair, Sudha; Wang, Ning; Miyao, Akio; Sakuma, Shun; Yamaji, Naoki; Zheng, Xiuting; Nevo, Eviatar

2011-07-26

Land plants have developed a cuticle preventing uncontrolled water loss. Here we report that an ATP-binding cassette (ABC) subfamily G (ABCG) full transporter is required for leaf water conservation in both wild barley and rice. A spontaneous mutation, eibi1.b, in wild barley has a low capacity to retain leaf water, a phenotype associated with reduced cutin deposition and a thin cuticle. Map-based cloning revealed that Eibi1 encodes an HvABCG31 full transporter. The gene was highly expressed in the elongation zone of a growing leaf (the site of cutin synthesis), and its gene product also was localized in developing, but not in mature tissue. A de novo wild barley mutant named "eibi1.c," along with two transposon insertion lines of rice mutated in the ortholog of HvABCG31 also were unable to restrict water loss from detached leaves. HvABCG31 is hypothesized to function as a transporter involved in cutin formation. Homologs of HvABCG31 were found in green algae, moss, and lycopods, indicating that this full transporter is highly conserved in the evolution of land plants.

Influence of leaf vein density and thickness on hydraulic conductance and photosynthesis in rice (Oryza sativa L.) during water stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Tabassum, Muhammad Adnan; Zhu, Guanglong; Hafeez, Abdul; Wahid, Muhammad Atif; Shaban, Muhammad; Li, Yong

2016-11-16

The leaf venation architecture is an ideal, highly structured and efficient irrigation system in plant leaves. Leaf vein density (LVD) and vein thickness are the two major properties of this system. Leaf laminae carry out photosynthesis to harvest the maximum biological yield. It is still unknown whether the LVD and/or leaf vein thickness determines the plant hydraulic conductance (K plant ) and leaf photosynthetic rate (A). To investigate this topic, the current study was conducted with two varieties under three PEG-induced water deficit stress (PEG-IWDS) levels. The results showed that PEG-IWDS significantly decreased A, stomatal conductance (g s ), and K plant in both cultivars, though the IR-64 strain showed more severe decreases than the Hanyou-3 strain. PEG-IWDS significantly decreased the major vein thickness, while it had no significant effect on LVD. A, g s and K plant were positively correlated with each other, and they were negatively correlated with LVD. A, g s and K plant were positively correlated with the inter-vein distance and major vein thickness. Therefore, the decreased photosynthesis and hydraulic conductance in rice plants under water deficit conditions are related to the decrease in the major vein thickness.

On the Controls of Leaf-Water Oxygen Isotope Ratios in the Atmospheric Crassulacean Acid Metabolism Epiphyte Tillandsia usneoides1[W][OA

Science.gov (United States)

Helliker, Brent R.

2011-01-01

Previous theoretical work showed that leaf-water isotope ratio (δ18OL) of Crassulacean acid metabolism epiphytes was controlled by the δ18O of atmospheric water vapor (δ18Oa), and observed δ18OL could be explained by both a non-steady-state model and a “maximum enrichment” steady-state model (δ18OL-M), the latter requiring only δ18Oa and relative humidity (h) as inputs. δ18OL, therefore, should contain an extractable record of δ18Oa. Previous empirical work supported this hypothesis but raised many questions. How does changing δ18Oa and h affect δ18OL? Do hygroscopic trichomes affect observed δ18OL? Are observations of changes in water content required for the prediction of δ18OL? Does the leaf need to be at full isotopic steady state for observed δ18OL to equal δ18OL-M? These questions were examined with a climate-controlled experimental system capable of holding δ18Oa constant for several weeks. Water adsorbed to trichomes required a correction ranging from 0.5‰ to 1‰. δ18OL could be predicted using constant values of water content and even total conductance. Tissue rehydration caused a transitory change in δ18OL, but the consequent increase in total conductance led to a tighter coupling with δ18Oa. The non-steady-state leaf water models explained observed δ18OL (y = 0.93*x − 0.07; r2 = 0.98) over a wide range of δ18Oa and h. Predictions of δ18OL-M agreed with observations of δ18OL (y = 0.87*x − 0.99; r2 = 0.92), and when h > 0.9, the leaf did not need to be at isotopic steady state for the δ18OL-M model to predict δ18OL in the Crassulacean acid metabolism epiphyte Tillandsia usneoides. PMID:21300917

Peach water relations, gas exchange, growth and shoot mortality under water deficit in semi-arid weather conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Rahmati, Mitra; Davarynejad, Gholam Hossein; Génard, Michel; Bannayan, Mohammad; Azizi, Majid; Vercambre, Gilles

2015-01-01

In this study the sensitivity of peach tree (Prunus persica L.) to three water stress levels from mid-pit hardening until harvest was assessed. Seasonal patterns of shoot and fruit growth, gas exchange (leaf photosynthesis, stomatal conductance and transpiration) as well as carbon (C) storage/mobilization were evaluated in relation to plant water status. A simple C balance model was also developed to investigate sink-source relationship in relation to plant water status at the tree level. The C source was estimated through the leaf area dynamics and leaf photosynthesis rate along the season. The C sink was estimated for maintenance respiration and growth of shoots and fruits. Water stress significantly reduced gas exchange, and fruit, and shoot growth, but increased fruit dry matter concentration. Growth was more affected by water deficit than photosynthesis, and shoot growth was more sensitive to water deficit than fruit growth. Reduction of shoot growth was associated with a decrease of shoot elongation, emergence, and high shoot mortality. Water scarcity affected tree C assimilation due to two interacting factors: (i) reduction in leaf photosynthesis (-23% and -50% under moderate (MS) and severe (SS) water stress compared to low (LS) stress during growth season) and (ii) reduction in total leaf area (-57% and -79% under MS and SS compared to LS at harvest). Our field data analysis suggested a Ψstem threshold of -1.5 MPa below which daily net C gain became negative, i.e. C assimilation became lower than C needed for respiration and growth. Negative C balance under MS and SS associated with decline of trunk carbohydrate reserves--may have led to drought-induced vegetative mortality.

Retrieval of leaf water content spanning the visible to thermal infrared spectra

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Ullah, S

2014-05-01

Full Text Available ; Hunt and Rock 1989; Sepulcre-Cantó et al. 2006). 45 Retrieving leaf water content using remote sensing data, has been widely investigated in the 46 visible near infrared (VNIR) and shortwave infrared (SWIR) spectra (Thomas et al. 1971; 47 Danson et..., USA: NASA / GSFC 400 Savitzky, A., & Golay, M.J.E. (1964). Smoothing and differentiation of data by simplified Least 401 squares procedures. Analytical Chemistry, 36, 1627-1639 402 Sepulcre-Cantó, G., Zarco-Tejada, P.J., Jiménez-Muñoz, J.C., Sobrino...

Gas exchange and leaf contents in bell pepper under energized water and biofertilizer doses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Francisca R. M. Borges

2016-06-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of energized water and bovine biofertilizer doses on the gas exchange and NPK contents in leaves of yellow bell pepper plants. The experiment was conducted at the experimental area of the Federal University of Ceará, in Fortaleza-CE, Brazil, from June to November 2011. The experiment was set in a randomized block design, in a split-plot scheme; the plots were composed of treatments with energized and non-energized water and the subplots of five doses of liquid biofertilizer (0, 250, 500, 750 and 1000 mL plant-1 week-1. The following variables were analyzed: transpiration, stomatal conductance, photosynthesis and leaf contents of nitrogen (N, phosphorus (P and potassium (K. Water energization did not allow significant increases in the analyzed variables. The use of biofertilizer as the only source of fertilization was sufficient to provide the nutrients N, P and K at appropriate levels for the bell pepper crop.

Covariance of oxygen and hydrogen isotopic compositions in plant water: species effects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cooper, L.W.; DeNiro, M.J.

1989-01-01

Leaf water becomes enriched in the heavy isotopes of oxygen and hydrogen during evapotranspiration. The magnitude of the enrichment has been shown to be influenced by temperature and humidity, but the effects of species—specific factors on leaf water enrichment of D and 18 O have not been studied for different plants growing together. Accordingly, to learn whether leaf water enrichment patterns and processes for D and 18 O are different for individual species growing under the same environmental conditions we tested the proposal that leaf waters in plants with crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) show higher slopes (m in the leaf water equation °D = m ° 18 O + b) than in C 3 plants. We determined the relationships between the stable hydrogen (°D) and oxygen (° 18 O) isotope ratios of leaf waters collected during the diurnal cycle of evapotranspiration for Yucca schidigera, Ephedra aspera, Agave deserti, Prunus ilicifolia, Yucca whipplei, Heteromeles arbutifolia, Dyckia fosteriana, Simmondsia chinensis, and Encelia farinosa growing at two sites in southern California. Slopes (m in the above leaf water equation) ranged from 1.50 to 3.21, compared to °8 for meteoric water, but differences in slope could not be attributed to carboxylation pathway (CAM vs. C 3 ) nor climate (coastal California vs. Sonoran Desert). Higher slopes were correlated with greater overall ranges of leaf water enrichment of D and 18 O. Water in plants with higher slopes also differed most from unaltered meteoric water. Leaf water isotope ratios in plants with lower slopes were better correlated with temperature and humidity. The findings indicate that m in the aforementioned equation is related to the overall residence time for water in the leaf and proportions of water subjected to repeated evapotranspiration enrichments of heavy isotopes

Gauging leaf-level contributions to landscape-level water loss within a Western US dryland fores

Science.gov (United States)

Murphy, P.; Potts, D. L.; Minor, R. L.; Hamerlynck, E. P.; Sutter, L., Jr.; Barron-Gafford, G.

2017-12-01

Western US forests represent a large constituent of the North American water and carbon cycles, yet the primary controls on water loss from these ecosystems remains unknown. In dryland forests, such as those found in the Southwestern US, water availability is key to ecosystem function, and the timing and magnitude of water loss can have lasting effects on the health of these communities. One poorly defined part of the water balance in these forests is the partitioning of evapotranspiration (ET) into evaporation (E; blue flow) to transpiration (T; green flow). A study of water fluxes at multiple scales in a semiarid montane forest in Southern Arizona speaks to the partitioning of these two water flows. Within the footprint of an eddy covariance system, which estimates ecosystem ET, we have examined the impacts of variation in climate, species makeup, and topographic position on E and T. This was done using leaf-level measures of T, pedon-scale measures of E, and whole-tree water loss by way of sap flux sensors. Where available, we have examined E, T, and ET fluxes across multiple seasons and years of highly variable precipitation records. Understanding the partitioning of ET is crucial, considering that projected changes to dryland ecosystems include longer periods of drought separated by heavier precipitation events. At a moment when potential impacts of changing climate on dryland structure and function are poorly understood, a stronger comprehension of these blue and green water flows is necessary to forecast the productivity of Western US forests into the future.

Phenotypic selection on leaf water use efficiency and related ecophysiological traits for natural populations of desert sunflowers.

Science.gov (United States)

Donovan, Lisa A; Dudley, Susan A; Rosenthal, David M; Ludwig, Fulco

2007-05-01

Plant water-use efficiency (WUE) is expected to affect plant fitness and thus be under natural selection in arid habitats. Although many natural population studies have assessed plant WUE, only a few related WUE to fitness. The further determination of whether selection on WUE is direct or indirect through functionally related traits has yielded no consistent results. For natural populations of two desert annual sunflowers, Helianthus anomalus and H. deserticola, we used phenotypic selection analysis with vegetative biomass as the proxy for fitness to test (1) whether there was direct and indirect selection on WUE (carbon isotope ratio) and related traits (leaf N, area, succulence) and (2) whether direct selection was consistent with hypothesized drought/dehydration escape and avoidance strategies. There was direct selection for lower WUE in mesic and dry H. anomalus populations, consistent with dehydration escape, even though it is the longer lived of the two species. For mesic H. anomalus, direct selection favored lower WUE and higher N, suggesting that plants may be "wasting water" to increase N delivery via the transpiration stream. For the shorter lived H. deserticola in the direr habitat, there was indirect selection for lower WUE, inconsistent with drought escape. There was also direct selection for higher leaf N, succulence and leaf size. There was no direct selection for higher WUE consistent with dehydration avoidance in either species. Thus, in these natural populations of two desert dune species higher fitness was associated with some combination direct and indirect selection for lower WUE, higher leaf N and larger leaf size. Our understanding of the adaptive value of plant ecophysiological traits will benefit from further consideration of related traits such as leaf nitrogen and more tests in natural populations.

SUNLIT AND SHADED MAIZE CANOPY WATER LOSS UNDER VARIED WATER STRESS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonio Odair Santos

1999-12-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT The precise estimation of transpiration from plant canopies is important for the monitoring of crop water use and management of many agricultural operations related to water use planning. The aim of this study was to estimate transpiration from sunlit and shaded fractions of a maize ( Zea mays L. canopy, using the Penman-Monteith energy balance equation with modifications introduced by Fuchs et al. (1987 and Fuchs & Cohen (1989. Estimated values were validated by a heat pulse system, which was used to measure stem sap flow and by a weighing lysimeter. A relationship between incident radiation and leaf stomatal conductance for critical levels of leaf water potential was used to estimate transpiration. Results showed that computed transpiration of the shaded canopy ranged from 27 to 45% of the total transpiration when fluctuations in atmospheric demand and the level of water stress were taken in account. Hourly and daily estimates of transpiration showed agreement with lysimeter and heat pulse measurements on the well-watered plots. For the water-limited plots the precision of the estimate decreased due to difficulties in simulating the canopy stomatal conductance.

Estimating the Relative Water Content of Single Leaves from Optical Polarization Measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Vanderbilt, Vern; Daughtry, Craig; Dahlgren, Robert

2016-01-01

Remotely sensing the water status of plants and the water content of canopies remain long-term goals of remote sensing research. For monitoring canopy water status, existing approaches such as the Crop Water Stress Index and the Equivalent Water Thickness have limitations. The CWSI does not work well in humid regions, requires estimates of the vapor pressure deficit near the canopy during the remote sensing over-flight and, once stomata close, provides little information regarding the canopy water status. The EWI is based upon the physics of water-light interaction, not plant physiology. In this research, we applied optical polarization techniques to monitor the VISNIR light reflected from the leaf interior, R, as well as the leaf transmittance, T, as the relative water content (RWC) of corn (Zea mays) leaves decreased. Our results show that R and T both changed nonlinearly as each leaf dried, R increasing and T decreasing. Our results tie changes in the VISNIR R and T to leaf physiological changes linking the light scattered out of the drying leaf interior to its relative water content and to changes in leaf cellular structure and pigments. Our results suggest remotely sensing the physiological water status of a single leaf and perhaps of a plant canopy might be possible in the future. However, using our approach to estimate the water status of a leaf does not appear possible at present, because our results display too much variability that we do not yet understand.

Integrating satellite retrieved leaf chlorophyll into land surface models for constraining simulations of water and carbon fluxes

KAUST Repository

Houborg, Rasmus

2013-07-01

In terrestrial biosphere models, key biochemical controls on carbon uptake by vegetation canopies are typically assigned fixed literature-based values for broad categories of vegetation types although in reality significant spatial and temporal variability exists. Satellite remote sensing can support modeling efforts by offering distributed information on important land surface characteristics, which would be very difficult to obtain otherwise. This study investigates the utility of satellite based retrievals of leaf chlorophyll for estimating leaf photosynthetic capacity and for constraining model simulations of water and carbon fluxes. © 2013 IEEE.

On the global relationships between photosynthetic water-use efficiency, leaf mass per unit area and atmospheric demand in woody and herbaceous plants

Science.gov (United States)

Letts, M. G.; Fox, T. A.; Gulias, J.; Galmes, J.; Hikosaka, K.; Wright, I.; Flexas, J.; Awada, T.; Rodriguez-Calcerrada, J.; Tobita, H.

2013-12-01

A global dataset was compiled including woody and herbaceous C3 species from forest, Mediterranean and grassland-shrubland ecosystems, to elucidate the dependency of photosynthetic water-use efficiency on vapour pressure deficit (D) and leaf traits. Mean leaf mass per unit area (LMA) was lower and mass-based leaf nitrogen content (Nmass) was higher in herbaceous species. Higher mean stomatal conductance (gs), transpiration rate (E) and net CO2 assimilation rate under light saturating conditions (Amax) were observed in herbs, but photosynthetic and intrinsic water-use efficiencies (WUE = Amax/E and WUEi = Amax/gs) were lower than in woody plants. Woody species maintained stricter stomatal regulation of water loss at low D, resulting in a steeper positive and linear relationship between log D and log E. Herbaceous species possessed very high gs at low D, resulting in higher ratio of substomatal to atmospheric CO2 concentrations (ci/ca) and E, but lower WUE and WUEi than woody plants, despite higher Amax. The lower WUE and higher rates of gas exchange were most pronounced in herbs with low LMA and high Nmass. Photosynthetic water use also differed between species from grassland-shrubland and Mediterranean or forest environments. Water-use efficiency showed no relationship with either D or LMA in grassland-shrubland species, but showed a negative relationship with D in forest and chaparral. The distinct photosynthetic water-use of woody and herbaceous plants is consistent with the opportunistic growth strategy of herbs and the more conservative growth strategy of woody species. Further research is recommended to examine the implications of these functional group and ecosystem differences in the contexts of climate and atmospheric change.

Identification of new SSR markers linked to leaf chlorophyll content, flag leaf senescence and cell membrane stability traits in wheat under water stressed condition.

Science.gov (United States)

Barakat, Mohamed N; Saleh, Mohamed; Al-Doss, Abdullah A; Moustafa, Khaled A; Elshafei, Adel A; Al-Qurainy, Fahed H

2015-03-01

Segregating F4 families from the cross between drought sensitive (Yecora Rojo) and drought tolerant (Pavon 76) genotypes were made to identify SSR markers linked to leaf chlorophyll content, flag leaf senescence and cell membrane stability traits in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) under water-stressed condition and to map quantitative trait locus (QTL) for the three physiological traits. The parents and 150 F4 families were evaluated phenotypically for drought tolerance using two irrigation treatments (2500 and 7500 m3/ha). Using 400 SSR primers tested for polymorphism in testing parental and F4 families genotypes, the results revealed that QTL for leaf chlorophyll content, flag leaf senescence and cell membrane stability traits were associated with 12, 5 and 12 SSR markers, respectively and explained phenotypic variation ranged from 6 to 42%. The SSR markers for physiological traits had genetic distances ranged from 12.5 to 25.5 cM. These SSR markers can be further used in breeding programs for drought tolerance in wheat.

Enhancing Water Evaporation with Floating Synthetic Leaves

Science.gov (United States)

Boreyko, Jonathan; Vieitez, Joshua; Berrier, Austin; Roseveare, Matthew; Shi, Weiwei

2017-11-01

When a wetted nanoporous medium is exposed to a subsaturated ambient environment, the water menisci assume a concave curvature to achieve a negative pressure. This negative water pressure is required to balance the mismatch in water activity across the water-air interface to achieve local equilibrium. Here, we show that the diffusive evaporation rate of water can be greatly modulated by floating a nanoporous synthetic leaf at the water's free interface. For high ambient humidities, adding the leaf serves to enhance the evaporation rate, presumably by virtue of the menisci enhancing the effective liquid-vapor surface area. For low humidities, the menisci cannot achieve a local equilibrium and retreat partway into the leaf, which increases the local humidity directly above the menisci. In light of these two effects, we find the surprising result that leaves exposed to an ambient humidity of 90 percent can evaporate water at the same rate as leaves exposed to only 50 percent humidity. These findings have implications for using synthetic trees to enhance steam generation or water harvesting. This work was supported by the National Science Foundation (CBET-1653631).

[Effects of water table manipulation on leaf photosynthesis, morphology and growth of Phragmites australis and Imperata cylindrica in the reclaimed tidal wetland at Dongtan of Chongming Island, China].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhong, Qi-Cheng; Wang, Jiang-Tao; Zhou, Jian-Hong; Ou, Qiang; Wang, Kai-Yun

2014-02-01

During the growing season of 2011, the leaf photosynthesis, morphological and growth traits of Phragmites australis and Imperata cylindrica were investigated along a gradient of water table (low, medium and high) in the reclaimed tidal wetland at the Dongtan of Chongming Island in the Yangtze Estuary of China. A series of soil factors, i. e., soil temperature, moisture, salinity and inorganic nitrogen content, were also measured. During the peak growing season, leaf photosynthetic capacity of P. australis in the wetland with high water table was significantly lower than those in the wetland with low and medium water tables, and no difference was observed in leaf photosynthetic capacity of I. cylindrica at the three water tables. During the entire growing season, at the shoot level, the morphological and growth traits of P. australis got the optimum in the wetland with medium water table, but most of the morphological and growth traits of I. cylindrica had no significant differences at the three water tables. At the population level, the shoot density, leaf area index and aboveground biomass per unit area were the highest in the wetland with high water table for P. australis, but all of the three traits were the highest in the wetland with low water table for I. cylindrica. At the early growing season, the rhizome biomass of P. australis in the 0-20 cm soil layer had no difference at the three water tables, and the rhizome biomass of I. cylindrica in the 0-20 cm soil layer in the wetland with high water table was significantly lower than those in the wetland with low and medium water table. As a native hygrophyte before the reclamation, the variations of performances of P. australis at the three water tables were probably attributed to the differences in the soil factors as well as the intensity of competition from I. cylindrica. To appropriately manipulate water table in the reclaimed tidal wetland may restrict the growth and propagation of the mesophyte I

Edge type affects leaf-level water relations and estimated transpiration of Eucalyptus arenacea.

Science.gov (United States)

Wright, Thomas E; Tausz, Michael; Kasel, Sabine; Volkova, Liubov; Merchant, Andrew; Bennett, Lauren T

2012-03-01

While edge effects on tree water relations are well described for closed forests, they remain under-examined in more open forest types. Similarly, there has been minimal evaluation of the effects of contrasting land uses on the water relations of open forest types in highly fragmented landscapes. We examined edge effects on the water relations and gas exchange of a dominant tree (Eucalyptus arenacea Marginson & Ladiges) in an open forest type (temperate woodland) of south-eastern Australia. Edge effects in replicate woodlands adjoined by cleared agricultural land (pasture edges) were compared with those adjoined by 7- to 9-year-old eucalypt plantation with a 25m fire break (plantation edges). Consistent with studies in closed forest types, edge effects were pronounced at pasture edges where photosynthesis, transpiration and stomatal conductance were greater for edge trees than interior trees (75m into woodlands), and were related to greater light availability and significantly higher branch water potentials at woodland edges than interiors. Nonetheless, gas exchange values were only ∼50% greater for edge than interior trees, compared with ∼200% previously found in closed forest types. In contrast to woodlands adjoined by pasture, gas exchange in winter was significantly lower for edge than interior trees in woodlands adjoined by plantations, consistent with shading and buffering effects of plantations on edge microclimate. Plantation edge effects were less pronounced in summer, although higher water use efficiency of edge than interior woodland trees indicated possible competition for water between plantation trees and woodland edge trees in the drier months (an effect that might have been more pronounced were there no firebreak between the two land uses). Scaling up of leaf-level water relations to stand transpiration using a Jarvis-type phenomenological model indicated similar differences between edge types. That is, transpiration was greater at pasture than

Estimation of leaf water content from far infrared (2.5-14µm) spectra using continuous wavelet analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ullah, S.; Skidmore, A.K.; Naeem, M.; Schlerf, M.

2012-01-01

The objective of this study was to estimate leaf water content based on continuous wavelet analysis from the far infrared (2.5 - 14.0 μm) spectra. The entire dataset comprised of 394 far infrared spectra which were divided into calibration (262 spectra) and validation (132 spectra) subsets. The far

Exploiting water versus tolerating drought: water-use strategies of trees in a secondary successional tropical dry forest.

Science.gov (United States)

Pineda-García, Fernando; Paz, Horacio; Meinzer, Frederick C; Angeles, Guillermo

2016-02-01

In seasonal plant communities where water availability changes dramatically both between and within seasons, understanding the mechanisms that enable plants to exploit water pulses and to survive drought periods is crucial. By measuring rates of physiological processes, we examined the trade-off between water exploitation and drought tolerance among seedlings of trees of a tropical dry forest, and identified biophysical traits most closely associated with plant water-use strategies. We also explored whether early and late secondary successional species occupy different portions of trade-off axes. As predicted, species that maintained carbon capture, hydraulic function and leaf area at higher plant water deficits during drought had low photosynthetic rates, xylem hydraulic conductivity and growth rate under non-limiting water supply. Drought tolerance was associated with more dense leaf, stem and root tissues, whereas rapid resource acquisition was associated with greater stem water storage, larger vessel diameter and larger leaf area per mass invested. We offer evidence that the water exploitation versus drought tolerance trade-off drives species differentiation in the ability of tropical dry forest trees to deal with alternating water-drought pulses. However, we detected no evidence of strong functional differentiation between early and late successional species along the proposed trade-off axes, suggesting that the environmental gradient of water availability across secondary successional habitats in the dry tropics does not filter out physiological strategies of water use among species, at least at the seedling stage. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Covariance of oxygen and hydrogen isotopic composition in plant water: Species effects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cooper, L.W.; DeNiro, M.J. (Univ. of California, Los Angeles (United States))

1989-12-01

Leaf water becomes enriched in the heavy isotopes of oxygen and hydrogen during evapotranspiration. The magnitude of the enrichment has been shown to be influenced by temperature and humidity, but the effects of species-specific factors on leaf water enrichment of D and {sup 18}O have not been studied for different plants growing together. To learn whether leaf water enrichment patterns and processes for D and {sup 18}O are different for individual species growing under the same environmental conditions the authors tested the proposal that leaf waters in plants with crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) show high sloped (m in the leaf water equation {delta}D = m {delta}{sup 18}O + b) than in C{sub 3} plants. They determined the relationships between the stable hydrogen ({delta}D) and oxygen ({delta}{sup 18}O) isotope ratios of leaf waters collected during the diurnal cycle of evapotranspiration for Yucca schidigera, Ephedra aspera, Agave deserti, Prunus ilicifolia, Yucca whipplei, Heteromeles arbutifolia, Dyckia fosteriana, Simmondsia chinensis, and Encelia farinosa growing at two sites in southern California. The findings indicate that m in the aforementioned equation is related to the overall residence time for water in the leaf and proportions of water subjected to repeated evapotranspiration enrichments of heavy isotopes.

"Breath figures" on leaf surfaces-formation and effects of microscopic leaf wetness.

Science.gov (United States)

Burkhardt, Juergen; Hunsche, Mauricio

2013-01-01

"Microscopic leaf wetness" means minute amounts of persistent liquid water on leaf surfaces which are invisible to the naked eye. The water is mainly maintained by transpired water vapor condensing onto the leaf surface and to attached leaf surface particles. With an estimated average thickness of less than 1 μm, microscopic leaf wetness is about two orders of magnitude thinner than morning dewfall. The most important physical processes which reduce the saturation vapor pressure and promote condensation are cuticular absorption and the deliquescence of hygroscopic leaf surface particles. Deliquescent salts form highly concentrated solutions. Depending on the type and concentration of the dissolved ions, the physicochemical properties of microscopic leaf wetness can be considerably different from those of pure water. Microscopic leaf wetness can form continuous thin layers on hydrophobic leaf surfaces and in specific cases can act similar to surfactants, enabling a strong potential influence on the foliar exchange of ions. Microscopic leaf wetness can also enhance the dissolution, the emission, and the reaction of specific atmospheric trace gases e.g., ammonia, SO2, or ozone, leading to a strong potential role for microscopic leaf wetness in plant/atmosphere interaction. Due to its difficult detection, there is little knowledge about the occurrence and the properties of microscopic leaf wetness. However, based on the existing evidence and on physicochemical reasoning it can be hypothesized that microscopic leaf wetness occurs on almost any plant worldwide and often permanently, and that it significantly influences the exchange processes of the leaf surface with its neighboring compartments, i.e., the plant interior and the atmosphere. The omission of microscopic water in general leaf wetness concepts has caused far-reaching, misleading conclusions in the past.

Soil water effect on crop growth, leaf gas exchange, water and radiation use efficiency of Saccharum spontaneum L. ssp. aegyptiacum (Willd. Hackel in semi-arid Mediterranean environment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Danilo Scordia

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Great effort has been placed to identify the most suited bioenergy crop under different environments and management practices, however, there is still need to find new genetic resources for constrained areas. For instance, South Mediterranean area is strongly affected by prolonged drought, high vapour pressure deficit (VPD and extremely high temperatures during summertime. In the present work we investigated the soil water effect on crop growth and leaf gas exchange of Saccharum spontaneum L. ssp. aegyptiacum (Willd. Hackel, a perennial, rhizomatous, herbaceous grass. Furthermore, the net increase of biomass production per unit light intercepted [radiation use efficiency (RUE] and per unit water transpired [water use efficiency (WUE] was also studied. To this end a field trial was carried out imposing three levels of soil water availability (I100, I50 and I0, corresponding to 100%, 50% and 0% of ETm restutition under a semi-arid Mediterranean environment. Leaf area index (LAI, stem height, biomass dry matter yield, CO2 assimilation rate, and transpiration rate resulted significantly affected by measurement time and irrigation treatment, with the highest values in I100 and the lowest in I0. RUE was the highest in I100 followed by I50 and I0; on the other hand, WUE was higher in I0 than I50 and I100. At LAI values greater than 2.0, 85% photosynthetically active radiation was intercepted by the Saccharum stand, irrespective of the irrigation treatment. Saccharum spontaneum spp. aegyptiacum is a potential species for biomass production in environment characterized by drought stress, high temperatures and high VPD, as those of Southern Europe and similar semi-arid areas.

Tamarix and Diorhabda leaf beetle interactions: implications for Tamarix water use and riparian habitat

Science.gov (United States)

Nagler, Pamela; Glenn, Edward P.

2013-01-01

Tamarix leaf beetles (Diorhabda carinulata) have been widely released on western United States rivers to control introduced shrubs in the genus Tamarix, with the goals of saving water through removal of an assumed high water-use plant, and of improving habitat value by removing a competitor of native riparian trees. We review recent studies addressing three questions: (1) to what extent are Tamarix weakened or killed by recurrent cycles of defoliation; (2) can significant water salvage be expected from defoliation; and (3) what are the effects of defoliation on riparian ecology, particularly on avian habit? Defoliation has been patchy at many sites, and shrubs at some sites recover each year even after multiple years of defoliation. Tamarix evapotranspiration (ET) is much lower than originally assumed in estimates of potential water savings, and are the same or lower than possible replacement plants. There is concern that the endangered southwestern willow flycatcher (Empidonax trailli extimus) will be negatively affected by defoliation because the birds build nests early in the season when Tamarix is still green, but are still on their nests during the period of summer defoliation. Affected river systems will require continued monitoring and development of adaptive management practices to maintain or enhance riparian habitat values. Multiplatform remote sensing methods are playing an essential role in monitoring defoliation and rates of ET on affected river systems.

Wash water waste pretreatment system study

Science.gov (United States)

1976-01-01

The use of real wash water had no adverse effect on soap removal when an Olive Leaf soap based system was used; 96 percent of the soap was removed using ferric chloride. Numerous chemical agents were evaluated as antifoams for synthetic wash water. Wash water surfactants used included Olive Leaf Soap, Ivory Soap, Neutrogena and Neutrogena Rain Bath Gel, Alipal CO-436, Aerosol 18, Miranol JEM, Palmeto, and Aerosol MA-80. For each type of soapy wash water evaluated, at least one antifoam capable of causing nonpersistent foam was identified. In general, the silicones and the heavy metal ions (i.e., ferric, aluminum, etc.) were the most effective antifoams. Required dosage was in the range of 50 to 200 ppm.

Does homeostasis or disturbance of homeostasis in minimum leaf water potential explain the isohydric versus anisohydric behavior of Vitis vinifera L. cultivars?

Science.gov (United States)

Jean-Christophe Domec; Daniel M. Johnson

2012-01-01

Due to the diurnal and seasonal fluctuations in leaf-to-air vapor pressure deficit (D), one of the key regulatory roles played by stomata is to limit transpiration-induced leaf water deficit. Different types of plants are known to vary in the sensitivity of stomatal conductance (gs) to D with important consequences for their survival and growth. Plants that minimize...

shoot water content and reference evapotranspiration

African Journals Online (AJOL)

ACSS

measurement affects irrigation amount, while in the atmospheric-based methods, the soil water content affects evapotranspiration. Most ... stem water potential, leaf water potential, and .... cells. No tillage plots were weeded by hand pulling of weeds; whereas hoes were used in ..... based on soil electrical conductivity and.

Role of aquaporins in determining transpiration and photosynthesis in water-stressed plants: crop water-use efficiency, growth and yield.

Science.gov (United States)

Moshelion, Menachem; Halperin, Ofer; Wallach, Rony; Oren, Ram; Way, Danielle A

2015-09-01

The global shortage of fresh water is one of our most severe agricultural problems, leading to dry and saline lands that reduce plant growth and crop yield. Here we review recent work highlighting the molecular mechanisms allowing some plant species and genotypes to maintain productivity under water stress conditions, and suggest molecular modifications to equip plants for greater production in water-limited environments. Aquaporins (AQPs) are thought to be the main transporters of water, small and uncharged solutes, and CO2 through plant cell membranes, thus linking leaf CO2 uptake from the intercellular airspaces to the chloroplast with water loss pathways. AQPs appear to play a role in regulating dynamic changes of root, stem and leaf hydraulic conductivity, especially in response to environmental changes, opening the door to using AQP expression to regulate plant water-use efficiency. We highlight the role of vascular AQPs in regulating leaf hydraulic conductivity and raise questions regarding their role (as well as tonoplast AQPs) in determining the plant isohydric threshold, growth rate, fruit yield production and harvest index. The tissue- or cell-specific expression of AQPs is discussed as a tool to increase yield relative to control plants under both normal and water-stressed conditions. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

‘Breath figures’ on leaf surfaces – formation and effects of microscopic leaf wetness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jürgen eBurkhardt

2013-10-01

Full Text Available ‘Microscopic leaf wetness’ means minute amounts of persistent liquid water on leaf surfaces which are invisible to the naked eye. The water is mainly maintained by transpired water vapor condensing onto the leaf surface and to attached leaf surface particles. With an estimated average thickness of less than 1 µm, microscopic leaf wetness it is about 2 orders of magnitude thinner than morning dewfall. The most important physical processes which reduce the saturation vapor pressure and promote condensation are cuticular absorption and the deliquescence of hygroscopic leaf surface particles. Deliquescent salts form highly concentrated solutions. Depending on the amount and concentration of the dissolved ions, the physicochemical properties of microscopic leaf wetness can be considerably different from those of pure water. Microscopic leaf wetness can form continuous thin layers on hydrophobic leaf surfaces and in specific cases can act similar to surfactants, enabling a strong potential influence on the foliar exchange of ions. Microscopic leaf wetness can also enhance the dissolution, the emission, and the reaction of specific atmospheric trace gases e.g. ammonia, SO2, or ozone, leading to a strong potential role for microscopic leaf wetness in plant/atmosphere interaction. Due to its difficult detection, there is little knowledge about the occurrence and the properties of microscopic leaf wetness. However, based on the existing evidence and on physicochemical reasoning it can be hypothesized that microscopic leaf wetness occurs on almost any plant worldwide and often permanently, and that it significantly influences the exchange processes of the leaf surface with its neighboring compartments, i.e., the plant interior and the atmosphere. The omission of microscopic water in general leaf wetness concepts has caused far-reaching, misleading conclusions in the past.

Nutritive Value of Fermented Water Hyacinth (Eichornia crassipes Leaf with Aspergillus niger in Tegal Duck

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I Mangisah

2010-05-01

Full Text Available Two steps of experiment were conducted to evaluate the proximate composition and nutritive value of fermented water hyacinth leaf (WHL with Aspergillus niger in Tegal duck. Twenty two heads of eight-week Tegal ducks with an average body weight of 1202.55 + 111.14 g were used in this experiment. There were two treatments namely: non-fermented (NFWH and fermented with Aspergillus niger (FWHAN. Each treatment was replicated 10 times. Data gathered were analyzed using t-student test. The proximate composition between NFWH and FWHAN showed an increase in crude protein/CP (11.44 vs 16.09% and ash (12.76 vs 22.37% but a decrease in crude fiber/CF (21.51 vs 16.62% and nitrogen free extract/NFE (53.20 vs 43.59%. The nutritive value of diet for eight-week Tegal ducks showed that fermentation of WHL with Aspergillus niger significantly increased CP digestibility, true metabolizable energy (TME and nitrogen retention (NR, but not for CF digestibility. It could be concluded that fermentation of WHL with Aspergillus niger increases the nutrient quality and the nutritive value of diet for eight-week Tegal ducks in term of CP digestibility, TME and NR. (Animal Production 12(2: 100-104 (2010Key Words: water hyacinth leaf, fermentation, Aspergillus niger, biological value, Tegal ducks

Effects of Water Solutions on Extracting Green Tea Leaves

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wen-Ying Huang

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This study investigates the effects of water solutions on the antioxidant content of green tea leaf extracts. Green teas prepared with tap water and distilled water were compared with respect to four antioxidant assays: total phenol content, reducing power, DMPD assay, and trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity assay. The results indicate that green tea prepared with distilled water exhibits higher antioxidant activity than that made with tap water. The high performance liquid chromatography showed that major constituents of green tea were found in higher concentrations in tea made with distilled water than in that made with tap water. This could be due to less calcium fixation in leaves and small water clusters. Water solutions composed of less mineralisation are more effective in promoting the quality of green tea leaf extracts.

Soil water availability and rooting depth as determinants of hydraulic architecture of Patagonian woody species

Science.gov (United States)

Sandra J. Bucci; Fabian G. Scholz; Guillermo Goldstein; Frederick C. Meinzer; Maria E. Arce

2009-01-01

We studied the water economy of nine woody species differing in rooting depth in a Patagonian shrub steppe from southern Argentina to understand how soil water availability and rooting depth determine their hydraulic architecture. Soil water content and potentials, leaf water potentials (Leaf) hydraulic conductivity, wood density (Pw), rooting depth, and specific leaf...

Association of water spectral indices with plant and soil water relations in contrasting wheat genotypes.

Science.gov (United States)

Gutierrez, Mario; Reynolds, Matthew P; Klatt, Arthur R

2010-07-01

Spectral reflectance indices can be used to estimate the water status of plants in a rapid, non-destructive manner. Water spectral indices were measured on wheat under a range of water-deficit conditions in field-based yield trials to establish their relationship with water relations parameters as well as available volumetric soil water (AVSW) to indicate soil water extraction patterns. Three types of wheat germplasm were studied which showed a range of drought adaptation; near-isomorphic sister lines from an elite/elite cross, advanced breeding lines, and lines derived from interspecific hybridization with wild relatives (synthetic derivative lines). Five water spectral indices (one water index and four normalized water indices) based on near infrared wavelengths were determined under field conditions between the booting and grain-filling stages of crop development. Among all water spectral indices, one in particular, which was denominated as NWI-3, showed the most consistent associations with water relations parameters and demonstrated the strongest associations in all three germplasm sets. NWI-3 showed a strong linear relationship (r(2) >0.6-0.8) with leaf water potential (psi(leaf)) across a broad range of values (-2.0 to -4.0 MPa) that were determined by natural variation in the environment associated with intra- and inter-seasonal affects. Association observed between NWI-3 and canopy temperature (CT) was consistent with the idea that genotypes with a better hydration status have a larger water flux (increased stomatal conductance) during the day. NWI-3 was also related to soil water potential (psi(soil)) and AVSW, indicating that drought-adapted lines could extract more water from deeper soil profiles to maintain favourable water relations. NWI-3 was sufficiently sensitive to detect genotypic differences (indicated by phenotypic and genetic correlations) in water status at the canopy and soil levels indicating its potential application in precision

Leaf surface structures enable the endemic Namib desert grass Stipagrostis sabulicola to irrigate itself with fog water.

Science.gov (United States)

Roth-Nebelsick, A; Ebner, M; Miranda, T; Gottschalk, V; Voigt, D; Gorb, S; Stegmaier, T; Sarsour, J; Linke, M; Konrad, W

2012-08-07

The Namib grass Stipagrostis sabulicola relies, to a large degree, upon fog for its water supply and is able to guide collected water towards the plant base. This directed irrigation of the plant base allows an efficient and rapid uptake of the fog water by the shallow roots. In this contribution, the mechanisms for this directed water flow are analysed. Stipagrostis sabulicola has a highly irregular surface. Advancing contact angle is 98° ± 5° and the receding angle is 56° ± 9°, with a mean of both values of approximately 77°. The surface is thus not hydrophobic, shows a substantial contact angle hysteresis and therefore, allows the development of pinned drops of a substantial size. The key factor for the water conduction is the presence of grooves within the leaf surface that run parallel to the long axis of the plant. These grooves provide a guided downslide of drops that have exceeded the maximum size for attachment. It also leads to a minimum of inefficient drop scattering around the plant. The combination of these surface traits together with the tall and upright stature of S. sabulicola contributes to a highly efficient natural fog-collecting system that enables this species to thrive in a hyperarid environment.

Leaf surface structures enable the endemic Namib desert grass Stipagrostis sabulicola to irrigate itself with fog water

Science.gov (United States)

Roth-Nebelsick, A.; Ebner, M.; Miranda, T.; Gottschalk, V.; Voigt, D.; Gorb, S.; Stegmaier, T.; Sarsour, J.; Linke, M.; Konrad, W.

2012-01-01

The Namib grass Stipagrostis sabulicola relies, to a large degree, upon fog for its water supply and is able to guide collected water towards the plant base. This directed irrigation of the plant base allows an efficient and rapid uptake of the fog water by the shallow roots. In this contribution, the mechanisms for this directed water flow are analysed. Stipagrostis sabulicola has a highly irregular surface. Advancing contact angle is 98° ± 5° and the receding angle is 56° ± 9°, with a mean of both values of approximately 77°. The surface is thus not hydrophobic, shows a substantial contact angle hysteresis and therefore, allows the development of pinned drops of a substantial size. The key factor for the water conduction is the presence of grooves within the leaf surface that run parallel to the long axis of the plant. These grooves provide a guided downslide of drops that have exceeded the maximum size for attachment. It also leads to a minimum of inefficient drop scattering around the plant. The combination of these surface traits together with the tall and upright stature of S. sabulicola contributes to a highly efficient natural fog-collecting system that enables this species to thrive in a hyperarid environment. PMID:22356817

Elimination of 137Cs from trefoil (leaf and stem), ''Mitsuba'', cryptotaenia japonica hassk, boiled in a distilled and salted waters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Motegi, Misako; Miyake, Sadaaki; Ohsawa, Takashi; Nakazawa, Kiyoaki; Izumo, Yoshiro

1999-01-01

Elimination of 137 Cs from highly accumulated trefoil (leaf and stem) through boiling in distilled and salted water were investigated in relation to study the effect of cooking and processing on biochemical states of radionuclides (RI) contaminating in foods. 137 Cs was hardly eliminated from the trefoil immersed in a distilled water at room temperature (about 15degC) during 10 min. 137 Cs was considerably eliminated from the trefoil when boiled in a distilled water, 0.3-3.0% salt concentration of the water and soy sauce: about 40-60% (after 2 min), 70-85% (5 min) and 80-90% (10 min), respectively. Elimination of 137 Cs in the soy sauce (e.g. 77.0±2.9%, at 1% salt concentration after 10 min) was restrictive comparing to that in the salt water (93.4±2.3%). These results are expected to contribute to evaluate the radiation exposure to man when a boiled trefoil contaminating with 137 Cs was ingested. (author)

Acclimation to high CO2 in maize is related to water status and dependent on leaf rank.

Science.gov (United States)

Prins, Anneke; Mukubi, Josephine Muchwesi; Pellny, Till K; Verrier, Paul J; Beyene, Getu; Lopes, Marta Silva; Emami, Kaveh; Treumann, Achim; Lelarge-Trouverie, Caroline; Noctor, Graham; Kunert, Karl J; Kerchev, Pavel; Foyer, Christine H

2011-02-01

The responses of C(3) plants to rising atmospheric CO(2) levels are considered to be largely dependent on effects exerted through altered photosynthesis. In contrast, the nature of the responses of C(4) plants to high CO(2) remains controversial because of the absence of CO(2) -dependent effects on photosynthesis. In this study, the effects of atmospheric CO(2) availability on the transcriptome, proteome and metabolome profiles of two ranks of source leaves in maize (Zea mays L.) were studied in plants grown under ambient CO(2) conditions (350 +/- 20 µL L(-1) CO(2) ) or with CO(2) enrichment (700 +/- 20 µL L(-1) CO(2) ). Growth at high CO(2) had no effect on photosynthesis, photorespiration, leaf C/N ratios or anthocyanin contents. However, leaf transpiration rates, carbohydrate metabolism and protein carbonyl accumulation were altered at high CO(2) in a leaf-rank specific manner. Although no significant CO(2) -dependent changes in the leaf transcriptome were observed, qPCR analysis revealed that the abundance of transcripts encoding a Bowman-Birk protease inhibitor and a serpin were changed by the growth CO(2) level in a leaf rank specific manner. Moreover, CO(2) -dependent changes in the leaf proteome were most evident in the oldest source leaves. Small changes in water status may be responsible for the observed responses to high CO(2,) particularly in the older leaf ranks. © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Dynamics of leaf gas exchange, xylem and phloem transport, water potential and carbohydrate concentration in a realistic 3-D model tree crown.

Science.gov (United States)

Nikinmaa, Eero; Sievänen, Risto; Hölttä, Teemu

2014-09-01

Tree models simulate productivity using general gas exchange responses and structural relationships, but they rarely check whether leaf gas exchange and resulting water and assimilate transport and driving pressure gradients remain within acceptable physical boundaries. This study presents an implementation of the cohesion-tension theory of xylem transport and the Münch hypothesis of phloem transport in a realistic 3-D tree structure and assesses the gas exchange and transport dynamics. A mechanistic model of xylem and phloem transport was used, together with a tested leaf assimilation and transpiration model in a realistic tree architecture to simulate leaf gas exchange and water and carbohydrate transport within an 8-year-old Scots pine tree. The model solved the dynamics of the amounts of water and sucrose solute in the xylem, cambium and phloem using a fine-grained mesh with a system of coupled ordinary differential equations. The simulations predicted the observed patterns of pressure gradients and sugar concentration. Diurnal variation of environmental conditions influenced tree-level gradients in turgor pressure and sugar concentration, which are important drivers of carbon allocation. The results and between-shoot variation were sensitive to structural and functional parameters such as tree-level scaling of conduit size and phloem unloading. Linking whole-tree-level water and assimilate transport, gas exchange and sink activity opens a new avenue for plant studies, as features that are difficult to measure can be studied dynamically with the model. Tree-level responses to local and external conditions can be tested, thus making the approach described here a good test-bench for studies of whole-tree physiology.

Hydraulic properties of rice and the response of gas exchange to water stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Stiller, Volker; Lafitte, H Renee; Sperry, John S

2003-07-01

We investigated the role of xylem cavitation, plant hydraulic conductance, and root pressure in the response of rice (Oryza sativa) gas exchange to water stress. In the field (Philippines), the percentage loss of xylem conductivity (PLC) from cavitation exceeded 60% in leaves even in watered controls. The PLC versus leaf water potential relationship indicated diurnal refilling of cavitated xylem. The leaf water potential causing 50 PLC (P(50)) was -1.6 MPa and did not differ between upland versus lowland rice varieties. Greenhouse-grown varieties (Utah) were more resistant to cavitation with a 50 PLC of -1.9 MPa but also showed no difference between varieties. Six-day droughts caused concomitant reductions in leaf-specific photosynthetic rate, leaf diffusive conductance, and soil-leaf hydraulic conductance that were associated with cavitation-inducing water potentials and the disappearance of nightly root pressure. The return of root pressure after drought was associated with the complete recovery of leaf diffusive conductance, leaf-specific photosynthetic rate, and soil-leaf hydraulic conductance. Root pressure after the 6-d drought (61.2 +/- 8.8 kPa) was stimulated 7-fold compared with well-watered plants before drought (8.5 +/- 3.8 kPa). The results indicate: (a) that xylem cavitation plays a major role in the reduction of plant hydraulic conductance during drought, and (b) that rice can readily reverse cavitation, possibly aided by nocturnal root pressure.

How to repel hot water from a superhydrophobic surface?

KAUST Repository

Yu, Zhejun

2014-01-01

Superhydrophobic surfaces, with water contact angles greater than 150° and slide angles less than 10°, have attracted a great deal of attention due to their self-cleaning ability and excellent water-repellency. It is commonly accepted that a superhydrophobic surface loses its superhydrophobicity in contact with water hotter than 50 °C. Such a phenomenon was recently demonstrated by Liu et al. [J. Mater. Chem., 2009, 19, 5602], using both natural lotus leaf and artificial leaf-like surfaces. However, our work has shown that superhydrophobic surfaces maintained their superhydrophobicity, even in water at 80 °C, provided that the leaf temperature is greater than that of the water droplet. In this paper, we report on the wettability of water droplets on superhydrophobic thin films, as a function of both their temperatures. The results have shown that both the water contact and slide angles on the surfaces will remain unchanged when the temperature of the water droplet is greater than that of the surface. The water contact angle, or the slide angle, will decrease or increase, however, with droplet temperatures increasingly greater than that of the surfaces. We propose that, in such cases, the loss of superhydrophobicity of the surfaces is caused by evaporation of the hot water molecules and their condensation on the cooler surface. © 2014 the Partner Organisations.

[Study on membrane type leaf water evaporation inhibitors for improving effect of preventing diseases and pest controlling of Lycium barbarum].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Dan-Dan; Lv, Zhe; Xu, Chang-Qing; Liu, Sai; Chen, Jun; Peng, Xiao; Wu, Yan

2018-01-01

Through indoor and field comparative experiments, the properties of membrane type leaf evaporation inhibitors and its effects on photosynthesis of Lycium barbarum and compatibility and synergistic of pesticide were studied. The evaporation inhibitors and L. barbarum were chosen to investigate the suppression of water evaporation and the compatibility with pesticides. The effect of evaporation inhibitors on photosynthesis of L. barbarum leaves was determined by the chlorophyll fluorescence imaging system. The results showed that water evaporation of L. barbarum leaves of different leaf age were evidently suppressed after treated with evaporation inhibitor. The inhibitor was well compatible with pesticide and effectively improved the pesticide efficacy，and had no significant effect on chlorophyll fluorescence parameters. It is concluded that the evaporation inhibitor has good compatibility with the pesticide, and has remarkable effect of restraining moisture evaporation, which make it can be used for reducing the dosage and improving the efficacy of the pesticide in the field of L. barbarum. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Variation in the carbon and oxygen isotope composition of plant biomass and its relationship to water-use efficiency at the leaf- and ecosystem-scales in a northern Great Plains grassland.

Science.gov (United States)

Flanagan, Lawrence B; Farquhar, Graham D

2014-02-01

Measurements of the carbon (δ(13) Cm ) and oxygen (δ(18) Om ) isotope composition of C3 plant tissue provide important insights into controls on water-use efficiency. We investigated the causes of seasonal and inter-annual variability in water-use efficiency in a grassland near Lethbridge, Canada using stable isotope (leaf-scale) and eddy covariance measurements (ecosystem-scale). The positive relationship between δ(13) Cm and δ(18) Om values for samples collected during 1998-2001 indicated that variation in stomatal conductance and water stress-induced changes in the degree of stomatal limitation of net photosynthesis were the major controls on variation in δ(13) Cm and biomass production during this time. By comparison, the lack of a significant relationship between δ(13) Cm and δ(18) Om values during 2002, 2003 and 2006 demonstrated that water stress was not a significant limitation on photosynthesis and biomass production in these years. Water-use efficiency was higher in 2000 than 1999, consistent with expectations because of greater stomatal limitation of photosynthesis and lower leaf ci /ca during the drier conditions of 2000. Calculated values of leaf-scale water-use efficiency were 2-3 times higher than ecosystem-scale water-use efficiency, a difference that was likely due to carbon lost in root respiration and water lost during soil evaporation that was not accounted for by the stable isotope measurements. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Effects of mechanical stress or abscisic acid on growth, water status and leaf abscisic acid content of eggplant seedlings

Science.gov (United States)

Latimer, J. G.; Mitchell, C. A.

1988-01-01

Container-grown eggplant (Solanum melongena L. var esculentum Nees. 'Burpee's Black Beauty') seedlings were conditioned with brief, periodic mechanical stress or abscisic acid (ABA) in a greenhouse prior to outdoor exposure. Mechanical stress consisted of seismic (shaking) or thigmic (stem flexing) treatment. Exogenous ABA (10(-3) or 10(-4)M) was applied as a soil drench 3 days prior to outdoor transfer. During conditioning, only thigmic stress reduced stem elongation and only 10(-3) M ABA reduced relative growth rate (RGR). Both conditioning treatments increased leaf specific chlorophyll content, but mechanical stress did not affect leaf ABA content. Outdoor exposure of unconditioned eggplant seedlings decreased RGR and leaf-specific chlorophyll content, but tended to increase leaf ABA content relative to that of plants maintained in the greenhouse. Conditioning did not affect RGR of plants subsequently transferred outdoors, but did reduce stem growth. Seismic stress applied in the greenhouse reduced dry weight gain by plants subsequently transferred outdoors. Mechanical stress treatments increased leaf water potential by 18-25% relative to that of untreated plants.

Phenotypic plasticity in plants of Lippia dulcis (verbenaceae) subjected to water deficit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Villamizar Cujar, Javier Mauricio; Rodriguez Lopez, Nelson Facundo; Tezara Fernandez, Wilmer

2012-01-01

Phenotypic plasticity (FP) is one of the mechanisms by which plants can respond to environmental heterogeneity by adjusting their morphology and physiology. This study tested and quantified the FP of Lippia dulcis plants in response to water availability in soil (low, medium and high), on morphologic and biomass allocation traits during the vegetative ontogeny (days 39, 45, 59 and 66). We hypothesized that in response to water availability, a higher FP should be expected in morphological compared to biomass allocation traits. The leaf mass fraction, leaf area ratio, branch length, number of leaves and root mass/leaf mass ratio, showed the largest capacity of plastic adjustment in the L. dulcis plants to water deficit, whereas the specific leaf area represented the trait with the lowest FP along vegetative ontogeny. The magnitude and pattern of FP changed depending on trait, water availability and ontogenic development. Contrary to our hypothesis the morphological traits and biomass allocation traits showed equivalent FP. The models of optimum allocation and optimum foraging are not mutually exclusive under water deficit. L. dulcis changed its pattern of biomass allocation, leaf and root morphology and as an adaptive advantage optimized the balance between organs involved in water acquisition and use. L. dulcis showed a remarkable ability to avoid water deficit.

Effect of Water Deficit Stress on Peach Growth under Commercial Orchard Management Conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Rahmati

2015-06-01

Full Text Available In order to study the sensitivity of vegetative growth to water deficit stress of a late-maturing peach (Prunus persica L. cv. Elberta under orchard conditions, an experiment was conducted as randomized complete-block design with three treatments and four repetitions in Shahdiran commercial orchard in Mashhad during 2011. Three irrigation treatments including 360 (low stress, 180 (moderate stress and 90 (severe stress m3ha-1week-1 using a drip irrigation system (minimum stem water potential near harvest: -1.2, -1.5 and -1.7 MPa, respectively from the mid-pit hardening stage (12th of June until harvest (23rd of Sep. applied. Predawn, stem and leaf water potentials, leaf photosynthesis, transpiration, stomatal conductance and leaf temperature, the number of new shoots on fruit bearing shoots and vegetative shoots lengths during growing season as well as leaf area at harvest were measured. The results showed that water deficit stress had negative effects on peach tree water status, thereby resulting in decreased leaf gas exchange and tree vegetative growth. As significant decreased assimilate production of tree was resulted from both decreased leaf assimilation rate (until about 23 % and 50 %, respectively under moderate and severe stress conditions compared to low stress conditions and decreased leaf area of tree (until about 57% and 79%, respectively under moderate and severe stress conditions compared to low stress conditions at harvest. The significant positive correlation between leaf water potential and vegetative growth of peach revealed that shoot growth would decrease by 30% and 50% of maximum at leaf water potential of –1.56 and –2.30 MPa, respectively.

Short-term responses of leaf growth rate to water deficit scale up to whole-plant and crop levels: an integrated modelling approach in maize.

Science.gov (United States)

Chenu, Karine; Chapman, Scott C; Hammer, Graeme L; McLean, Greg; Salah, Halim Ben Haj; Tardieu, François

2008-03-01

Physiological and genetic studies of leaf growth often focus on short-term responses, leaving a gap to whole-plant models that predict biomass accumulation, transpiration and yield at crop scale. To bridge this gap, we developed a model that combines an existing model of leaf 6 expansion in response to short-term environmental variations with a model coordinating the development of all leaves of a plant. The latter was based on: (1) rates of leaf initiation, appearance and end of elongation measured in field experiments; and (2) the hypothesis of an independence of the growth between leaves. The resulting whole-plant leaf model was integrated into the generic crop model APSIM which provided dynamic feedback of environmental conditions to the leaf model and allowed simulation of crop growth at canopy level. The model was tested in 12 field situations with contrasting temperature, evaporative demand and soil water status. In observed and simulated data, high evaporative demand reduced leaf area at the whole-plant level, and short water deficits affected only leaves developing during the stress, either visible or still hidden in the whorl. The model adequately simulated whole-plant profiles of leaf area with a single set of parameters that applied to the same hybrid in all experiments. It was also suitable to predict biomass accumulation and yield of a similar hybrid grown in different conditions. This model extends to field conditions existing knowledge of the environmental controls of leaf elongation, and can be used to simulate how their genetic controls flow through to yield.

Diurnal variations in water relations of deficit irrigated lemon trees during fruit growth period

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garcia-Orellana, Y.; Ortuno, M. F.; Conejero, W.; Ruiz-Sanchez, M. C.

2013-05-01

Field-grown lemon trees (Citrus limon (L.) Burm. fil. cv. Fino) were subjected to different drip irrigation treatments: a control treatment, irrigated daily above crop water requirements in order to obtain non-limiting soil water conditions and two deficit irrigation treatments, reducing the water applied according to the maximum daily trunk shrinkage (MDS) signal intensity (actual MDS/control treatment MDS) threshold values of 1.25 (T1 treatment) and 1.35 (T2 treatment), which induced two different drought stress levels. Daily variations in leaf (Y{sub l}eaf) and stem (Y{sub s}tem) water potentials, leaf conductance, net photosynthesis, sap flow (SF) and trunk diameter fluctuations were studied on four occasions during the lemon fruit growth period. Ystem and Y{sub l}eaf revealed a diurnal pattern in response to changes in evaporative demand of the atmosphere. Both water potentials decreased in response to water deficits, which were more pronounced in the T2 treatment. Y{sub s}tem was seen to be a better plant water status indicator than Y{sub l}eaf. The difference between the two values of Y (Y{sub s}tem - Y{sub l}eaf {Delta}{Psi}) was closely correlated with sap flow, making it a suitable measure of leaf transpiration. Using the slope of this relationship, the canopy hydraulic conductance (KC) was estimated. When other continuously recorded plant-based indicators are not accessible, the concurrent measurement of leaf and stem water potentials at midday, which are relatively inexpensive to measure and user-friendly, act as sufficiently good indicators of the plant water status in field grown Fino lemon trees. (Author) 40 refs.

A comprehensive analysis of the physiological and anatomical components involved in higher water loss rates after leaf development at high humidity

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fanourakis, D.; Heuvelink, E.; Pinto De Carvalho, S.M.

2013-01-01

To better understand the poor regulation of water loss after leaf development at high relative air humidity (RH), the relative importance of the physiological and anatomical components was analyzed focusing on cultivars with a contrasting sensitivity to elevated RH. The stomatal responsiveness to

Response of Thematic Mapper bands to plant water stress

Science.gov (United States)

Cibula, W. G.; Zetka, E. F.; Rickman, D. L.

1992-01-01

Changes in leaf reflectance as water content decreases have been hypothesized to occur in the 1.55-1.75 and 2.08-2.35 micron wavelength regions. To evaluate this hypothesis, studies were conducted on ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) and oats (Avena sativa L.), which were grown in a controlled, outdoor situation. Both fully-watered control beds and water-stressed beds were periodically examined with a spectroradiometer calibrated against a reflectance reference of polytetrafluoroethylene. The observed changes correspond to those predicted by stochastic leaf models employed by other investigators (leaf reflection increases in the 1.55-1.75 micron region as leaf water content decreases). Although the percentage changes in TM bands 1-3 are nearly as great as those found in TM bands 5 and 7, the absolute values of reflectance change are much lower. It is believed that these patterns are probably characteristic of a broad range of vegetation types. In terms of phenomena detection, these patterns should be considered in any practical remote sensing sensor scenario.

Assessing the effect of marginal water use efficiency on water use of loblolly pine and sweetgum in ambient and elevated CO2 conditions

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, D.; Medvigy, D.; Xu, X.; Oren, R.; Ward, E. J.

2017-12-01

Stomata are the common pathways through which diffusion of CO2 and water vapor take place in a plant. Therefore, the responses of stomatal conductance to environmental conditions are important to quantify carbon assimilation and water use of plants. In stomatal optimality theory, plants may adjust the stomatal conductance to maximize carbon assimilation for a given water availability. The carbon cost for unit water loss, marginal water use efficiency (λ), depends on changes in atmospheric CO2 concentration and pre-dawn leaf water potential. The relationship can be described by λ with no water stress (λ0) and the sensitivity of λ to pre-dawn leaf water potential (β0), which may vary by plant functional type. Assessment of sensitivity of tree and canopy water use to those parameters and the estimation of the parameters for individual plant functional type or species are needed. We modeled tree water use of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) and sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua) in ambient and elevated CO2 (+200 µmol mol-1) at the Duke Forest free-air CO2 enrichment (FACE) site with Ecosystem Demography model 2 (ED2), a demographic terrestrial biosphere model that scales up individual-level competition for light, water and nutrients to the ecosystem-level. Simulated sap flux density for different tree size classes and species was compared to observations. The sensitivity analysis with respect to the model's hydraulic parameters was performed. The initial results showed that the impacts of λ on tree water use were greater than other hydraulic traits in the model, such as vertical hydraulic conductivity and leaf and stem capacitance. With 10% increase in λ, modeled water flow from root to leaf decreased by 2.5 and 1.6% for P. taeda and by 7.9 and 5.1% for L. styraciflua in ambient and elevated CO2 conditions, respectively. Values of hydraulic traits (λ0 and β0) for P. taeda and L. styraciflua in ambient an elevated CO2 conditions were also suggested.

The effect of plant water storage on water fluxes within the coupled soil-plant system.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Cheng-Wei; Domec, Jean-Christophe; Ward, Eric J; Duman, Tomer; Manoli, Gabriele; Parolari, Anthony J; Katul, Gabriel G

2017-02-01

In addition to buffering plants from water stress during severe droughts, plant water storage (PWS) alters many features of the spatio-temporal dynamics of water movement in the soil-plant system. How PWS impacts water dynamics and drought resilience is explored using a multi-layer porous media model. The model numerically resolves soil-plant hydrodynamics by coupling them to leaf-level gas exchange and soil-root interfacial layers. Novel features of the model are the considerations of a coordinated relationship between stomatal aperture variation and whole-system hydraulics and of the effects of PWS and nocturnal transpiration (Fe,night) on hydraulic redistribution (HR) in the soil. The model results suggest that daytime PWS usage and Fe,night generate a residual water potential gradient (Δψp,night) along the plant vascular system overnight. This Δψp,night represents a non-negligible competing sink strength that diminishes the significance of HR. Considering the co-occurrence of PWS usage and HR during a single extended dry-down, a wide range of plant attributes and environmental/soil conditions selected to enhance or suppress plant drought resilience is discussed. When compared with HR, model calculations suggest that increased root water influx into plant conducting-tissues overnight maintains a more favorable water status at the leaf, thereby delaying the onset of drought stress. © 2016 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2016 New Phytologist Trust.

Maintenance of water uptake and reduced water loss contribute to water stress tolerance of Spiraea alba Du Roi and Spiraea tomentosa L.

Science.gov (United States)

Stanton, Kelly M; Mickelbart, Michael V

2014-01-01

Two primarily eastern US native shrubs, Spiraea alba Du Roi and Spiraea tomentosa L., are typically found growing in wet areas, often with standing water. Both species have potential for use in the landscape, but little is known of their environmental requirements, including their adaptation to water stress. Two geographic accessions of each species were evaluated for their response to water stress under greenhouse conditions. Above-ground biomass, water relations and gas exchange were measured in well-watered and water stress treatments. In both species, water stress resulted in reduced growth, transpiration and pre-dawn water potential. However, both species also exhibited the ability to osmotically adjust to lower soil water content, resulting in maintained midday leaf turgor potential in all accessions. Net CO2 assimilation was reduced only in one accession of S. alba, primarily due to large reductions in stomatal conductance. S. tomentosa lost a larger proportion of leaves than S. alba in response to water stress. The primary water stress tolerance strategies of S. alba and S. tomentosa appear to be the maintenance of water uptake and reduced water loss.

Growth and physiological responses to water and nutrient stress in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Administrator

2011-09-07

Sep 7, 2011 ... water and nutrient stress made significant effects on nitrogen and phosphorus concentration, but no .... Measurements of relative water content (RWC), leaf relative ... C1 is the electrical conductivity value of samples at the first .... biomass, root, stem and leaf mass) were significant. ..... Plant, Cell and Environ.

Elimination of {sup 137}Cs from trefoil (leaf and stem), ``Mitsuba``, cryptotaenia japonica hassk, boiled in a distilled and salted waters

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Motegi, Misako; Miyake, Sadaaki; Ohsawa, Takashi; Nakazawa, Kiyoaki [Saitama Inst. of Public Health (Japan); Izumo, Yoshiro

1999-07-01

Elimination of {sup 137}Cs from highly accumulated trefoil (leaf and stem) through boiling in distilled and salted water were investigated in relation to study the effect of cooking and processing on biochemical states of radionuclides (RI) contaminating in foods. {sup 137}Cs was hardly eliminated from the trefoil immersed in a distilled water at room temperature (about 15degC) during 10 min. {sup 137}Cs was considerably eliminated from the trefoil when boiled in a distilled water, 0.3-3.0% salt concentration of the water and soy sauce: about 40-60% (after 2 min), 70-85% (5 min) and 80-90% (10 min), respectively. Elimination of {sup 137}Cs in the soy sauce (e.g. 77.0{+-}2.9%, at 1% salt concentration after 10 min) was restrictive comparing to that in the salt water (93.4{+-}2.3%). These results are expected to contribute to evaluate the radiation exposure to man when a boiled trefoil contaminating with {sup 137}Cs was ingested. (author)

Development of pressurised hot water extraction (PHWE) for essential compounds from Moringa oleifera leaf extracts.

Science.gov (United States)

Matshediso, Phatsimo G; Cukrowska, Ewa; Chimuka, Luke

2015-04-01

Pressurised hot water extraction (PHWE) is a "green" technology which can be used for the extraction of essential components in Moringa oleifera leaf extracts. The behaviour of three flavonols (myricetin, quercetin and kaempferol) and total phenolic content (TPC) in Moringa leaf powder were investigated at various temperatures using PHWE. The TPC of extracts from PHWE were investigated using two indicators. These are reducing activity and the radical scavenging activity of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH). Flavonols content in the PHWE extracts were analysed on high performance liquid chromatography with ultra violet (HPLC-UV) detection. The concentration of kaempferol and myricetin started decreasing at 150 °C while that of quercetin remained steady with extraction temperature. Optimum extraction temperature for flavonols and DPPH radical scavenging activity was found to be 100 °C. The TPC increased with temperature until 150 °C and then decreased while the reducing activity increased. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Genetic variation in a grapevine progeny (Vitis vinifera L. cvs Grenache×Syrah) reveals inconsistencies between maintenance of daytime leaf water potential and response of transpiration rate under drought

Science.gov (United States)

Coupel-Ledru, Aude; Lebon, Éric; Christophe, Angélique; Doligez, Agnès; Cabrera-Bosquet, Llorenç; Péchier, Philippe; Hamard, Philippe; This, Patrice; Simonneau, Thierry

2014-01-01

In the face of water stress, plants evolved with different abilities to limit the decrease in leaf water potential, notably in the daytime (ΨM). So-called isohydric species efficiently maintain high ΨM, whereas anisohydric species cannot prevent ΨM from dropping as soil water deficit develops. The genetic and physiological origins of these differences in (an)isohydric behaviours remain to be clarified. This is of particular interest within species such as Vitis vinifera L. where continuous variation in the level of isohydry has been observed among cultivars. With this objective, a 2 year experiment was conducted on the pseudo-F1 progeny from a cross between the two widespread cultivars Syrah and Grenache using a phenotyping platform coupled to a controlled-environment chamber. Potted plants of all the progeny were analysed for ΨM, transpiration rate, and soil-to-leaf hydraulic conductance, under both well-watered and water deficit conditions. A high genetic variability was found for all the above traits. Four quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were detected for ΨM under water deficit conditions, and 28 other QTLs were detected for the different traits in either condition. Genetic variation in ΨM maintenance under water deficit weakly correlated with drought-induced reduction in transpiration rate in the progeny, and QTLs for both traits did not completely co-localize. This indicates that genetic variation in the control of ΨM under water deficit was not due simply to variation in transpiration sensitivity to soil drying. Possible origins of the diversity in (an)isohydric behaviours in grapevine are discussed on the basis of concurrent variations in soil-to-leaf hydraulic conductance and stomatal control of transpiration. PMID:25381432

Remote Sensing of Vegetation Nitrogen Content for Spatially Explicit Carbon and Water Cycle Estimation

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Y. L.; Miller, J. R.; Chen, J. M.

2009-05-01

Foliage nitrogen concentration is a determinant of photosynthetic capacity of leaves, thereby an important input to ecological models for estimating terrestrial carbon and water budgets. Recently, spectrally continuous airborne hyperspectral remote sensing imagery has proven to be useful for retrieving an important related parameter, total chlorophyll content at both leaf and canopy scales. Thus remote sensing of vegetation biochemical parameters has promising potential for improving the prediction of global carbon and water balance patterns. In this research, we explored the feasibility of estimating leaf nitrogen content using hyperspectral remote sensing data for spatially explicit estimation of carbon and water budgets. Multi-year measurements of leaf biochemical contents of seven major boreal forest species were carried out in northeastern Ontario, Canada. The variation of leaf chlorophyll and nitrogen content in response to various growth conditions, and the relationship between them,were investigated. Despite differences in plant type (deciduous and evergreen), leaf age, stand growth conditions and developmental stages, leaf nitrogen content was strongly correlated with leaf chlorophyll content on a mass basis during the active growing season (r2=0.78). With this general correlation, leaf nitrogen content was estimated from leaf chlorophyll content at an accuracy of RMSE=2.2 mg/g, equivalent to 20.5% of the average measured leaf nitrogen content. Based on this correlation and a hyperspectral remote sensing algorithm for leaf chlorophyll content retrieval, the spatial variation of leaf nitrogen content was inferred from the airborne hyperspectral remote sensing imagery acquired by Compact Airborne Spectrographic Imager (CASI). A process-based ecological model Boreal Ecosystem Productivity Simulator (BEPS) was used for estimating terrestrial carbon and water budgets. In contrast to the scenario with leaf nitrogen content assigned as a constant value without

The effects of strawberry tree water leaf extract, arbutin and hydroquinone on haematological parameters and levels of primary DNA damage in white blood cells of rats.

Science.gov (United States)

Jurica, Karlo; Brčić Karačonji, Irena; Kopjar, Nevenka; Shek-Vugrovečki, Ana; Cikač, Tihana; Benković, Vesna

2018-04-06

Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L., Ericaceae) leaves represent a potent source of biologically active compounds and have been used for a long to relieve symptoms of various health impairments and diseases. Two major compounds related to their beneficial activities in animals and humans are arbutin and hydroquinone. To establish potential benefit/risk ratio associated with daily oral administration of strawberry tree water leaf extract, arbutin and hydroquinone in doses expected to be non-toxic. We performed a 14-day and a 28-day study on male and female Lewis rats and evaluated main haematological parameters and the effects of treatments on the levels of primary DNA damage in white blood cells (WBC) using the alkaline comet assay. Our findings suggest no significant changes in the haematological parameters following prolonged exposure to strawberry tree water leaf extract, arbutin, and hydroquinone. However, hydroquinone causes increased, and extract as well as arbutin decreased WBC count in male rats compared to control after 14 days of treatment. DNA damage measured in WBC of rats treated with all compounds was below 10% of the DNA in the comet tail, which indicates low genotoxicity. The genotoxic potential of strawberry water leaf extract was within acceptable limits and reflected effects of a complex chemical composition upon DNA. We also observed slight gender- and exposure time- related differences in primary DNA damage in the leucocytes of control and treated rats. Future studies should investigate which doses of strawberry tree water leaf extract would be most promising for the potential use as a substitute for bearberry leaves for treatment of urinary infection. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Gas exchanges and water use efficiency in the selection of tomato genotypes tolerant to water stress.

Science.gov (United States)

Borba, M E A; Maciel, G M; Fraga Júnior, E F; Machado Júnior, C S; Marquez, G R; Silva, I G; Almeida, R S

2017-06-20

Water stress can affect the yield in tomato crops and, despite this, there are few types of research aiming to select tomato genotypes resistant to the water stress using physiological parameters. This experiment aimed to study the variables that are related to the gas exchanges and the efficiency in water use, in the selection of tomato genotypes tolerant to water stress. It was done in a greenhouse, measuring 7 x 21 m, in a randomized complete block design, with four replications (blocks), being five genotypes in the F 2 BC 1 generation, which were previously obtained from an interspecific cross between Solanum pennellii versus S. lycopersicum and three check treatments, two susceptible [UFU-22 (pre-commercial line) and cultivar Santa Clara] and one resistant (S. pennellii). At the beginning of flowering, the plants were submitted to a water stress condition, through irrigation suspension. After that CO 2 assimilation, internal CO 2 , stomatal conductance, transpiration, leaf temperature, instantaneous water use efficiency, intrinsic efficiency of water use, instantaneous carboxylation efficiency, chlorophyll a and b, and the potential leaf water (Ψf) were observed. Almost all variables that were analyzed, except CO 2 assimilation and instantaneous carboxylation efficiency, demonstrated the superiority of the wild accession, S. pennellii, concerning the susceptible check treatments. The high photosynthetic rate and the low stomatal conductance and transpiration, presented by the UFU22/F 2 BC 1 #2 population, allowed a better water use efficiency. Because of that, these physiological characteristics are promising in the selection of tomato genotypes tolerant to water stress.

Systems responses to progressive water stress in durum wheat.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dimah Z Habash

Full Text Available Durum wheat is susceptible to terminal drought which can greatly decrease grain yield. Breeding to improve crop yield is hampered by inadequate knowledge of how the physiological and metabolic changes caused by drought are related to gene expression. To gain better insight into mechanisms defining resistance to water stress we studied the physiological and transcriptome responses of three durum breeding lines varying for yield stability under drought. Parents of a mapping population (Lahn x Cham1 and a recombinant inbred line (RIL2219 showed lowered flag leaf relative water content, water potential and photosynthesis when subjected to controlled water stress time transient experiments over a six-day period. RIL2219 lost less water and showed constitutively higher stomatal conductance, photosynthesis, transpiration, abscisic acid content and enhanced osmotic adjustment at equivalent leaf water compared to parents, thus defining a physiological strategy for high yield stability under water stress. Parallel analysis of the flag leaf transcriptome under stress uncovered global trends of early changes in regulatory pathways, reconfiguration of primary and secondary metabolism and lowered expression of transcripts in photosynthesis in all three lines. Differences in the number of genes, magnitude and profile of their expression response were also established amongst the lines with a high number belonging to regulatory pathways. In addition, we documented a large number of genes showing constitutive differences in leaf transcript expression between the genotypes at control non-stress conditions. Principal Coordinates Analysis uncovered a high level of structure in the transcriptome response to water stress in each wheat line suggesting genome-wide co-ordination of transcription. Utilising a systems-based approach of analysing the integrated wheat's response to water stress, in terms of biological robustness theory, the findings suggest that each durum

Wilted cucumber plants infected by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum do not suffer from water shortage.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Yuming; Wang, Min; Li, Yingrui; Gu, Zechen; Ling, Ning; Shen, Qirong; Guo, Shiwei

2017-09-01

Fusarium wilt is primarily a soil-borne disease and results in yield loss and quality decline in cucumber (Cucumis sativus). The main symptom of fusarium wilt is the wilting of entire plant, which could be caused by a fungal toxin(s) or blockage of water transport. To investigate whether this wilt arises from water shortage, the physiological responses of hydroponically grown cucumber plants subjected to water stress using polyethylene glycol (PEG, 6000) were compared with those of plants infected with Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cucumerinum (FOC). Parameters reflecting plant water status were measured 8d after the start of treatment. Leaf gas exchange parameters and temperature were measured with a LI-COR portable open photosynthesis system and by thermal imaging. Chlorophyll fluorescence and chloroplast structures were assessed by imaging pulse amplitude-modulated fluorometry and transmission electron microscopy, respectively. Cucumber water balance was altered after FOC infection, with decreased water absorption and hydraulic conductivity. However, the responses of cucumber leaves to FOC and PEG differed in leaf regions. Under water stress, measures of lipid peroxidation (malondialdehyde) and chlorophyll fluorescence indicated that the leaf edge was more seriously injured, with a higher leaf temperature and disrupted leaf water status compared with the centre. Here, abscisic acid (ABA) and proline were negatively correlated with water potential. In contrast, under FOC infection, membrane damage and a higher temperature were observed in the leaf centre while ABA and proline did not vary with water potential. Cytologically, FOC-infected cucumber leaves exhibited circular chloroplasts and swelled starch grains in the leaf centre, in which they again differed from PEG-stressed cucumber leaves. This study illustrates the non-causal relationship between fusarium wilt and water transport blockage. Although leaf wilt occurred in both water stress and FOC infection, the

Paraheliotropism can protect water-stressed bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) plants against photoinhibition.

Science.gov (United States)

Pastenes, Claudio; Porter, Victor; Baginsky, Cecilia; Horton, Peter; González, Javiera

2004-12-01

In order to estimate the importance of leaf movements on photosynthesis in well-watered and water-stressed field grown bean cultivars (Arroz Tuscola (AT), Orfeo INIA (OI), Bayos Titan (BT), and Hallados Dorado (HD)), CO2 assimilation, leaf temperature, and capacity for the maximum quantum yield recovery, measured as Fv/Fm, were assessed. Leaf water potential was lower in water-stressed compared to control plants throughout the day. Water status determined a decrease in the CO2 assimilation and stomatal conductance as light intensity and temperature increased up to maximal intensities at midday. Both parameters were lower in stressed compared to control plants. Even though high light intensity and water-stress induced stomatal closure is regarded as a photoinhibitory condition, the recovery of variable to maximal fluorescence (Fv/Fm) after 30min of darkness was nearly constant in both water regimes. In fact, higher values were observed in OI and AT when under stress. Photochemical and non-photochemical fluorescence quenching resulted in minor changes during the day and were similar between watered and stressed plants. It is concluded that paraheliotropism, present in the four bean cultivars, efficiently protects stressed plants from photoinhibition in the field and helps maintain leaf temperatures far below the ambient temperatures, however, it may also be responsible for low CO2 assimilation rates in watered plants.

Fog Water Is Important in Maintaining the Water Budgets of Vascular Epiphytes in an Asian Tropical Karst Forests during the Dry Season

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yi Wu

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Fog may be an important source of water for forest vascular epiphytes on trees, because they lack direct access to sources of soil water, but little is known about the water use proportions from various sources and potential water uptake pathways in epiphytes. Here, we analyzed leaf carbon isotope ratios as a measure of water use efficiency (WUE, proportions of fog, rain, and soil water use, and foliar water uptake (FWU in species of epiphyte and their host trees in a tropical karst dwarf forest in China during the dry season. We found that the WUE, as represented by leaf δ13C, was generally enriched in the epiphyte species compared to their host trees. Epiphytes used substantial proportions of fog water, whereas water use in the host trees was dominated by soil water. The leaves of epiphytes and host trees absorbed water following immersion in water for 3 h and FWU possibly related to foliar epicuticular structures, such as fungal endophytes. Our results show a divergence of water use strategies between epiphytes and their hosts and highlight the importance of fog water for epiphytes during the dry season and under a climate change scenario with a reduced occurrence of fog events.

Water Relations, Gas Exchange, and Nutrient Response to a Long Term Constant Water Deficit

Science.gov (United States)

Berry, Wade L.; Goldstein, Guillermo; Dreschel, Thomas W.; Wheeler, Raymond M.; Sager, John C.; Knott, William M.

1992-01-01

Wheat plants (Triticum aestivum) were grown for 43 days in a micro-porous tube nutrient delivery system. Roots were unable to penetrate the microporous tube, but grew on the surface and maintained capillary contact with the nutrient solution on the inside of the tube through the 5-micron pores of the porous tube. Water potential in the system was controlled at -0.4, -0.8, and -3.0 kPa by adjusting the applied pressure (hydrostatic head) to the nutrient solution flowing through the microporous tubes. A relatively small decrease in applied water potential from -0.4 to -3.0 kPa resulted in a 34% reduction of shoot growth but only a moderate reduction in the midday leaf water potential from -1.3 to -1.7 MPa. Carbon dioxide assimilation decreased and water use efficiency increased with the more negative applied water potentials, while intercellular CO2 concentration remained constant. This was associated with a decrease in stomatal conductance to water vapor from 1.90 to 0.98 mol/(sq m sec) and a decrease in total apparent hydraulic conductance from 47 to 12 (micro)mol/(sec MPa). Although the applied water potentials were in the -0.4 to -3.0 kPa range, the actual water potential perceived by the plant roots appeared to be in the range of -0.26 to -0.38 MPa as estimated by the leaf water potential of bagged plants. The amount of K, Ca, Mg, Zn, Cu, and B accumulated with each unit of transpired water increased as the applied water potential became less negative. The increase in accumulation ranged from 1.4-fold for K to 2.2-fold for B. The physiological responses observed in this study in response to small constant differences in applied water potentials were much greater than expected from either the applied water potential or the observed plant water potential. Even though the micro-porous tube may not represent natural conditions and could possibly introduce morphological and physiological artifacts, it enables a high degree of control of water potential that

Stomatal clustering in Begonia associates with the kinetics of leaf gaseous exchange and influences water use efficiency.

Science.gov (United States)

Papanatsiou, Maria; Amtmann, Anna; Blatt, Michael R

2017-04-01

Stomata are microscopic pores formed by specialized cells in the leaf epidermis and permit gaseous exchange between the interior of the leaf and the atmosphere. Stomata in most plants are separated by at least one epidermal pavement cell and, individually, overlay a single substomatal cavity within the leaf. This spacing is thought to enhance stomatal function. Yet, there are several genera naturally exhibiting stomata in clusters and therefore deviating from the one-cell spacing rule with multiple stomata overlaying a single substomatal cavity. We made use of two Begonia species to investigate whether clustering of stomata alters guard cell dynamics and gas exchange under different light and dark treatments. Begonia plebeja, which forms stomatal clusters, exhibited enhanced kinetics of stomatal conductance and CO2 assimilation upon light stimuli that in turn were translated into greater water use efficiency. Our findings emphasize the importance of spacing in stomatal clusters for gaseous exchange and plant performance under environmentally limited conditions. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology.

Salinity and cationic nature of irrigation water on castor bean cultivation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Geovani S. de Lima

Full Text Available ABSTRACT This study aimed to evaluate the water relations, cell damage percentage and growth of the castor bean cv. ‘BRS Energia’ as a function of salinity and cationic nature of the water used in irrigation. The experiment was conducted in drainage lysimeters under greenhouse conditions in eutrophic Grey Argisol of sandy loam texture. Six combinations of water salinity and cations were studied (S1 - Control; S2 - Na+, S3 - Ca2+, S4 - Na+ + Ca2+; S5 - K+ and S6 - Na+ + Ca2+ + Mg2+, in a randomized block design with four replicates. In the control (S1, plants were irrigated with 0.6 dS m-1 water, whereas the other treatments received 4.5 dS m-1 water, obtained by adding different salts, all in the chloride form. Higher relative water content in the leaf blade of plants irrigated with K+-salinized water associated with leaf succulence are indicative of tolerance of the castor bean cv. ‘BRS Energia’ to salinity. Saline stress negatively affected castor bean growth, regardless of cationic nature of water. Among the ions studied, ‘BRS Energia’ castor bean was more sensitive to the presence of sodium in the irrigation water, in terms of both water relations and leaf succulence.

Water transfer in an alfalfa/maize association

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Corak, S.J.; Blevins, D.G.; Pallardy, S.G.

1987-01-01

The authors investigated the possibility of interspecific water transfer in an alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and maize (Zea mays L.) association. An alfalfa plant was grown through two vertically stacked plastic tubes. A 5 centimeter air gap between tubes was bridged by alfalfa roots. Five-week old maize plants with roots confined to the top tube were not watered, while associated alfalfa roots had free access to water in the bottom tube (the -/+ treatment). Additional treatments included: top and bottom tubes watered (+/+), top and bottom tubes droughted (-/-), and top tube droughted after removal of alfalfa root bridges and routine removal of alfalfa tillers (-*). Predawn leaf water potential of maize in the -/+ treatment fell to -1.5 megapascals 13 days after the start of drought; thereafter, predawn and midday potentials were maintained near -1.9 megapascals. Leaf water potentials of maize in the -/- and -* treatments declined steadily; all plants in these treatments were completely desiccated before day 50. High levels of tritium activity were detected in water extracted from both alfalfa and maize leaves after 3 H 2 O was injected into the bottom -/+ tube at day 70 or later. Maize in the -/+ treatment was able to survive an otherwise lethal period of drought by utilizing water lost by alfalfa roots

Below- and above-ground controls on tree water use in lowland tropical forests

Science.gov (United States)

Meinzer, F. C.; Woodruff, D.; McCulloh, K.; Domec, J.

2012-12-01

Even in moist tropical forests, fluctuations in soil water availability and atmospheric evaporative demand can constrain tree water use. Our research in three lowland tropical forest sites in Panama over the past two decades has identified a series of tree biophysical and functional traits related to daily and seasonal patterns of uptake, transport and loss of water. Studies combining measurements of sap flow and natural abundance of hydrogen isotopes in soil and xylem water during the dry season show considerable variation in depth of soil water uptake among co-occurring species. Trees able to exploit progressively deeper sources of soil water during the dry season, as indicated by increasingly negative xylem water hydrogen isotope ratios, were also able to maintain constant or even increased rates of water use. Injections of a stable isotope tracer (deuterated water) into tree trunks revealed a considerable range of water transit and residence times among co-occurring, similarly-sized trees. Components of tree hydraulic architecture were also strong determinants of patterns of water use. Sapwood hydraulic capacitance, the amount of water released per unit change in tissue water potential, was a strong predictor of several tree water use and water relations traits, including sap velocity, water residence time, daily maximum branch xylem tension, and the time of day at which stomata began to increasingly restrict transpiration. Among early and late successional species, hydraulic traits such as trunk-to-branch tapering of xylem vessels, branch sap flux, branch sapwood specific conductivity and whole-tree leaf area-specific hydraulic conductance scaled uniformly with branch wood density. Consistent with differences in trunk-to-branch tapering of vessels between early and late successional species, the ratio of branch to trunk sap flux was substantially greater in early successional species. Among species, stomatal conductance and transpiration per unit leaf area

Water relation, leaf gas exchange and chlorophyll a fluorescence imaging of soybean leaves infected with Colletotrichum truncatum.

Science.gov (United States)

Dias, Carla Silva; Araujo, Leonardo; Alves Chaves, Joicy Aparecida; DaMatta, Fábio M; Rodrigues, Fabrício A

2018-06-01

Considering the potential of anthracnose to decrease soybean yield and the need to gain more information regarding its effect on soybean physiology, the present study performed an in-depth analysis of the photosynthetic performance of soybean leaflets challenged with Colletotrichum truncatum by combining chlorophyll a fluorescence images with gas-exchange measurements and photosynthetic pigment pools. There were no significant differences between non-inoculated and inoculated plants in leaf water potential, apparent hydraulic conductance, net CO 2 assimilation rate, stomatal conductance to water vapor and transpiration rate. For internal CO 2 concentration, significant difference between non-inoculated and inoculated plants occurred only at 36 h after inoculation. Reductions in the values of the chlorophyll a fluorescence parameters [initial fluorescence (F 0 ), maximal fluorescence (F m ), maximal photosystem II quantum yield (F v /F m ), quantum yield of regulated energy dissipation (Y(NPQ))] and increases in effective PS II quantum yield (Y(II)), quantum yield of non-regulated energy dissipation Y(NO) and photochemical quenching coefficient (q P ) were noticed on the necrotic vein tissue in contrast to the surrounding leaf tissue. It appears that the impact of the infection by C. truncatum on the photosynthetic performance of the leaflets was minimal considering the preference of the fungus to colonize the veins. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Effect of Mild Water Stress and Enhanced Ultraviolet-B Irradiation on Leaf Growth of Rumex obtusifolius L. and Rumex patientia L. (Polygonaceae).

OpenAIRE

Holman, Steven R.

1981-01-01

Leaves of Rumex obtusifolius L. and R. patientia L.were exposed to combinations of mild water stress and enhanced ultraviolet-B irradiation during their ontogeny. Two UV-B treatments (enhanced UV-B and control) and three water stress treatments (-0.0 MPa, -0.2 MPa and -0.4 MPa rooting medium matric potentials) were employed. The impact of the stress interaction was assessed on the basis of changes in leaf area, average adaxial epidermal cell size, and total number of adaxial epidermal cells p...

Seasonal transfer of oxygen isotopes from precipitation and soil to the tree ring: source water versus needle water enrichment.

Science.gov (United States)

Treydte, Kerstin; Boda, Sonja; Graf Pannatier, Elisabeth; Fonti, Patrick; Frank, David; Ullrich, Bastian; Saurer, Matthias; Siegwolf, Rolf; Battipaglia, Giovanna; Werner, Willy; Gessler, Arthur

2014-05-01

For accurate interpretation of oxygen isotopes in tree rings (δ(18) O), it is necessary to disentangle the mechanisms underlying the variations in the tree's internal water cycle and to understand the transfer of source versus leaf water δ(18) O to phloem sugars and stem wood. We studied the seasonal transfer of oxygen isotopes from precipitation and soil water through the xylem, needles and phloem to the tree rings of Larix decidua at two alpine sites in the Lötschental (Switzerland). Weekly resolved δ(18) O records of precipitation, soil water, xylem and needle water, phloem organic matter and tree rings were developed. Week-to-week variations in needle-water (18) O enrichment were strongly controlled by weather conditions during the growing season. These short-term variations were, however, not significantly fingerprinted in tree-ring δ(18) O. Instead, seasonal trends in tree-ring δ(18) O predominantly mirrored trends in the source water, including recent precipitation and soil water pools. Modelling results support these findings: seasonal tree-ring δ(18) O variations are captured best when the week-to-week variations of the leaf water signal are suppressed. Our results suggest that climate signals in tree-ring δ(18) O variations should be strongest at temperate sites with humid conditions and precipitation maxima during the growing season. © 2014 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2014 New Phytologist Trust.

Growth, water relations and photosynthesis of seedlings and resprouts after fire

Science.gov (United States)

Clemente, Adelaide S.; Rego, Francisco C.; Correia, Otília A.

2005-05-01

Seasonal patterns of growth, water relations, photosynthesis and leaf characteristics were compared between obligate seeders ( Cistus monspeliensis and Cistus ladanifer) and resprouters ( Arbutus unedo and Pistacia lentiscus) from the first to the second year after fire. We hypothesized that seedlings would be more water-limited than resprouts due to their shallower root systems. Regarding water use strategies, Cistus species are drought semi-deciduous and A. unedo and P. lentiscus are evergreen sclerophylls, therefore, comparisons were based on the relative deviation from mature conspecific plants. Seedlings and resprouts had higher shoot elongation and leaf production than mature plants, and over an extended period. Differences from mature plants were larger in resprouts, with two-fold transpiration, leaf conductance and photosynthesis in late spring/early summer. Seedlings of C. monspeliensis exhibited higher transpiration and leaf conductance than mature plants, while those of C. ladanifer only exhibited higher water potential. Growth increments and ameliorated water relations and photosynthesis after fire were attributed to an increase in water and nutrient availability. The small differences in water relations and photosynthesis between seedlings and mature conspecifics are in accordance with the prediction of seedlings experiencing higher water limitation than resprouts. We attribute these results to differences in root systems: resprouters benefited from an increase in root/shoot ratios and the presence of deep roots whereas Cistus seedlings relied on very shallow roots, which cannot provide assess to deep water during summer. Nevertheless, seedlings did not show evidence of experiencing a more severe water limitation than mature conspecifics, which we attributed to the presence of efficient mechanisms of avoiding and tolerating water stress. The results are discussed in relation to post-fire demography of seeders and resprouters in Mediterranean

Moderate water stress affects tomato leaf water relations in dependence on the nitrogen supply

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Garcia, A.L.; Marcelis, L.F.M.; Garcia-Sanchez, F.; Nicolas, N.; Martinez, V.

2007-01-01

The responses of water relations, stomatal conductance (g(s)) and growth parameters of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv. Royesta) plants to nitrogen fertilisation and drought were studied. The plants were subjected to a long-term, moderate and progressive water stress by adding 80 % of the

Geoecohydrological mechanisms couple soil and leaf water dynamics and facilitate species coexistence in shallow soils of a tropical semiarid mixed forest.

Science.gov (United States)

Rodríguez-Robles, Ulises; Arredondo, J Tulio; Huber-Sannwald, Elisabeth; Vargas, Rodrigo

2015-07-01

Trees growing on shallow rocky soils must have exceptional adaptations when underlying weathered bedrock has no deep fractures for water storage. Under semiarid conditions, hydrology of shallow soils is expected to decouple from plant hydrology, as soils dry out as a result of rapid evaporation and competition for water increases between coexisting tree species. Gas exchange and plant-water relations were monitored for 15 months for Pinus cembroides and Quercus potosina tree species in a tropical semiarid forest growing on c. 20-cm-deep soils over impermeable volcanic bedrock. Soil and leaf water potential maintained a relatively constant offset throughout the year in spite of high intra-annual fluctuations reaching up to 5 MPa. Thus, hydrology of shallow soils did not decouple from hydrology of trees even in the driest period. A combination of redistribution mechanisms of water stored in weathered bedrock and hypodermic flow accessible to oak provided the source of water supply to shallow soils, where most of the actively growing roots occurred. This study demonstrates a unique geoecohydrological mechanism that maintains a tightly coupled hydrology between shallow rocky soils and trees, as well as species coexistence in this mixed forest, where oak facilitates water access to pine. © 2015 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2015 New Phytologist Trust.

Correlated evolution of stem and leaf hydraulic traits in Pereskia (Cactaceae).

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, Erika J

2006-01-01

Recent studies have demonstrated significant correlations between stem and leaf hydraulic properties when comparing across species within ecological communities. This implies that these traits are co-evolving, but there have been few studies addressing plant water relations within an explicitly evolutionary framework. This study tests for correlated evolution among a suite of plant water-use traits and environmental parameters in seven species of Pereskia (Cactaceae), using phylogenetically independent contrasts. There were significant evolutionary correlations between leaf-specific xylem hydraulic conductivity, Huber Value, leaf stomatal pore index, leaf venation density and leaf size, but none of these traits appeared to be correlated with environmental water availability; only two water relations traits - mid-day leaf water potentials and photosynthetic water use efficiency - correlated with estimates of moisture regime. In Pereskia, it appears that many stem and leaf hydraulic properties thought to be critical to whole-plant water use have not evolved in response to habitat shifts in water availability. This may be because of the extremely conservative stomatal behavior and particular rooting strategy demonstrated by all Pereskia species investigated. These results highlight the need for a lineage-based approach to understand the relative roles of functional traits in ecological adaptation.

Penumbra measurements of BeamModulatorTM multi leaf collimator

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu Xiaoguang; Wang Yunlai; Huo Xiaoqing; Sha Xiangyan; Miao Xiongfei

2010-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the penumbra of a new multileaf collimator equipped with Elekta Synergy accelerator. Methods: The penumbra were derived from beam profiles measured in air and water using PinPoint ion chamber with PTW MP3 water phantom. Variations of penumbra with X-ray beam energy, depth in water, and leaf position were investigated. Results: The penumbra in air for 6 MV X-ray was 2 mm less than that at depth of maximal dose in water. The penumbra of leaf side was 1 mm less than that of the leaf end. The penumbra had close relationship with beam energy, depth in water and leaf position. penumbra increased with beam quality and water depth. The leaf position had great influence on the penumbra. Conclusions: The penumbra of the multileaf collimator is related to its original design and radiation delivery technique. Special considerations should be taken into during treatment planning. Regular measurement should be performed to guarantee the delivery quality. (authors)

Peach Water Relations, Gas Exchange, Growth and Shoot Mortality under Water Deficit in Semi-Arid Weather Conditions

OpenAIRE

Rahmati, Mitra; Davarynejad, Gholam Hossein; G?nard, Michel; Bannayan, Mohammad; Azizi, Majid; Vercambre, Gilles

2015-01-01

In this study the sensitivity of peach tree (Prunus persica L.) to three water stress levels from mid-pit hardening until harvest was assessed. Seasonal patterns of shoot and fruit growth, gas exchange (leaf photosynthesis, stomatal conductance and transpiration) as well as carbon (C) storage/mobilization were evaluated in relation to plant water status. A simple C balance model was also developed to investigate sink-source relationship in relation to plant water status at the tree level. The...

Dynamic and inertial controls on forest carbon-water relations

Science.gov (United States)

Maxwell, T.; Silva, L.; Horwath, W. R.

2017-12-01

This study fuses theory, empirical measurements, and statistical models to evaluate multiple processes controlling coupled carbon-water cycles in forest ecosystems. A series of latitudinal and altitudinal transects across the California Sierra Nevada was used to study the effects of climatic and edaphic gradients on intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE) - CO2 fixed per unit of water lost via transpiration - of nine dominant trees species. Transfer functions were determined between leaf, litter, and soil organic matter stable isotope ratios of carbon, oxygen, and nitrogen, revealing causal links between the physiological performance of tree species and stand-level estimations of productivity and water balance. Our results show that species iWUE is governed both by leaf traits (24% of the variation) and edaphic properties, such as parent material and soil development (3% and 12% of the variation, respectively). We show that soil properties combined with isotopic indicators can be used to explain constraints over iWUE by regulating water and nutrient availability across elevation gradients. Based on observed compositional shifts likely driven by changing climates in the region, encroachment of broad leaf trees could lead to an 80% increase in water loss via transpiration for each unit of CO2 fixed in Sierra mixed conifer zones. A combination of field-based, laboratory, and remote sensed data provide a useful framework for differentiating the effect of multiple controls of carbon and water cycles in temperate forest ecosystems.

SEBAL Model Using to Estimate Irrigation Water Efficiency & Water Requirement of Alfalfa Crop

Science.gov (United States)

Zeyliger, Anatoly; Ermolaeva, Olga

2013-04-01

The sustainability of irrigation is a complex and comprehensive undertaking, requiring an attention to much more than hydraulics, chemistry, and agronomy. A special combination of human, environmental, and economic factors exists in each irrigated region and must be recognized and evaluated. A way to evaluate the efficiency of irrigation water use for crop production is to consider the so-called crop-water production functions, which express the relation between the yield of a crop and the quantity of water applied to it or consumed by it. The term has been used in a somewhat ambiguous way. Some authors have defined the Crop-Water Production Functions between yield and the total amount of water applied, whereas others have defined it as a relation between yield and seasonal evapotranspiration (ET). In case of high efficiency of irrigation water use the volume of water applied is less than the potential evapotranspiration (PET), then - assuming no significant change of soil moisture storage from beginning of the growing season to its end-the volume of water may be roughly equal to ET. In other case of low efficiency of irrigation water use the volume of water applied exceeds PET, then the excess of volume of water applied over PET must go to either augmenting soil moisture storage (end-of-season moisture being greater than start-of-season soil moisture) or to runoff or/and deep percolation beyond the root zone. In presented contribution some results of a case study of estimation of biomass and leaf area index (LAI) for irrigated alfalfa by SEBAL algorithm will be discussed. The field study was conducted with aim to compare ground biomass of alfalfa at some irrigated fields (provided by agricultural farm) at Saratov and Volgograd Regions of Russia. The study was conducted during vegetation period of 2012 from April till September. All the operations from importing the data to calculation of the output data were carried by eLEAF company and uploaded in Fieldlook web

Stable annual pattern of water use by Acacia tortilis in Sahelian Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Do, Frederic C; Rocheteau, Alain; Diagne, Amadou L; Goudiaby, Venceslas; Granier, André; Lhomme, Jean-Paul

2008-01-01

Water use by mature trees of Acacia tortilis (Forsk.) Hayne ssp. raddiana (Savi) Brenan var. raddiana growing in the northern Sahel was continuously recorded over 4 years. Water use was estimated from xylem sap flow measured by transient heat dissipation. Concurrently, cambial growth, canopy phenology, leaf water potential, climatic conditions and soil water availability (SWA) were monitored. In addition to the variation attributable to interannual variation in rainfall, SWA was increased by irrigation during one wet season. The wet season lasted from July to September, and annual rainfall ranged between 146 and 367 mm. The annual amount and pattern of tree water use were stable from year-to-year despite interannual and seasonal variations in SWA in the upper soil layers. Acacia tortilis transpired readily throughout the year, except for one month during the dry season when defoliation was at a maximum. Maximum water use of about 23 l (dm sapwood area)(-2) day(-1) was recorded at the end of the wet season. While trees retained foliage in the dry season, the decline in water use was modest at around 30%. Variation in predawn leaf water potential indicated that the trees were subject to soil water constraint. The rapid depletion of water in the uppermost soil layers after the wet season implies that there was extensive use of water from deep soil layers. The deep soil profile revealed (1) the existence of living roots at 25 m and (2) that the availability of soil water was low (-1.6 MPa) down to the water table at a depth of 31 m. However, transpiration was recorded at a predawn leaf water potential of -2.0 MPa, indicating that the trees used water from both intermediary soil layers and the water table. During the full canopy stage, mean values of whole-tree hydraulic conductance were similar in the wet and dry seasons. We propose that the stability of water use at the seasonal and annual scales resulted from a combination of features, including an extensive rooting

Tamarisk (Tamarix spp.) water fluxes before, during and after episodic defoliation by the saltcedar leaf beetle

Science.gov (United States)

Hultine, K.R.; Nagler, P.L.; Dennison, P.E.; Bush, S.E.; Ehleringer, J.R.

2009-01-01

Tamarisk (Tamarix) species are among the most successful and economically costly plant invaders in the western United States, in part due to its potential to remove large amounts of water from shallow aquifers. Accordingly, local, state and federal agencies have released a new biological control - the saltcedar leaf beetle (Diorhabda elongata) along many watersheds in the western United States to reduce the spread of tamarisk. The beetle defoliates tamarisk for much of the growing season resulting in potentially large seasonal declines in productivity, fitness, and water loss from tamarisk stands. We measured sap flux density (Js) using heat dissipation sensors to investigate water use patterns of tamarisk before, during and after a single, six week beetle-induced defoliation event in southeastern, Utah, USA. Granier-style probes were installed on 20 dominant trees from May through September 2008, a period that covers almost the entire growing season. As the beetle emerged from dormancy in mid-June, daytime and nighttime Js measurably increased for approximately two weeks before declining to less than 20% of predicted values (predicted by modeling Js with atmospheric vapor pressure deficit in May and June before defoliation). Tamarisk trees in mid-August produced new leaves and Js returned to pre-defoliation levels. Total Js, summed over the duration of the study was 13% lower than predicted values. These data suggest that defoliation results in only small changes in seasonal water loss from tamarisk stands. Current research is focusing on long-term ecohydrological impacts of tamarisk defoliation over multiple growing seasons.

Natural recovery and leaf water potential after fire influenced by salvage logging and induced drought stress

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. Moya

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Salvage logging is one of the most common emergency actions in the short-term management after a fire. Several studies have been carried out and some obtained positive results which incite to carry it out but other, found negative effects on seedling establishment and regeneration. In addition, climatic changes will have large impacts on vegetation productivity and resilience since the regional models for south-eastern Spain predicts a rainfall decrease of about 20% and temperature increase of 4.5 ºC. Our aim was to determine how short-term forest management and induced drought affect the ecosystem recovery in Aleppo pine stands naturally recovered after a fire.In summer 2009, a mid-high severity fire burned 968 ha of Aleppo pine (Pinus halepensis Mill. forest in south-eastern Spain. Six months later, a salvage logging was carried out. The Aleppo pine recruitment was negligible. During summer 2010, twelve square plots (2m x 2m were set in the three scenarios: control, salvaged and drought induced. The surface cover and soil water availability for three dominant understory species were recorded in four field campaigns: Spring-2010, Fall-2010, Spring-2011 and Fall-2011.The season, management and the target species showed significant differences in growing and water stress. In general, Esparto grass showed lower water stress, mainly in Fall, a higher increase of total coverage. Both effects were showing their highest values in non-salvaged areas and no drought. Changes in leaf water potential and soil water content after the drought season influence the survival and development of individuals.Our results indicate that soil water content and ecosystem response can be modified by short-term silvicultural treatments. Therefore, management after fire could cause opposite effects to those initially foreseen, since they depend on fire severity, and type of ecosystem management response. So, their application must be evaluated and assessed before

Differential response to water deficit stress in alfalfa ( Medicago ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The present study was fixed as objective to compare the response to water deficit (33% of field capacity, FC) stress of eight cultivars of Medicago sativa, originating from the Mediterranean basin. Comparison was performed on some key parameters such as growth, relative water content, leaf water potential, MDA tissue ...

Detecting leaf pulvinar movements on NDVI time series of desert trees: a new approach for water stress detection.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roberto O Chávez

Full Text Available Heliotropic leaf movement or leaf 'solar tracking' occurs for a wide variety of plants, including many desert species and some crops. This has an important effect on the canopy spectral reflectance as measured from satellites. For this reason, monitoring systems based on spectral vegetation indices, such as the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI, should account for heliotropic movements when evaluating the health condition of such species. In the hyper-arid Atacama Desert, Northern Chile, we studied seasonal and diurnal variations of MODIS and Landsat NDVI time series of plantation stands of the endemic species Prosopis tamarugo Phil., subject to different levels of groundwater depletion. As solar irradiation increased during the day and also during the summer, the paraheliotropic leaves of Tamarugo moved to an erectophile position (parallel to the sun rays making the NDVI signal to drop. This way, Tamarugo stands with no water stress showed a positive NDVI difference between morning and midday (ΔNDVI mo-mi and between winter and summer (ΔNDVI W-S. In this paper, we showed that the ΔNDVI mo-mi of Tamarugo stands can be detected using MODIS Terra and Aqua images, and the ΔNDVI W-S using Landsat or MODIS Terra images. Because pulvinar movement is triggered by changes in cell turgor, the effects of water stress caused by groundwater depletion can be assessed and monitored using ΔNDVI mo-mi and ΔNDVI W-S. For an 11-year time series without rainfall events, Landsat ΔNDVI W-S of Tamarugo stands showed a positive linear relationship with cumulative groundwater depletion. We conclude that both ΔNDVI mo-mi and ΔNDVI W-S have potential to detect early water stress of paraheliotropic vegetation.

Detecting leaf pulvinar movements on NDVI time series of desert trees: a new approach for water stress detection.

Science.gov (United States)

Chávez, Roberto O; Clevers, Jan G P W; Verbesselt, Jan; Naulin, Paulette I; Herold, Martin

2014-01-01

Heliotropic leaf movement or leaf 'solar tracking' occurs for a wide variety of plants, including many desert species and some crops. This has an important effect on the canopy spectral reflectance as measured from satellites. For this reason, monitoring systems based on spectral vegetation indices, such as the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), should account for heliotropic movements when evaluating the health condition of such species. In the hyper-arid Atacama Desert, Northern Chile, we studied seasonal and diurnal variations of MODIS and Landsat NDVI time series of plantation stands of the endemic species Prosopis tamarugo Phil., subject to different levels of groundwater depletion. As solar irradiation increased during the day and also during the summer, the paraheliotropic leaves of Tamarugo moved to an erectophile position (parallel to the sun rays) making the NDVI signal to drop. This way, Tamarugo stands with no water stress showed a positive NDVI difference between morning and midday (ΔNDVI mo-mi) and between winter and summer (ΔNDVI W-S). In this paper, we showed that the ΔNDVI mo-mi of Tamarugo stands can be detected using MODIS Terra and Aqua images, and the ΔNDVI W-S using Landsat or MODIS Terra images. Because pulvinar movement is triggered by changes in cell turgor, the effects of water stress caused by groundwater depletion can be assessed and monitored using ΔNDVI mo-mi and ΔNDVI W-S. For an 11-year time series without rainfall events, Landsat ΔNDVI W-S of Tamarugo stands showed a positive linear relationship with cumulative groundwater depletion. We conclude that both ΔNDVI mo-mi and ΔNDVI W-S have potential to detect early water stress of paraheliotropic vegetation.

Foliar uptake of fog water and transport belowground alleviates drought effects in the cloud forest tree species, Drimys brasiliensis (Winteraceae).

Science.gov (United States)

Eller, Cleiton B; Lima, Aline L; Oliveira, Rafael S

2013-07-01

Foliar water uptake (FWU) is a common water acquisition mechanism for plants inhabiting temperate fog-affected ecosystems, but the prevalence and consequences of this process for the water and carbon balance of tropical cloud forest species are unknown. We performed a series of experiments under field and glasshouse conditions using a combination of methods (sap flow, fluorescent apoplastic tracers and stable isotopes) to trace fog water movement from foliage to belowground components of Drimys brasiliensis. In addition, we measured leaf water potential, leaf gas exchange, leaf water repellency and growth of plants under contrasting soil water availabilities and fog exposure in glasshouse experiments to evaluate FWU effects on the water and carbon balance of D. brasiliensis saplings. Fog water diffused directly through leaf cuticles and contributed up to 42% of total foliar water content. FWU caused reversals in sap flow in stems and roots of up to 26% of daily maximum transpiration. Fog water transported through the xylem reached belowground pools and enhanced leaf water potential, photosynthesis, stomatal conductance and growth relative to plants sheltered from fog. Foliar uptake of fog water is an important water acquisition mechanism that can mitigate the deleterious effects of soil water deficits for D. brasiliensis. © 2013 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2013 New Phytologist Trust.

Exogenous nitric oxide improves sugarcane growth and photosynthesis under water deficit.

Science.gov (United States)

Silveira, Neidiquele M; Frungillo, Lucas; Marcos, Fernanda C C; Pelegrino, Milena T; Miranda, Marcela T; Seabra, Amedea B; Salgado, Ione; Machado, Eduardo C; Ribeiro, Rafael V

2016-07-01

Nitric oxide (NO)-mediated redox signaling plays a role in alleviating the negative impact of water stress in sugarcane plants by improving root growth and photosynthesis. Drought is an environmental limitation affecting sugarcane growth and yield. The redox-active molecule nitric oxide (NO) is known to modulate plant responses to stressful conditions. NO may react with glutathione (GSH) to form S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO), which is considered the main reservoir of NO in cells. Here, we investigate the role of NO in alleviating the effects of water deficit on growth and photosynthesis of sugarcane plants. Well-hydrated plants were compared to plants under drought and sprayed with mock (water) or GSNO at concentrations ranging from 10 to 1000 μM. Leaf GSNO sprayed plants showed significant improvement of relative water content and leaf and root dry matter under drought compared to mock-sprayed plants. Additionally, plants sprayed with GSNO (≥ 100 μM) showed higher leaf gas exchange and photochemical activity as compared to mock-sprayed plants under water deficit and after rehydration. Surprisingly, a raise in the total S-nitrosothiols content was observed in leaves sprayed with GSH or GSNO, suggesting a long-term role of NO-mediated responses to water deficit. Experiments with leaf discs fumigated with NO gas also suggested a role of NO in drought tolerance of sugarcane plants. Overall, our data indicate that the NO-mediated redox signaling plays a role in alleviating the negative effects of water stress in sugarcane plants by protecting the photosynthetic apparatus and improving shoot and root growth.

Elements in cottonwood trees as an indicator of ground water contaminated by landfill leachate

Science.gov (United States)

Erdman, James A.; Christenson, Scott

2000-01-01

Ground water at the Norman Landfill Research Site is contaminated by a leachate plume emanating from a closed, unlined landfill formerly operated by the city of Norman, Oklahoma, Ground water contaminated by the leachate plume is known to be elevated in the concentration of many, organic and inorganic constituents. Specific conductance, alkalinity, chloride, dissolved organic carbon, boron, sodium, strontium, and deuterium in ground water are considered to be indicators of the leachate plume at this site. Leaf samples of broad-leafed cottonwood, Populus deltoides, were collected from 57 sites around the closed landfill. Cottonwood, a phreatophyte or “well plant,” functions as a & surrogate well and serves as a ground water quality sampler. The leaf samples were combusted to ash and analyzed by instrumental neutron activation for 35 elements and by prompt-gamma instrumental neutron activation, for boron. A monitoring well was located within a few meters of a sampled cottonwood tree at 15 of the 57 sites, and ground water samples were collected from these monitoring wells simultaneously with a leaf sample. The chemical analyses of the ground water and leaf samples from these 15 sites indicated that boron, bromine, sodium, and strontium concentrations in leaves were significantly correlated with leachate indicator constituents in ground water. A point-plot map of selected percentiles indicated high concentrations of boron, bromine, and sodium in leaf ash from sites downgradient of the most recent landfill and from older landfills nearby. Data from leaf analysis greatly extended the known areal extent of the leachate plume previously determined from a network of monitoring wells and geophysical surveys. This phytosgeochemical study provided a cost-effective method for assessing the extent of a leachate plume from an old landfill. Such a method may be useful as a preliminary sampling tool to guide the design of hydrogeochemical and geophysical studies.

Variability in leaf surface features and water efficiency utilisation in ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The C4 form was found to be more efficient with respect to water utilization efficiency. Keywords: alloteropsis semialata; botany; characteristics; distribution; grasses; leaves; photosynthetic rate; plant physiology; south africa; stomatal resistance; transpiration rate; transvaal highveld; water use efficiency; water utilization ...

Gas exchange and hydraulics in seedlings of Hevea brasiliensis during water stress and recovery.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Jun-Wen; Zhang, Qiang; Li, Xiao-Shuang; Cao, Kun-Fang

2010-07-01

The response of plants to drought has received significant attention, but far less attention has been given to the dynamic response of plants during recovery from drought. Photosynthetic performance and hydraulic capacity were monitored in seedlings of Hevea brasiliensis under water stress and during recovery following rewatering. Leaf water relation, gas exchange rate and hydraulic conductivity decreased gradually after water stress fell below a threshold, whereas instantaneous water use efficiency and osmolytes increased significantly. After 5 days of rewatering, leaf water relation, maximum stomatal conductance (g(s-max)) and plant hydraulic conductivity had recovered to the control levels except for sapwood area-specific hydraulic conductivity, photosynthetic assimilation rate and osmolytes. During the phase of water stress, stomata were almost completely closed before water transport efficiency decreased substantially, and moreover, the leaf hydraulic pathway was more vulnerable to water stress-induced embolism than the stem hydraulic pathway. Meanwhile, g(s-max) was linearly correlated with hydraulic capacity when water stress exceeded a threshold. In addition, a positive relationship was shown to occur between the recovery of g(s-max) and of hydraulic capacity during the phase of rewatering. Our results suggest (i) that stomatal closure effectively reduces the risk of xylem dysfunction in water-stressed plants at the cost of gas exchange, (ii) that the leaf functions as a safety valve to protect the hydraulic pathway from water stress-induced dysfunction to a larger extent than does the stem and (iii) that the full drought recovery of gas exchange is restricted by not only hydraulic factors but also non-hydraulic factors.

Genetic control and combining ability of flag leaf area and relative water content traits of bread wheat cultivars under drought stress condition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Golparvar Ahmad Reza

2013-01-01

Full Text Available In order to compare mode of inheritance, combining ability, heterosis and gene action in genetic control of traits flag leaf area, relative water content and grain filling rate of bread wheat under drought stress, a study was conducted on 8 cultivars using of Griffing’s method2 in fixed model. Mean square of general combining ability was significant also for all traits and mean square of specific combining ability was significant also for all traits except relative water content of leaf which show importance of both additive and dominant effects of genes in heredity of these traits under stress. GCA to SCA mean square ratio was significant for none of traits. Results of this study showed that non additive effects of genes were more important than additive effect for all traits. According to results we can understand that genetic improvement of mentioned traits will have low genetic efficiency by selection from the best crosses of early generations. Then it is better to delay selection until advanced generations and increase in heritability of these traits.

A Water Temperature Simulation Model for Rice Paddies With Variable Water Depths

Science.gov (United States)

Maruyama, Atsushi; Nemoto, Manabu; Hamasaki, Takahiro; Ishida, Sachinobu; Kuwagata, Tsuneo

2017-12-01

A water temperature simulation model was developed to estimate the effects of water management on the thermal environment in rice paddies. The model was based on two energy balance equations: for the ground and for the vegetation, and considered the water layer and changes in the aerodynamic properties of its surface with water depth. The model was examined with field experiments for water depths of 0 mm (drained conditions) and 100 mm (flooded condition) at two locations. Daily mean water temperatures in the flooded condition were mostly higher than in the drained condition in both locations, and the maximum difference reached 2.6°C. This difference was mainly caused by the difference in surface roughness of the ground. Heat exchange by free convection played an important role in determining water temperature. From the model simulation, the temperature difference between drained and flooded conditions was more apparent under low air temperature and small leaf area index conditions; the maximum difference reached 3°C. Most of this difference occurred when the range of water depth was lower than 50 mm. The season-long variation in modeled water temperature showed good agreement with an observation data set from rice paddies with various rice-growing seasons, for a diverse range of water depths (root mean square error of 0.8-1.0°C). The proposed model can estimate water temperature for a given water depth, irrigation, and drainage conditions, which will improve our understanding of the effect of water management on plant growth and greenhouse gas emissions through the thermal environment of rice paddies.

Can Leaf Spectroscopy Predict Leaf and Forest Traits Along a Peruvian Tropical Forest Elevation Gradient?

Science.gov (United States)

Doughty, Christopher E.; Santos-Andrade, P. E.; Goldsmith, G. R.; Blonder, B.; Shenkin, A.; Bentley, L. P.; Chavana-Bryant, C.; Huaraca-Huasco, W.; Díaz, S.; Salinas, N.; Enquist, B. J.; Martin, R.; Asner, G. P.; Malhi, Y.

2017-11-01

High-resolution spectroscopy can be used to measure leaf chemical and structural traits. Such leaf traits are often highly correlated to other traits, such as photosynthesis, through the leaf economics spectrum. We measured VNIR (visible-near infrared) leaf reflectance (400-1,075 nm) of sunlit and shaded leaves in 150 dominant species across ten, 1 ha plots along a 3,300 m elevation gradient in Peru (on 4,284 individual leaves). We used partial least squares (PLS) regression to compare leaf reflectance to chemical traits, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, structural traits, including leaf mass per area (LMA), branch wood density and leaf venation, and "higher-level" traits such as leaf photosynthetic capacity, leaf water repellency, and woody growth rates. Empirical models using leaf reflectance predicted leaf N and LMA (r2 > 30% and %RMSE < 30%), weakly predicted leaf venation, photosynthesis, and branch density (r2 between 10 and 35% and %RMSE between 10% and 65%), and did not predict leaf water repellency or woody growth rates (r2<5%). Prediction of higher-level traits such as photosynthesis and branch density is likely due to these traits correlations with LMA, a trait readily predicted with leaf spectroscopy.

Water-borne hyphomycetes in tree canopies of Kaiga (Western Ghats, India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Naga M. Sudheep

2013-12-01

Full Text Available The canopy samples such as trapped leaf litter, trapped sediment (during summer, stemflow and throughfall (during monsoon from five common riparian tree species (Artocarpus heterophyllus, Cassia fistula, Ficus recemosa, Syzygium caryophyllatum and Xylia xylocarpa in Kaiga forest stand of the Western Ghats of southwest India were evaluated for the occurrence of water-borne hyphomycetes. Partially decomposed trapped leaf litter was incubated in bubble chambers followed by filtration to assess conidial output. Sediments accumulated in tree holes or junction of branches were shaken with sterile leaf disks in distilled water followed by incubation of leaf disks in bubble chamber and filtration to find out colonized fungi. Stemflow and throughfall samples were filtered directly to collect free conidia. From five canopy niches, a total of 29 water-borne hyphomycetes were recovered. The species richness was higher in stemflow and throughfall than trapped leaf litter and sediments (14-16 vs. 6-10 species. Although sediments of Syzygium caryophyllatum were acidic (5.1, the conidial output was higher than other tree species. Stemflow and throughfall of Xylea xylocarpa even though alkaline (8.5-8.7 showed higher species richness (6-12 species as well as conidial load than rest of the tree species. Flagellospora curvula and Triscelophorus acuminatus were common in trapped leaf litter and sediments respectively, while conidia of Anguillospora crassa and A. longissima were frequent in stemflow and throughfall. Diversity of water-borne hyphomycetes was highest in throughfall of Xylea xylocarpa followed by throughfall of Ficus recemosa. Our study reconfirms the occurrence and survival of diverse water-borne hyphomycetes in different niches of riparian tree canopies of the Western Ghats during wet and dry regimes and predicts their possible role in canopy as saprophytes, endophytes and alternation of life cycle between canopy and aquatic habitats.

Apparent over-investment in leaf venation relaxes leaf morphological constraints on photosynthesis in arid habitats

Science.gov (United States)

de Boer, Hugo; Drake, Paul; Veneklaas, Erik

2017-04-01

The close relationship between leaf water status and stomatal conductance implies that the hydraulic architecture of leaves poses an important constraint on transpiration, specifically in arid environments with high evaporative demands. However, it remains uncertain how morphological, hydraulic and photosynthetic traits are coordinated to achieve optimal leaf functioning in arid environments. Critical is that leaf veins supply the mesophyll with water that evaporates when stomata are open to allow CO2 uptake for photosynthesis. Theoretical analyses suggest that water is optimally distributed in the mesophyll when the lateral distance between veins (dx) is equal to the distance from these veins to the epidermis (dy), expressed as dx:dy≈1. Although this theory is supported by observations on many derived angiosperms, we hypothesize that plants in arid environments may reduce dx:dy below unity owing to climate-specific functional adaptations of increased leaf thickness and increased vein density. To test our hypothesis we assembled leaf hydraulic, morphological and photosynthetic traits of 68 species from the Eucalyptus and Corymbia genera (termed eucalypts) along an aridity gradient in southwestern Australia. We inferred the potential gas exchange advantage of reducing dx beyond dy using a model that links leaf morphology and hydraulics to photosynthesis. Our observations reveal that eucalypts in arid environments have thick amphistomatous leaves with high vein densities, resulting in dx:dy ratios that range from 1.6 to 0.15 along the aridity gradient. Our model suggests that as leaves become thicker, the effect of reducing dx beyond dy is to offset the reduction in leaf gas exchange that would result from maintaining dx:dy at unity. This apparent over-investment in leaf venation may be explained from the selective pressure of aridity, under which traits associated with long leaf lifespan, high hydraulic and thermal capacitances, and high potential rates of leaf

Root morphology, hydraulic conductivity and plant water relations of high-yielding rice grown under aerobic conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Kato, Yoichiro; Okami, Midori

2011-09-01

Increasing physical water scarcity is a major constraint for irrigated rice (Oryza sativa) production. 'Aerobic rice culture' aims to maximize yield per unit water input by growing plants in aerobic soil without flooding or puddling. The objective was to determine (a) the effect of water management on root morphology and hydraulic conductance, and (b) their roles in plant-water relationships and stomatal conductance in aerobic culture. Root system development, stomatal conductance (g(s)) and leaf water potential (Ψ(leaf)) were monitored in a high-yielding rice cultivar ('Takanari') under flooded and aerobic conditions at two soil moisture levels [nearly saturated (> -10 kPa) and mildly dry (> -30 kPa)] over 2 years. In an ancillary pot experiment, whole-plant hydraulic conductivity (soil-leaf hydraulic conductance; K(pa)) was measured under flooded and aerobic conditions. Adventitious root emergence and lateral root proliferation were restricted even under nearly saturated conditions, resulting in a 72-85 % reduction in total root length under aerobic culture conditions. Because of their reduced rooting size, plants grown under aerobic conditions tended to have lower K(pa) than plants grown under flooded conditions. Ψ(leaf) was always significantly lower in aerobic culture than in flooded culture, while g(s) was unchanged when the soil moisture was at around field capacity. g(s) was inevitably reduced when the soil water potential at 20-cm depth reached -20 kPa. Unstable performance of rice in water-saving cultivations is often associated with reduction in Ψ(leaf). Ψ(leaf) may reduce even if K(pa) is not significantly changed, but the lower Ψ(leaf) would certainly occur in case K(pa) reduces as a result of lower water-uptake capacity under aerobic conditions. Rice performance in aerobic culture might be improved through genetic manipulation that promotes lateral root branching and rhizogenesis as well as deep rooting.

Tamarisk Water Flux Patterns Before, During and After Episodic Defoliation by the Salt Cedar Leaf Beetle on the Colorado Plateau, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Hultine, K. R.; Nagler, P. L.; Dennison, P. E.

2008-12-01

Tamarisk (Tamarix) species are among the most successful plant invaders in the western United States, and has had significant impacts on watershed hydrology and water resources. Accordingly, local, state and federal agencies have undertaken considerable efforts to eradicate tamarisk and restore riparian habitats to pre-invasion status. A biological control - the saltcedar leaf beetle (Diorhabda elongata) - was released in the summer of 2004 at several locations in eastern Utah, USA to control the spread and impact of tamarisk within the Colorado River watershed. Beginning in April of 2008, sap flux techniques were used to monitor changes in transpiration fluxes in response to canopy defoliation by the beetle. Specifically we installed modified (10 mm length) heat dissipation probes into the main stem of 20 mature tamarisk trees within a single stand on the Colorado Plateau. In July, the saltcedar leaf beetle reduced the total leaf area to near 0% of pre-beetle invasion status. Consequently, sap flux declined by up to 80% compared to pre-beetle invasion fluxes. By mid-August, refoliation of the canopy occurred, and sap flux rates returned to pre- defoliation status. Sap flux rates prior to defoliation were modeled against atmospheric vapor pressure deficit in order to predict the amount of water salvage from defoliation. Sap flux from June 1 through September 1 was on average 36% lower than predicted values. Combined with scaling techniques, the heat dissipation approach shows a high potential for monitoring changes in watershed hydrology in response to tamarisk defoliation by the saltcedar leaf beetle. Nevertheless, tamarisk sap flux studies with heat dissipation probes presents several challenges, including, narrow sapwood depth, low flux rates in response to defoliation, and large thermal gradients that are inevitable in warm climates (particularly after defoliation removes canopy shading). We will present results from ongoing research to address these potential

The dependence of water potential in shoots of Picea abies on air and soil water status

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Sellin

Full Text Available Where there is sufficient water storage in the soil the water potential (Ψx in shoots of Norway spruce [Picea abies (L. Karst.] is strongly governed by the vapour pressure deficit of the atmosphere, while the mean minimum values of Ψx usually do not drop below –1.5 MPa under meteorological conditions in Estonia. If the base water potential (Ψb is above –0.62 MPa, the principal factor causing water deficiency in shoots of P. abies may be either limited soil water reserves or atmospheric evaporative demand depending on the current level of the vapour pressure deficit. As the soil dries the stomatal control becomes more efficient in preventing water losses from the foliage, and the leaf water status, in turn, less sensitive to atmospheric demand. Under drought conditions, if Ψb falls below –0.62 MPa, the trees' water stress is mainly caused by low soil water availability. Further declines in the shoot water potential (below –1.5 MPa can be attributed primarily to further decreases in the soil water, i.e. to the static water stress.Key words. Hydrology (evapotranspiration · plant ecology · soil moisture.

Environmental effects on proline accumulation and water potential in olive leaves (Olea europaea L. (cv Chemlali)) under saline water irrigated field conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ben Ahmed, C.; Ben Rouina, B.; Boukhris, M.

2009-07-01

In arid regions in Tunisia suffering from limited water resources, the olive extension to irrigated lands has led to the urgent use of saline water, the most readily available water in the these areas. Nevertheless, the effects of salt stress on olive tree seem to be reinforced by environmental conditions. The issue of this paper is to determine how does the olive tree respond to environmental stress in the Mediterranean climate under saline water irrigated field conditions with respect to leaf proline concentrations and water Status. (Author)

Environmental effects on proline accumulation and water potential in olive leaves (Olea europaea L. CV Chemlali)) under saline water irrigated field conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ben Ahmed, C.; Ben Rouina, B.; Boukhris, M.

2009-01-01

In arid regions in Tunisia suffering from limited water resources, the olive extension to irrigated lands has led to the urgent use of saline water, the most readily available water in the these areas. Nevertheless, the effects of salt stress on olive tree seem to be reinforced by environmental conditions. The issue of this paper is to determine how does the olive tree respond to environmental stress in the Mediterranean climate under saline water irrigated field conditions with respect to leaf proline concentrations and water Status. (Author)

Characterization and genetic mapping of eceriferum-ym (cer-ym), a cutin deficient barley mutant with impaired leaf water retention capacity.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Chao; Liu, Cheng; Ma, Xiaoying; Wang, Aidong; Duan, Ruijun; Nawrath, Christiane; Komatsuda, Takao; Chen, Guoxiong

2015-09-01

The cuticle covers the aerial parts of land plants, where it serves many important functions, including water retention. Here, a recessive cuticle mutant, eceriferum-ym (cer-ym), of Hordeum vulgare L. (barley) showed abnormally glossy spikes, sheaths, and leaves. The cer-ym mutant plant detached from its root system was hypersensitive to desiccation treatment compared with wild type plants, and detached leaves of mutant lost 41.8% of their initial weight after 1 h of dehydration under laboratory conditions, while that of the wild type plants lost only 7.1%. Stomata function was not affected by the mutation, but the mutant leaves showed increased cuticular permeability to water, suggesting a defective leaf cuticle, which was confirmed by toluidine blue staining. The mutant leaves showed a substantial reduction in the amounts of the major cutin monomers and a slight increase in the main wax component, suggesting that the enhanced cuticle permeability was a consequence of cutin deficiency. cer-ym was mapped within a 0.8 cM interval between EST marker AK370363 and AK251484, a pericentromeric region on chromosome 4H. The results indicate that the desiccation sensitivity of cer-ym is caused by a defect in leaf cutin, and that cer-ym is located in a chromosome 4H pericentromeric region.

The effect of water deficit stress and nitrogen fertilizer levels on morphology traits, yield and leaf area index in maize

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moosavi, S.G.

2012-01-01

In order to study the effect of water deficit stress at different growth stages and N fertilizer levels on morphological traits, yield and yield components of maize cv. Single Cross 704, an experiment was conducted as a split-plot based on a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. The main plot included irrigation at four levels (irrigation stop at 10-leaf, tasselling and grain-filling stages and optimum irrigation) and the sub-plot was N fertilizer at three levels (75, 150 and 225 kg N/ha). The results of analysis of variance showed that water-deficit stress and N fertilizer level significantly affected leaf area index at silking stage, ear length, grain number per ear, 1000-grain weight and grain yield. Stem diameter, ear diameter and harvest index were only affected by irrigation treatments and the interaction between irrigation and N level did not significantly affect the studied traits. Means comparison indicated that ear diameter under optimum irrigation was higher than that under the treatments of irrigation stop at 8-leaf, tasselling and grain-filling stages by 29.9, 19.1 and 33.5%, respectively; and ear length was higher than them by 38.1, 28.9 and 25.2%, respectively. Moreover, the highest grain number per ear, 1000-grain weight and grain yield were obtained under optimum irrigation treatment, and irrigation stop at 10-leaf, tasselling and grain-filling stages decreased grain yield by 52.8, 66.4 and 44.9%, respectively; and it decreased grain number/ear by 45.9, 59.3 and 30.1%, respectively. In addition, optimum irrigation treatment with mean 1000-grain weight of 289.2 g was significantly superior over other irrigation stop treatments by 27.6-42.8% and produced the highest leaf area index at silking stage (4.1). Means comparison of traits at different N levels indicated that N level of 225 kg/ha produced the highest ear length (17.82 cm), grain number per ear (401.9), 1000-grain weight (258.8 g), leaf area index at silking stage (4

Water-deficit tolerant classification in mutant lines of indica rice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Suriyan Cha-um

2012-04-01

Full Text Available Water shortage is a major abiotic stress for crop production worldwide, limiting the productivity of crop species, especially in dry-land agricultural areas. This investigation aimed to classify the water-deficit tolerance in mutant rice (Oryza sativa L. spp. indica genotypes during the reproductive stage. Proline content in the flag leaf of mutant lines increased when plants were subjected to water deficit. Relative water content (RWC in the flag leaf of different mutant lines dropped in relation to water deficit stress. A decrease RWC was positively related to chlorophyll a degradation. Chlorophyll a , chlorophyll b , total chlorophyll , total carotenoids , maximum quantum yield of PSII , stomatal conductance , transpiration rate and water use efficiency in mutant lines grown under water deficit conditions declined in comparison to the well-watered, leading to a reduction in net-photosynthetic rate. In addition, when exposed to water deficit, panicle traits, including panicle length and fertile grains were dropped. The biochemical and physiological data were subjected to classify the water deficit tolerance. NSG19 (positive control and DD14 were identified as water deficit tolerant, and AA11, AA12, AA16, BB13, BB16, CC12, CC15, EE12, FF15, FF17, G11 and IR20 (negative control as water deficit sensitive, using Ward's method.

Differentiation of water-related traits in terrestrial and epiphytic Cymbidium species

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shi-Bao eZhang

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Epiphytes that grow in the canopies of tropical and subtropical forests experience different water regimes when compared with terrestrial plants. However, the differences in adaptive strategies between epiphytic and terrestrial plants with respect to plant water relations remain poorly understood. To understand how water-related traits contrast between epiphytic and terrestrial growth forms within the Cymbidium (Orchidaceae, we assessed leaf anatomy, hydraulics, and physiology of seven terrestrial and 13 epiphytic species using a common garden experiment. Compared with terrestrial species, epiphytic species had higher values for leaf mass per unit area (LMA, leaf thickness (LT, epidermal thickness, saturated water content (SWC and the time required to dry saturated leaves to 70% relative water content (T70. However, vein density (Dvein, stomatal density (SD, and photosynthetic capacity (Amax did not differ significantly between the two forms. T70 was positively correlated with LT, LMA, and SWC, and negatively correlated with stomatal index (SI. Amax showed positive correlations with SD and SI, but not with Dvein. Vein density was marginally correlated with SD, and significantly correlated with SI. Overall, epiphytic orchids exhibited substantial ecophysiological differentiations from terrestrial species, with the former type showing trait values indicative of greater drought tolerance and increased water storage capacity. The ability to retain water in the leaves plays a key role in maintaining a water balance in those epiphytes. Therefore, the process of transpiration depends less upon the current substrate water supply and enables epiphytic Cymbidium species to adapt more easily to canopy habitats.

Energy balance concept in the evaluation of water table management effects on corn growth: experimental investigation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kalita, P.K.; Kanwar, R.S.

1992-01-01

The effects of water table management practices (WTMP) on corn growth in 1989 and 1990 at two field sites, Ames and Ankeny, Iowa, were evaluated by calculating crop water stress index (CWSI) and monitoring plant physiological parameters during the growing seasons. Experiments were conducted on field lysimeters at the Ames site by maintaining water tables at 0.3-, 0.6-, and 0.9-m depths and in a subirrigation field at the Ankeny site with 0.2-, 0.3-, 0.6-, 0.9-, and 1.1-m water table depths, and periodically measuring leaf and air temperature, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) using leaf chamber techniques. Net radiation of canopy was estimated using the leaf energy balance equation and leaf chamber measurements and then correlated with PAR. Analysis of data revealed that net radiation, leaf air temperature differential, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, and CWSI were strongly related to WTMP during vegetative and flowering stages of corn growth. Excess water in the root zone with a water table depth of 0.2 m caused the maximum crop water stress and ceased crop growth. Both water and oxygen could be adequately maintained for favorable crop growth by adopting the best WTMP. Results indicate that plant physiological parameters and CWSI could be used to evaluate the effectiveness of WTMP and develop the best WTMP for corn growth in the humid region

diurnal and seasonal water relations of the desert phreatophyte prosopis-glandulosa (honey mesquite) in the Sonoran Desert of California

OpenAIRE

Nilsen, E. T.; Sharifi, M. R.; Rundel, P. W.; Jarrell, W. M.; Virginia, R. A.

1983-01-01

Diurnal and Seasonal water relations were monitored in a population of Prosopis glandulosa var. torreyana in the Sonoran Desert of southern California. Prosopis glandulosa at this research site acquired its water from a ground water source 4-6 m deep. Measurements of diurnal and seasonal cycles of aboveground environmental conditions, soil moisture, and soil water potential (to 6 m depth) were taken to ascertain environmental water availability and water stress. Leaf water potential, leaf con...

Water-use strategies in two co-occurring Mediterranean evergreen oaks: surviving the summer drought.

Science.gov (United States)

David, T S; Henriques, M O; Kurz-Besson, C; Nunes, J; Valente, F; Vaz, M; Pereira, J S; Siegwolf, R; Chaves, M M; Gazarini, L C; David, J S

2007-06-01

In the Mediterranean evergreen oak woodlands of southern Portugal, the main tree species are Quercus ilex ssp. rotundifolia Lam. (holm oak) and Quercus suber L. (cork oak). We studied a savannah-type woodland where these species coexist, with the aim of better understanding the mechanisms of tree adaptation to seasonal drought. In both species, seasonal variations in transpiration and predawn leaf water potential showed a maximum in spring followed by a decline through the rainless summer and a recovery with autumn rainfall. Although the observed decrease in predawn leaf water potential in summer indicates soil water depletion, trees maintained transpiration rates above 0.7 mm day(-1) during the summer drought. By that time, more than 70% of the transpired water was being taken from groundwater sources. The daily fluctuations in soil water content suggest that some root uptake of groundwater was mediated through the upper soil layers by hydraulic lift. During the dry season, Q. ilex maintained higher predawn leaf water potentials, canopy conductances and transpiration rates than Q. suber. The higher water status of Q. ilex was likely associated with their deeper root systems compared with Q. suber. Whole-tree hydraulic conductance and minimum midday leaf water potential were lower in Q. ilex, indicating that Q. ilex was more tolerant to drought than Q. suber. Overall, Q. ilex seemed to have more effective drought avoidance and drought tolerance mechanisms than Q. suber.

Multi-modal sensor system for plant water stress assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Plant stress critically affects plant growth and causes significant loss of productivity and quality. When the plant is under water stress, it impedes photosynthesis and transpiration, resulting in changes in leaf color and temperature. Leaf discoloration in photosynthesis can be assessed by measu...

Spatiotemporal patterns of plant water isotope values from a continental-scale sample network in Europe as a tool to improve hydroclimate proxies

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, D. B.; Kahmen, A.

2016-12-01

The hydrogen and oxygen isotopic composition of water available for biosynthetic processes in vascular plants plays an important role in shaping the isotopic composition of organic compounds that these organisms produce, including leaf waxes and cellulose in leaves and tree rings. Characterizing changes in large scale spatial patterns of precipitation, soil water, stem water, and leaf water isotope values over time is therefore useful for evaluating how plants reflect changes in the isotopic composition of these source waters in different environments. This information can, in turn, provide improved calibration targets for understanding the environmental signals that plants preserve. The pathway of water through this continuum can include several isotopic fractionations, but the extent to which the isotopic composition of each of these water pools varies under normal field conditions and over space and time has not been systematically and concurrently evaluated at large spatial scales. Two season-long sampling campaigns were conducted at nineteen sites throughout Europe over the 2014 and 2015 growing seasons to track changes in the isotopic composition of plant-relevant waters. Samples of precipitation, soil water, stem water, and leaf water were collected over more than 200 field days and include more than 500 samples from each water pool. Measurements were used to validate continent-wide gridded estimates of leaf water isotope values derived from a combination of mechanistic and statistical modeling conducted with temperature, precipitation, and relative humidity data. Data-model comparison shows good agreement for summer leaf waters, and substantiates the incorporation of modeled leaf waters in evaluating how plants respond to hydroclimate changes at large spatial scales. These results also suggest that modeled leaf water isotope values might be used in future studies in similar ecosystems to improve the coverage density of spatial or temporal data.

Diurnal variations in water relations of deficit irrigated lemon trees during fruit growth period

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Y. García-Orellana

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Field-grown lemon trees (Citrus limon (L. Burm. fil. cv. Fino were subjected to different drip irrigation treatments: a control treatment, irrigated daily above crop water requirements in order to obtain non-limiting soil water conditions and two deficit irrigation treatments, reducing the water applied according to the maximum daily trunk shrinkage (MDS signal intensity (actual MDS/control treatment MDS threshold values of 1.25 (T1 treatment and 1.35 (T2 treatment, which induced two different drought stress levels. Daily variations in leaf (Yleaf and stem (Ystem water potentials, leaf conductance, net photosynthesis, sap flow (SF and trunk diameter fluctuations were studied on four occasions during the lemon fruit growth period. Ystem and Yleaf revealed a diurnal pattern in response to changes in evaporative demand of the atmosphere. Both water potentials decreased in response to water deficits, which were more pronounced in the T2 treatment. Ystem was seen to be a better plant water status indicator than Yleaf. The difference between the two values of Y (Ystem - Yleaf  = DY was closely correlated with sap flow, making it a suitable measure of leaf transpiration. Using the slope of this relationship, the canopy hydraulic conductance (KC was estimated. When other continuously recorded plant-based indicators are not accessible, the concurrent measurement of leaf and stem water potentials at midday, which are relatively inexpensive to measure and user-friendly, act as sufficiently good indicators of the plant water status in field grown Fino lemon trees.

Trees as indicators of subterranean water flow from a retired radioactive waste disposal site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rickard, W.H.; Kirby, L.J.

1987-01-01

Tree sampling helped locate a subterranean flow of tritiated water from a low-level radioactive waste disposal site that had not been detected by well water monitoring alone. Deciduous trees growing in a natural forest on the hillsides downslope from the site were sampled for the presence of tritiated water in sap of maple trees and in leaf water extracted from oak and hickory trees. Elevated concentrations of 3 H were detected in the leaf water extracted from several trees located 50 m downslope from the western boundary of the fenced exclusion zone. A 3-m-deep well drilled near these trees indicated that the source of tritiated water was a narrow zone of subterranean flow

Drought effect on growth, gas exchange and yield, in two strains of local barley Ardhaoui, under water deficit conditions in southern Tunisia.

Science.gov (United States)

Thameur, Afwa; Lachiheb, Belgacem; Ferchichi, Ali

2012-12-30

Two local barley strains cv. Ardhaoui originated from Tlalit and Switir, sourthern Tunisia were grown in pots in a glasshouse assay, under well-watered conditions for a month. Plants were then either subjected to water deficit (treatment) or continually well-watered (control). Control pots were irrigated several times each week to maintain soil moisture near field capacity (FC), while stress pots experienced soil drying by withholding irrigation until they reached 50% of FC. Variation in relative water content, leaf area, leaf appearance rate and leaf gas exchange (i.e. net CO(2) assimilation rate (A), transpiration (E), and stomatal conductance (gs)) in response to water deficit was investigated. High leaf relative water content (RWC) was maintained in Tlalit by stomatal closure and a reduction of leaf area. Reduction in leaf area was due to decline in leaf gas exchange during water deficit. Tlalit was found to be drought tolerant and able to maintain higher leaf RWC under drought conditions. Water deficit treatment reduced stomatal conductance by 43% at anthesis. High net CO(2) assimilation rate under water deficit was associated with high RWC (r = 0.998; P gas exchange parameters were found, which can give some indications on the degree of drought tolerance. Thus, the ability of the low leaf area plants to maintain higher RWC could explain the differences in drought tolerance in studied barley strains. Results showed that Tlalit showed to be more efficient and more productive than Switir. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Coupling between the continental carbon and water cycles

Science.gov (United States)

Gentine, P.; Lemordant, L. A.; Green, J. K.

2017-12-01

The continental carbon adn water cycles are fundamentally coupled through leaf gas exchange at the stomata level. IN this presnetation we will emphasize the importance of this coupling for the future of the water cycle (runoff, evaporation, soil moisture) and in turn the implications for the carbon cycle and the capacity of continents to act as a carbon dioxyde sink in the future. Opprtunites from coupled carbon-water monitoring platforms will be then emphasized.

Influence of water table decline on growth allocation and endogenous gibberellins in black cottonwood

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rood, S.B.; Zanewich, K.; Stefura, C. [Lethbridge Univ., Lethbridge, AB (Canada). Dept. of Biological Sciences; Mahoney, J.M. [Alberta Environmental Protection, Lethbridge, AB (Canada)

2000-06-01

Cottonwoods have shown an adaptation to the riparian zone by coordinating root elongation to maintain contact with the water table, whose depth varies with the elevation of the adjacent river. The rate of water decline on growth allocation and concentrations of endogenous gibberellins (GAs) in black cottonwood saplings were studied at the University of Lethbridge, Alberta. Water declines were achieved by using rhizopods, and root elongation approximately doubled in response whereas leaf area was reduced. At some point, a greater water decline rate led to water stress resulting in reduced growth, increased leaf diffusive resistance, decreased water potential, and leaf senescence and abscission. After extraction of endogenous GAs, they were purified and analysed by gas chromatography-selected ion monitoring with internal ({sup 2}H{sub 2})GA standards. The results showed that GAs were higher in shoot tips and sequentially lower in basal stems, root tips, leaves and upper roots. Noticeable relationships did not appear between GA concentration and growth allocation across the water decline treatments. Only GA{sub 8} showed a consistent reduction in plants experiencing water table decline. This research did not permit the authors to conclude whether endogenous GAs play a primary role in the regulation of root elongation in response to water table decline. 7 figs., 25 refs.

Comparing Stable Water Isotope Variation in Atmospheric Moisture Observed over Coastal Water and Forests

Science.gov (United States)

Lai, C. T.; Rambo, J. P.; Welp, L. R.; Bible, K.; Hollinger, D. Y.

2014-12-01

Stable oxygen (δ18O) and hydrogen (δD) isotopologues of atmospheric moisture are strongly influenced by large-scale synoptic weather cycles, surface evapotranspiration and boundary layer mixing. Atmospheric water isotope variation has been shown to empirically relate to relative humidity (Rh) of near surface moisture, and to a less degree, air temperature. Continuous δ18O and δD measurements are becoming more available, providing new opportunities to investigate processes that control isotope variability. This study shows the comparison of δ18O and δD measured at a continental location and over coastal waters for 3 seasons (spring to fall, 2014). The surface moisture isotope measurements were made using two LGR spectroscopy water vapor isotope analyzers (Los Gatos Research Inc.), one operated in an old-growth coniferous forest at Wind River field station, WA (45.8205°N, 121.9519°W), and another sampling marine air over seawater at the Scripps Pier in San Diego, CA (32.8654°N, 117.2536°W), USA. Isotope variations were measured at 1Hz and data were reported as hourly averages with an overall accuracy of ±0.1‰ for δ18O, ±0.5‰ for δ2H. Day-to-day variations in δ18O and δD are shown strongly influenced by synoptic weather events at both locations. Boundary layer mixing between surface moisture and the dry air entrained from the free troposphere exerts a midday maximum and a consistent diel pattern in deuterium excess (dx). At the forest site, surface moisture also interacts with leaf water through transpiration during the day and re-equilibration at night. The latter occurs by retro-diffusion of atmospheric H2O molecules into leaf intercellular space, which becomes intensified as Rh increaes after nightfall, and continues until sunrise, to counter-balance the evaporative isotopic enrichment in leaf water on a daily basis. These vegetation effects lead to negative dx values consistently observed at nighttime in this continental location that were not

Deciduous trees are a large and overlooked sink for snowmelt water in the boreal forest

Science.gov (United States)

Young, Jessica; Bolton, W. Robert; Bhatt, Uma; Cristobal, Jordi; Thoman, Richard

2016-01-01

The terrestrial water cycle contains large uncertainties that impact our understanding of water budgets and climate dynamics. Water storage is a key uncertainty in the boreal water budget, with tree water storage often ignored. The goal of this study is to quantify tree water content during the snowmelt and growing season periods for Alaskan and western Canadian boreal forests. Deciduous trees reached saturation between snowmelt and leaf-out, taking up 21–25% of the available snowmelt water, while coniferous trees removed <1%. We found that deciduous trees removed 17.8–20.9 billion m3 of snowmelt water, which is equivalent to 8.7–10.2% of the Yukon River’s annual discharge. Deciduous trees transpired 2–12% (0.4–2.2 billion m3) of the absorbed snowmelt water immediately after leaf-out, increasing favorable conditions for atmospheric convection, and an additional 10–30% (2.0–5.2 billion m3) between leaf-out and mid-summer. By 2100, boreal deciduous tree area is expected to increase by 1–15%, potentially resulting in an additional 0.3–3 billion m3 of snowmelt water removed from the soil per year. This study is the first to show that deciduous tree water uptake of snowmelt water represents a large but overlooked aspect of the water balance in boreal watersheds.

Restoration thinning and influence of tree size and leaf area to sapwood area ratio on water relations of Pinus ponderosa.

Science.gov (United States)

Simonin, K; Kolb, T E; Montes-Helu, M; Koch, G W

2006-04-01

Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa Dougl. ex P. Laws) forest stand density has increased significantly over the last century (Covington et al. 1997). To understand the effect of increased intraspecific competition, tree size (height and diameter at breast height (DBH)) and leaf area to sapwood area ratio (A(L):A(S)) on water relations, we compared hydraulic conductance from soil to leaf (kl) and transpiration per unit leaf area (Q(L)) of ponderosa pine trees in an unthinned plot to trees in a thinned plot in the first and second years after thinning in a dense Arizona forest. We calculated kl and Q(L) based on whole- tree sap flux measured with heat dissipation sensors. Thinning increased tree predawn water potential within two weeks of treatment. Effects of thinning on kl and Q(L) depended on DBH, A(L):A(S) and drought severity. During severe drought in the first growing season after thinning, kl and Q(L) of trees with low A(L):A(S) (160-250 mm DBH; 9-11 m height) were lower in the thinned plot than the unthinned plot, suggesting a reduction in stomatal conductance (g(s)) or reduced sapwood specific conductivity (K(S)), or both, in response to thinning. In contrast kl and Q(L) were similar in the thinned plot and unthinned plot for trees with high A(L):A(S) (260-360 mm DBH; 13-16 m height). During non-drought periods, kl and Q(L) were greater in the thinned plot than in the unthinned plot for all but the largest trees. Contrary to previous studies of ponderosa pine, A(L):A(S) was positively correlated with tree height and DBH. Furthermore, kl and Q(L) showed a weak negative correlation with tree height and a strong negative correlation with A(S) and thus A(L):A(S) in both the thinned and unthinned plots, suggesting that trees with high A(L):A(S) had lower g(s). Our results highlight the important influence of stand competitive environment on tree-size-related variation in A(L):A(S) and the roles of A(L):A(S) and drought on whole-tree water relations in response to

Leaf area index drives soil water availability and extreme drought-related mortality under elevated CO2 in a temperate grassland model system.

Science.gov (United States)

Manea, Anthony; Leishman, Michelle R

2014-01-01

The magnitude and frequency of climatic extremes, such as drought, are predicted to increase under future climate change conditions. However, little is known about how other factors such as CO2 concentration will modify plant community responses to these extreme climatic events, even though such modifications are highly likely. We asked whether the response of grasslands to repeat extreme drought events is modified by elevated CO2, and if so, what are the underlying mechanisms? We grew grassland mesocosms consisting of 10 co-occurring grass species common to the Cumberland Plain Woodland of western Sydney under ambient and elevated CO2 and subjected them to repeated extreme drought treatments. The 10 species included a mix of C3, C4, native and exotic species. We hypothesized that a reduction in the stomatal conductance of the grasses under elevated CO2 would be offset by increases in the leaf area index thus the retention of soil water and the consequent vulnerability of the grasses to extreme drought would not differ between the CO2 treatments. Our results did not support this hypothesis: soil water content was significantly lower in the mesocosms grown under elevated CO2 and extreme drought-related mortality of the grasses was greater. The C4 and native grasses had significantly higher leaf area index under elevated CO2 levels. This offset the reduction in the stomatal conductance of the exotic grasses as well as increased rainfall interception, resulting in reduced soil water content in the elevated CO2 mesocosms. Our results suggest that projected increases in net primary productivity globally of grasslands in a high CO2 world may be limited by reduced soil water availability in the future.

EFSA NDA Panel (EFSA Panel on Dietetic Products, Nutrition and Allergies), 2014. Scientific Opinion on the substantiation of a health claim related to olive leaf (Olea europaea L.) water extract and increase in glucose tolerance pursuant to Article 13(5) of Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tetens, Inge

substantiation of a health claim related to olive (Olea europaea L.) leaf water extract and increase in glucose tolerance. The food that is the subject of the health claim, olive leaf water extract standardised by its content of oleuropein, is sufficiently characterised. The claimed effect, an increase...... is insufficient to establish a cause and effect relationship between the consumption of olive leaf water extract and an increase in glucose tolerance....... in glucose tolerance, is a beneficial physiological effect as long as serum insulin concentrations are not disproportionately increased. One human intervention study showed an increase in glucose tolerance without disproportionate increase in insulin concentrations after daily consumption of the olive leaf...

Spectral changes in conifers subjected to air pollution and water stress: Experimental studies

Science.gov (United States)

Westman, Walter E.; Price, Curtis V.

1988-01-01

The roles of leaf anatomy, moisture and pigment content, and number of leaf layers on spectral reflectance in healthy, pollution-stressed, and water-stressed conifer needles were examined experimentally. Jeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyi) and giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron gigantea) were exposed to ozone and acid mist treatments in fumigation chambers; red pine (Pinus resinosa) needles were artificially dried. Infrared reflectance from stacked needles rose with free water loss. In an air-drying experiment, cell volume reductions induced by loss of turgor caused near-infrared reflectance (TM band 4) to drop after most free water was lost. Under acid mist fumigation, stunting of tissue development similarly reduced band 4 reflectance. Both artificial drying and pollutant fumigation caused a blue shift of the red edge of spectral reflectance curves in conifers, attributable to chlorophyll denaturation. Thematic mapper band ratio 4/3 fell and 5/4 rose with increasing pollution stress on artificial drying. Loss of water by air-drying, freeze-drying, or oven-drying enhanced spectral features, due in part to greater scattering and reduced water absorption. Grinding of the leaf tissue further enhanced the spectral features by increasing reflecting surfaces and path length. In a leaf-stacking experiment, an asymptote in visible and infrared reflectance was reached at 7-8 needle layers of red pine.

Leaf gas exchange and water status responses of a native and non-native grass to precipitation across contrasting soil surfaces in the Sonoran Desert.

Science.gov (United States)

Ignace, Danielle D; Huxman, Travis E; Weltzin, Jake F; Williams, David G

2007-06-01

Arid and semi-arid ecosystems of the southwestern US are undergoing changes in vegetation composition and are predicted to experience shifts in climate. To understand implications of these current and predicted changes, we conducted a precipitation manipulation experiment on the Santa Rita Experimental Range in southeastern Arizona. The objectives of our study were to determine how soil surface and seasonal timing of rainfall events mediate the dynamics of leaf-level photosynthesis and plant water status of a native and non-native grass species in response to precipitation pulse events. We followed a simulated precipitation event (pulse) that occurred prior to the onset of the North American monsoon (in June) and at the peak of the monsoon (in August) for 2002 and 2003. We measured responses of pre-dawn water potential, photosynthetic rate, and stomatal conductance of native (Heteropogon contortus) and non-native (Eragrostis lehmanniana) C(4) bunchgrasses on sandy and clay-rich soil surfaces. Soil surface did not always amplify differences in plant response to a pulse event. A June pulse event lead to an increase in plant water status and photosynthesis. Whereas the August pulse did not lead to an increase in plant water status and photosynthesis, due to favorable soil moisture conditions facilitating high plant performance during this period. E. lehmanniana did not demonstrate heightened photosynthetic performance over the native species in response to pulses across both soil surfaces. Overall accumulated leaf-level CO(2) response to a pulse event was dependent on antecedent soil moisture during the August pulse event, but not during the June pulse event. This work highlights the need to understand how desert species respond to pulse events across contrasting soil surfaces in water-limited systems that are predicted to experience changes in climate.

Salicaceae Endophytes Modulate Stomatal Behavior and Increase Water Use Efficiency in Rice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hyungmin Rho

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Bacterial and yeast endophytes isolated from the Salicaceae family have been shown to promote growth and alleviate stress in plants from different taxa. To determine the physiological pathways through which endophytes affect plant water relations, we investigated leaf water potential, whole-plant water use, and stomatal responses of rice plants to Salicaceae endophyte inoculation under CO2 enrichment and water deficit. Daytime stomatal conductance and stomatal density were lower in inoculated plants compared to controls. Leaf ABA concentrations increased with endophyte inoculation. As a result, transpirational water use decreased significantly with endophyte inoculation while biomass did not change or slightly increased. This response led to a significant increase in cumulative water use efficiency at harvest. Different endophyte strains produced the same results in host plant water relations and stomatal responses. These stomatal responses were also observed under elevated CO2 conditions, and the increase in water use efficiency was more pronounced under water deficit conditions. The effect on water use efficiency was positively correlated with daily light integrals across different experiments. Our results provide insights on the physiological mechanisms of plant-endophyte interactions involving plant water relations and stomatal functions.

Improving SWAT for simulating water and carbon fluxes of forest ecosystems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Qichun; Zhang, Xuesong

2016-01-01

As a widely used watershed model for assessing impacts of anthropogenic and natural disturbances on water quantity and quality, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) has not been extensively tested in simulating water and carbon fluxes of forest ecosystems. Here, we examine SWAT simulations of evapotranspiration (ET), net primary productivity (NPP), net ecosystem exchange (NEE), and plant biomass at ten AmeriFlux forest sites across the U.S. We identify unrealistic radiation use efficiency (Bio-E), large leaf to biomass fraction (Bio-LEAF), and missing phosphorus supply from parent material weathering as the primary causes for the inadequate performance of the default SWAT model in simulating forest dynamics. By further revising the relevant parameters and processes, SWAT's performance is substantially improved. Based on the comparison between the improved SWAT simulations and flux tower observations, we discuss future research directions for further enhancing model parameterization and representation of water and carbon cycling for forests. - Graphical abstract: Evaluating and improving SWAT simulations of water and carbon cycling over ten AmeriFlux sites across the United States. - Highlights: • The default forest parameterization in SWAT results in inadequate simulations of water and carbon. • Radiation use efficiency, leaf to biomass fraction, and parent material weathering processes are modified. • Revised SWAT provides improved simulations of evapotranspiration and net ecosystem exchange

Improving SWAT for simulating water and carbon fluxes of forest ecosystems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Qichun [Joint Global Change Research Institute, Pacific Northwest National Lab, College Park, MD 20740 (United States); Zhang, Xuesong, E-mail: xuesong.zhang@pnnl.gov [Joint Global Change Research Institute, Pacific Northwest National Lab, College Park, MD 20740 (United States); Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824 (United States)

2016-11-01

As a widely used watershed model for assessing impacts of anthropogenic and natural disturbances on water quantity and quality, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) has not been extensively tested in simulating water and carbon fluxes of forest ecosystems. Here, we examine SWAT simulations of evapotranspiration (ET), net primary productivity (NPP), net ecosystem exchange (NEE), and plant biomass at ten AmeriFlux forest sites across the U.S. We identify unrealistic radiation use efficiency (Bio-E), large leaf to biomass fraction (Bio-LEAF), and missing phosphorus supply from parent material weathering as the primary causes for the inadequate performance of the default SWAT model in simulating forest dynamics. By further revising the relevant parameters and processes, SWAT's performance is substantially improved. Based on the comparison between the improved SWAT simulations and flux tower observations, we discuss future research directions for further enhancing model parameterization and representation of water and carbon cycling for forests. - Graphical abstract: Evaluating and improving SWAT simulations of water and carbon cycling over ten AmeriFlux sites across the United States. - Highlights: • The default forest parameterization in SWAT results in inadequate simulations of water and carbon. • Radiation use efficiency, leaf to biomass fraction, and parent material weathering processes are modified. • Revised SWAT provides improved simulations of evapotranspiration and net ecosystem exchange.

Water Relations and Foliar Isotopic Composition of Prosopis tamarugo Phil., an Endemic Tree of the Atacama Desert Growing at Three Levels of Water Table Depth.

Science.gov (United States)

Garrido, Marco; Silva, Paola; Acevedo, Edmundo

2016-01-01

Prosopis tamarugo Phil. is a strict phreatophyte tree species endemic to the "Pampa del Tamarugal", Atacama Desert. The extraction of water for various uses has increased the depth of the water table in the Pampa aquifers threatening its conservation. This study aimed to determine the effect of the groundwater table depth on the water relations of P. tamarugo and to present thresholds of groundwater depth (GWD) that can be used in the groundwater management of the P. tamarugo ecosystem. Three levels of GWD, 11.2 ± 0.3 m, 10.3 ± 0.3 m, and 7.1 ± 0.1 m, (the last GWD being our reference) were selected and groups of four individuals per GWD were studied in the months of January and July of the years 2011 through 2014. When the water table depth exceeded 10 m, P. tamarugo had lower pre-dawn and mid-day water potential but no differences were observed in minimum leaf stomatal resistance when compared to the condition of 7.1 m GWD; the leaf tissue increased its δ(13)C and δ(18)O composition. Furthermore, a smaller green canopy fraction of the trees and increased foliage loss in winter with increasing water table depth was observed. The differences observed in the physiological behavior of P. tamarugo trees, attributable to the ground water depth; show that increasing the depth of the water table from 7 to 11 m significantly affects the water status of P. tamarugo. The results indicate that P. tamarugo has an anisohydric stomatal behavior and that given a reduction in water supply it regulates the water demand via foliage loss. The growth and leaf physiological activities are highly sensitive to GWD. The foliage loss appears to prevent the trees from reaching water potentials leading to complete loss of hydraulic functionality by cavitation. The balance achieved between water supply and demand was reflected in the low variation of the water potential and of the variables related to gas exchange over time for a given GWD. This acclimation capacity of P. tamarugo after

Water relations and foliar isotopic composition of Prosopis tamarugo Phil. an endemic tree of the Atacama Desert growing under three levels of water table depth.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marco eGarrido

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Prosopis tamarugo Phil. is a strict phreatophyte tree species endemic to the Pampa del Tamarugal, Atacama Desert. The extraction of water for various uses has increased the depth of the water table in the Pampa aquifers threatening its conservation. This study aimed to determine the effect of the groundwater table depth on the water relations of P. tamarugo and to present thresholds of groundwater depth (GWD that can be used in the groundwater management of the P. tamarugo ecosystem. Three levels of GWD, 11.2 ± 0.3 m, 10.3 ± 0.3 m and 7.1 ± 0.1 m, (the last GWD being our reference were selected and groups of 4 individuals per GWD were studied in the months of January and July of the years 2011 through 2014. When the water table depth exceeded 10 m, P. tamarugo had lower pre-dawn and midday water potential but no differences were observed in minimum leaf stomatal resistance when compared to the condition of 7.1 m GWD; the leaf tissue increased its δ13C and δ18O composition. Furthermore, a smaller green canopy fraction of the trees and increased foliage loss in winter with increasing water table depth was observed. The differences observed in the physiological behavior of P. tamarugo trees, attributable to the ground water depth; show that increasing the depth of the water table from 7 to 11 m significantly affects the water status of P. tamarugo. The results indicate that P. tamarugo has an anisohydric stomatal behaviour and that given a reduction in water supply it regulates the water demand via foliage loss. The growth and leaf physiological activities are highly sensitive to GWD. The foliage loss appears to prevent the trees from reaching water potentials leading to complete loss of hydraulic functionality by cavitation. The balance achieved between water supply and demand was reflected in the low variation of the water potential and of the variables related to gas exchange over time for a given GWD. This acclimation capacity of P

Assessment of the viability of using saline reclaimed water in grapefruit in medium to long term

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cristina Romero-Trigueros

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Citrus trees are strongly affected by salinity, especially in countries where irrigation is required as a semi-arid Mediterranean agronomic region. The aims of the study were i to identify the best reliable plant-based water status indicator for field grown grapefruit trees irrigated with saline reclaimed water during five years of cultivation by measuring seasonal changes in physiological parameters (i.e. gas exchange and stem water potential measurements, leaf structural traits (i.e. leaf chlorophyll content, area-based leaf nitrogen and area-based dry mass, phytotoxic elements and yield; ii to estimate phytotoxicity thresholds at leaf level. Our results showed that the chlorophyll content was the parameter with the highest number of measures with significant differences (p≤0.05, ANOVA between trees irrigated with reclaimed water and control trees throughout growing stages. Moreover, Chl a increased linearly with area-based leaf nitrogen (R2=0.63; p<0.001 and area-based dry mass (R2=0.64; p<0.001. We also determined the salt-induced phytotoxicity thresholds at which a reduction in yields occurs; these levels were Na: 0.1 g/100 g, Cl: 0.6 g/100 gand B: 100 ppm. In conclusion, we revealed the importance of leaf chlorophyll measurements as a significance diagnostic indicator of salt stress on field grown grapefruit trees. This parameter was also related to plant-based water status indicators such as stem water potential, stomatal conductance and net photosynthesis. Additionally, a salt accumulation potential at leaf level was shown, leading to possible risk in crop sustainability in the medium to long term.

Rapid and long-term effects of water deficit on gas exchange and hydraulic conductance of silver birch trees grown under varying atmospheric humidity.

Science.gov (United States)

Sellin, Arne; Niglas, Aigar; Õunapuu-Pikas, Eele; Kupper, Priit

2014-03-24

Effects of water deficit on plant water status, gas exchange and hydraulic conductance were investigated in Betula pendula under artificially manipulated air humidity in Eastern Estonia. The study was aimed to broaden an understanding of the ability of trees to acclimate with the increasing atmospheric humidity predicted for northern Europe. Rapidly-induced water deficit was imposed by dehydrating cut branches in open-air conditions; long-term water deficit was generated by seasonal drought. The rapid water deficit quantified by leaf (ΨL) and branch water potentials (ΨB) had a significant (P gas exchange parameters, while inclusion of ΨB in models resulted in a considerably better fit than those including ΨL, which supports the idea that stomatal openness is regulated to prevent stem rather than leaf xylem dysfunction. Under moderate water deficit (ΨL≥-1.55 MPa), leaf conductance to water vapour (gL), transpiration rate and leaf hydraulic conductance (KL) were higher (P water deficit (ΨLwater availability, i.e. due to higher soil water potential in H treatment. Two functional characteristics (gL, KL) exhibited higher (P water deficit in trees grown under increased air humidity. The experiment supported the hypothesis that physiological traits in trees acclimated to higher air humidity exhibit higher sensitivity to rapid water deficit with respect to two characteristics - leaf conductance to water vapour and leaf hydraulic conductance. Disproportionate changes in sensitivity of stomatal versus leaf hydraulic conductance to water deficit will impose greater risk of desiccation-induced hydraulic dysfunction on the plants, grown under high atmospheric humidity, in case of sudden weather fluctuations, and might represent a potential threat in hemiboreal forest ecosystems. There is no trade-off between plant hydraulic capacity and photosynthetic water-use efficiency on short time scale.

The Stimulation Effects of N+ Ion Beam on Liquorice and Its Influence on Water Stress

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wei Shenglin; Liu Jingnan; Wu Lijun; Wang Jiabao; Yu Zengliang

2006-01-01

We have developed a large number of exocrine glands on liquorice leaves and facilitated polysaccharide secretion. Liquorice polysaccharide possesses stronger bound water affinity to gaseous water compared with sucrose and glucose. Our results show that the bound water affinity of liquorice polysaccharide to gaseous water is 49.75% higher than glucose (p + implantation (total dosage of 4.68x10 16 ions/cm 2 and energy of 20 keV) into dry liquorice seeds, both the bound water affinity to gaseous water and the bound water content of dry liquorice leaf can be significantly increased 30.24% ( p + implantation into dry liquorice seeds, the leaf polysaccharide content under water stress (ψ w = -1.5 MPa) can increase significantly (p<0.05) and the plant growth can also improve significantly (p<0.05)

Use of crop water stress index for monitoring water stress in some sinanthropic plant species

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marinela Roxana ROŞESCU

2010-11-01

Full Text Available The water stress indicator (crop water stress index, CWSI is a measure of the transpiration rate of a plant, influenced by the leaf and air temperature difference from the plant’s vicinity and the air pressure deficit of the water vapors from the atmosphere. The experiments were realized in July-August 2008 and 2009 for six species in the cities Pitesti, Mioveni and Maracineni: Cichorium intybus L., Conyza canadensis (L. Cronq., Erigeron annuus L. (Pers., Lactuca serriola Torn., Polygonum aviculare L. and Echinochloa crus-galli (L. Beauv. For those species we calculated the CWSI to estimate the water stress on the selected plants in the urban environment conditions. The analyzed species were exposed to a less accentuated water stress while vegetating in the soil and to a more intense one they were grown in the asphalt cracks. Cichorium intybus had the smallest CWSI value (0.26 while Lactuca serriola the highest one (0.44.

Uptake of arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury from polluted waters by the water hyacinth Eichornia crassipes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chigbo, F.E.; Smith, R.W.; Shore, F.L.

1982-01-01

The water hyacinth Eichornia crassipes was studied as a pollution monitor for the simultaneous accumulation of arsenic, cadmium, lead and mecury. After cultivation of the plants for 2 days in tanks containing 10 ppm of each of the metals in aqueous solution, the plants were harvested and rinsed with tap water. The leaves and stems were separated and analysed for each of the metals. The ratio of the concentration of arsenic and mercury in the leaves to the concentrations in the stems was found to be 2:1. Cadmium and lead showed a concentration ratio in leaves to stems of about 1:1. The leaf concentration of arsenic was the lowest of the metals of 0.3428 mg g/sup -1/ of dried plant material whilst the leaf concentration of cadmium was highest at 0.5740 mg g/sup -1/ of dried plant material. Control plants were grown in unpolluted water. Plants grown in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi sewage lagoon were also analysed. The mercury concentrations of the leaves of plants grown in the sewage lagoon were significantly different from the control sample which had a concentration of 0.0700 mg g/sup -1/ of dried plant material.

Rational Water and Nitrogen Management Improves Root Growth, Increases Yield and Maintains Water Use Efficiency of Cotton under Mulch Drip Irrigation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hongzhi Zhang

2017-05-01

Full Text Available There is a need to optimize water-nitrogen (N applications to increase seed cotton yield and water use efficiency (WUE under a mulch drip irrigation system. This study evaluated the effects of four water regimes [moderate drip irrigation from the third-leaf to the boll-opening stage (W1, deficit drip irrigation from the third-leaf to the flowering stage and sufficient drip irrigation thereafter (W2, pre-sowing and moderate drip irrigation from the third-leaf to the boll-opening stage (W3, pre-sowing and deficit drip irrigation from the third-leaf to the flowering stage and sufficient drip irrigation thereafter (W4] and N fertilizer at a rate of 520 kg ha-1 in two dressing ratios [7:3 (N1, 2:8 (N2] on cotton root morpho-physiological attributes, yield, WUE and the relationship between root distribution and dry matter production. Previous investigations have shown a strong correlation between root activity and water consumption in the 40–120 cm soil layer. The W3 and especially W4 treatments significantly increased root length density (RLD, root volume density (RVD, root mass density (RMD, and root activity in the 40–120 cm soil layer. Cotton RLD, RVD, RMD was decreased by 13.1, 13.3, and 20.8%, respectively, in N2 compared with N1 at 70 days after planting (DAP in the 0–40 cm soil layer. However, root activity in the 40–120 cm soil layer at 140 DAP was 31.6% higher in N2 than that in N1. Total RMD, RLD and root activity in the 40–120 cm soil were significantly and positively correlated with shoot dry weight. RLD and root activity in the 40–120 cm soil layer was highest in the W4N2 treatments. Therefore increased water consumption in the deep soil layers resulted in increased shoot dry weight, seed cotton yield and WUE. Our data can be used to develop a water-N management strategy for optimal cotton yield and high WUE.

Thermal-based modeling of coupled carbon, water, and energy fluxes using nominal light use efficiencies constrained by leaf chlorophyll observations

KAUST Repository

Schull, M. A.

2015-03-11

Recent studies have shown that estimates of leaf chlorophyll content (Chl), defined as the combined mass of chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b per unit leaf area, can be useful for constraining estimates of canopy light use efficiency (LUE). Canopy LUE describes the amount of carbon assimilated by a vegetative canopy for a given amount of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (APAR) and is a key parameter for modeling land-surface carbon fluxes. A carbon-enabled version of the remote-sensing-based two-source energy balance (TSEB) model simulates coupled canopy transpiration and carbon assimilation using an analytical sub-model of canopy resistance constrained by inputs of nominal LUE (βn), which is modulated within the model in response to varying conditions in light, humidity, ambient CO2 concentration, and temperature. Soil moisture constraints on water and carbon exchange are conveyed to the TSEB-LUE indirectly through thermal infrared measurements of land-surface temperature. We investigate the capability of using Chl estimates for capturing seasonal trends in the canopy βn from in situ measurements of Chl acquired in irrigated and rain-fed fields of soybean and maize near Mead, Nebraska. The results show that field-measured Chl is nonlinearly related to βn, with variability primarily related to phenological changes during early growth and senescence. Utilizing seasonally varying βn inputs based on an empirical relationship with in situ measured Chl resulted in improvements in carbon flux estimates from the TSEB model, while adjusting the partitioning of total water loss between plant transpiration and soil evaporation. The observed Chl-βn relationship provides a functional mechanism for integrating remotely sensed Chl into the TSEB model, with the potential for improved mapping of coupled carbon, water, and energy fluxes across vegetated landscapes.

Oxygen isotope fractionations across individual leaf carbohydrates in grass and tree species.

Science.gov (United States)

Lehmann, Marco M; Gamarra, Bruno; Kahmen, Ansgar; Siegwolf, Rolf T W; Saurer, Matthias

2017-08-01

Almost no δ 18 O data are available for leaf carbohydrates, leaving a gap in the understanding of the δ 18 O relationship between leaf water and cellulose. We measured δ 18 O values of bulk leaf water (δ 18 O LW ) and individual leaf carbohydrates (e.g. fructose, glucose and sucrose) in grass and tree species and δ 18 O of leaf cellulose in grasses. The grasses were grown under two relative humidity (rH) conditions. Sucrose was generally 18 O-enriched compared with hexoses across all species with an apparent biosynthetic fractionation factor (ε bio ) of more than 27‰ relative to δ 18 O LW , which might be explained by isotopic leaf water and sucrose synthesis gradients. δ 18 O LW and δ 18 O values of carbohydrates and cellulose in grasses were strongly related, indicating that the leaf water signal in carbohydrates was transferred to cellulose (ε bio  = 25.1‰). Interestingly, damping factor p ex p x , which reflects oxygen isotope exchange with less enriched water during cellulose synthesis, responded to rH conditions if modelled from δ 18 O LW but not if modelled directly from δ 18 O of individual carbohydrates. We conclude that δ 18 O LW is not always a good substitute for δ 18 O of synthesis water due to isotopic leaf water gradients. Thus, compound-specific δ 18 O analyses of individual carbohydrates are helpful to better constrain (post-)photosynthetic isotope fractionation processes in plants. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Identification and correction of spectral contamination in 2H/1H and 18O/16O measured in leaf, stem, and soil water.

Science.gov (United States)

Schultz, Natalie M; Griffis, Timothy J; Lee, Xuhui; Baker, John M

2011-11-15

Plant water extracts typically contain organic materials that may cause spectral interference when using isotope ratio infrared spectroscopy (IRIS), resulting in errors in the measured isotope ratios. Manufacturers of IRIS instruments have developed post-processing software to identify the degree of contamination in water samples, and potentially correct the isotope ratios of water with known contaminants. Here, the correction method proposed by an IRIS manufacturer, Los Gatos Research, Inc., was employed and the results were compared with those obtained from isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS). Deionized water was spiked with methanol and ethanol to create correction curves for δ(18)O and δ(2)H. The contamination effects of different sample types (leaf, stem, soil) and different species from agricultural fields, grasslands, and forests were compared. The average corrections in leaf samples ranged from 0.35 to 15.73‰ for δ(2)H and 0.28 to 9.27‰ for δ(18)O. The average corrections in stem samples ranged from 1.17 to 13.70‰ for δ(2)H and 0.47 to 7.97‰ for δ(18)O. There was no contamination observed in soil water. Cleaning plant samples with activated charcoal had minimal effects on the degree of spectral contamination, reducing the corrections, by on average, 0.44‰ for δ(2)H and 0.25‰ for δ(18)O. The correction method eliminated the discrepancies between IRMS and IRIS for δ(18)O, and greatly reduced the discrepancies for δ(2)H. The mean differences in isotope ratios between IRMS and the corrected IRIS method were 0.18‰ for δ(18)O, and -3.39‰ for δ(2)H. The inability to create an ethanol correction curve for δ(2)H probably caused the larger discrepancies. We conclude that ethanol and methanol are the primary compounds causing interference in IRIS analyzers, and that each individual analyzer will probably require customized correction curves. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Effect of Water Quality and Drip Irrigation Management on Yield and Water Use Efficiency in Late Summer Melon

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

javad baghani

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Production and growth of plants in many parts of the world due to degradation and water scarcity have been limited and particularly, in recent decades, agriculture is faced with stress. In the most parts of Iran, especially in the Khorasan Razavi province, drought is a fact and water is very important. Due to melon cultivation in this province, and the conditions of quality and quantity of water resources and water used to produce the melon product in this province, any research done on the use of saline and brackish waters is statistically significant. Materials and Methods: To study the effects of different water salinity and water management on some of the agronomic traits of late summer melon with drip irrigation, an experiment with 7 treatments and 3 repetitions was conducted in a randomized complete block design, in Torogh station, Mashhad. The irrigation treatments were: 1- fresh water from planting to harvesting, 2- water (3 dS/m from planting to harvesting, 3- water (6 dS/m from planting to harvesting, 4- water (6 dS/m from 20 days after plantation to harvesting, 5-water (6 dS/m from 40 days after plantation to harvesting, 6-water (3 dS/m from 20 days after plantation to harvesting, 7-water (6 dS/m from 40 days after plantation to harvesting. Row spacing and plant spacing were 3 m and 60 cm, respectively and the pipe type had 6 liters per hour per unit of meters in the drip irrigation system. Finally, the amount of salinity water, number of male and female flowers, number of seed germination, dry leaves' weight, leaf area, chlorophyll (with SPAD etc. were measured and all data were analyzed by using MSTAT-C software and all averages of data, were compared by using the Duncan test. Results and Discussion The results of analysis of data showed the following: Number of seeds germination: Salinity in water irrigation had no significant effects on the number of seed germination. However, there was the most number of seed

Water deficit modifies the carbon isotopic composition of lipids, soluble sugars and leaves of Copaifera langsdorffii Desf. (Fabaceae

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Angelo Albano da Silva Bertholdi

2017-11-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Water deficit is most frequent in forest physiognomies subjected to climate change. As a consequence, several tree species alter tissue water potential, gas exchange and production of carbon compounds to overcome damage caused by water deficiency. The working hypothesis, that a reduction in gas exchange by plants experiencing water deficit will affect the composition of carbon compounds in soluble sugars, lipids and vegetative structures, was tested on Copaifera langsdorffii. Stomatal conductance, leaf water potential, and CO2 assimilation rate declined after a period of water deficit. After rehydration, leaf water potential and leaf gas exchange did not recover completely. Water deficit resulted in 13C enrichment in leaves, soluble sugars and root lipids. Furthermore, the amount of soluble sugars and root lipids decreased after water deficit. In rehydration, the carbon isotopic composition and amount of root lipids returned to levels similar to the control. Under water deficit, 13C-enriched in root lipids assists in the adjustment of cellular membrane turgidity and avoids damage to the process of water absorption by roots. These physiological adjustments permit a better understanding of the responses of Copaifera langsdorffi to water deficit.

Effects of leaf area index on the coupling between water table, land surface energy fluxes, and planetary boundary layer at the regional scale

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Y.; Rihani, J.; Langensiepen, M.; Simmer, C.

2013-12-01

Vegetation plays an important role in the exchange of moisture and energy at the land surface. Previous studies indicate that vegetation increases the complexity of the feedbacks between the atmosphere and subsurface through processes such as interception, root water uptake, leaf surface evaporation, and transpiration. Vegetation cover can affect not only the interaction between water table depth and energy fluxes, but also the development of the planetary boundary layer. Leaf Area Index (LAI) is shown to be a major factor influencing these interactions. In this work, we investigate the sensitivity of water table, surface energy fluxes, and atmospheric boundary layer interactions to LAI as a model input. We particularly focus on the role LAI plays on the location and extent of transition zones of strongest coupling and how this role changes over seasonal timescales for a real catchment. The Terrestrial System Modelling Platform (TerrSysMP), developed within the Transregional Collaborative Research Centre 32 (TR32), is used in this study. TerrSysMP consists of the variably saturated groundwater model ParFlow, the land surface model Community Land Model (CLM), and the regional climate and weather forecast model COSMO (COnsortium for Small-scale Modeling). The sensitivity analysis is performed over a range of LAI values for different vegetation types as extracted from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) dataset for the Rur catchment in Germany. In the first part of this work, effects of vegetation structure on land surface energy fluxes and their connection to water table dynamics are studied using the stand-alone CLM and the coupled subsurface-surface components of TerrSysMP (ParFlow-CLM), respectively. The interconnection between LAI and transition zones of strongest coupling are investigated and analyzed through a subsequent set of subsurface-surface-atmosphere coupled simulations implementing the full TerrSysMP model system.

A Plant-Based Proxy for the Oxygen Isotope Ratio of Atmospheric Water Vapor

Science.gov (United States)

Helliker, B.

2007-12-01

Atmospheric water vapor is a major component of the global hydrological cycle, but the isotopic balance of vapor is largely unknown. It is shown here that the oxygen isotope ratio of leaf water in the epiphytic Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) plant Tillandsia usneoides (Spanish Moss) is controlled by the oxygen isotope ratio of atmospheric water vapor in both field and lab studies. Assuming that the leaf-water isotopic signature (and hence the atmospheric water vapor signature) is recorded in plant organic material, the atmospheric water vapor oxygen isotope ratios for Miami, Florida (USA) were reconstructed for several years from 1878 to 2005 using contemporary and herbarium specimens. T. usneoides ranges from Virginia, USA southwards through the tropics to Argentina, and the CAM epiphytic lifeform is widespread in other species. Therefore, epiphytes may be used to reconstruct the isotope ratio of atmospheric water for spatial scales that span over 60° of latitude and temporal scales that cover the last century of global temperature increase.

Joint Leaf chlorophyll and leaf area index retrieval from Landsat data using a regularized model inversion system

Science.gov (United States)

Leaf area index (LAI) and leaf chlorophyll (Chl) content represent key biophysical and biochemical controls on water, energy and carbon exchange processes in the terrestrial biosphere. In combination, LAI and leaf Chl content provide critical information on vegetation density, vitality and photosynt...

The hydraulic conductance of Fraxinus ornus leaves is constrained by soil water availability and coordinated with gas exchange rates.

Science.gov (United States)

Gortan, Emmanuelle; Nardini, Andrea; Gascó, Antonio; Salleo, Sebastiano

2009-04-01

Leaf hydraulic conductance (Kleaf) is known to be an important determinant of plant gas exchange and photosynthesis. Little is known about the long-term impact of different environmental factors on the hydraulic construction of leaves and its eventual consequences on leaf gas exchange. In this study, we investigate the impact of soil water availability on Kleaf of Fraxinus ornus L. as well as the influence of Kleaf on gas exchange rates and plant water status. With this aim, Kleaf, leaf conductance to water vapour (gL), leaf water potential (Psileaf) and leaf mass per area (LMA) were measured in F. ornus trees, growing in 21 different sites with contrasting water availability. Plants growing in arid sites had lower Kleaf, gL and Psileaf than those growing in sites with higher water availability. On the contrary, LMA was similar in the two groups. The Kleaf values recorded in sites with two different levels of soil water availability were constantly different from each other regardless of the amount of precipitation recorded over 20 days before measurements. Moreover, Kleaf was correlated with gL values. Our data suggest that down-regulation of Kleaf is a component of adaptation of plants to drought-prone habitats. Low Kleaf implies reduced gas exchange which may, in turn, influence the climatic conditions on a local/regional scale. It is concluded that leaf hydraulics and its changes in response to resource availability should receive greater attention in studies aimed at modelling biosphere-atmosphere interactions.

Estimation of water content in the leaves of fruit trees using infra-red images

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muramatsu, N.; Hiraoka, K.

2006-01-01

A method was developed to evaluate water contents of fruit trees using infra-red photography. The irrigation of potted satsuma mandarin trees and grapevines was suppressed to induce water stress. During the drought treatment the leaf edges of basal parts of the shoots of grapevines became necrotic and the area of necrosis extended as the duration of stress increased. Necrosis was clearly distinguished from the viable areas on infra-red images. In satsuma mandarin, an abscission layer formed at the basal part of the petiole, then the leaves fell. Thus, detailed analysis was indispensable for detecting of the leaf water content. After obtaining infra-red images of satsuma mandarin leaves with or without water stress, a background treatment (subtraction of the background image) was performed on the images, then the average brightness of the leaf was determined using image analyzing software (Image Pro-plus). Coefficient correlation between the water status index using the infra-red camera and water content determined from dry weight and fresh weight of leaves was significant (r = 0.917 for adaxial surface data and r = 0.880 for abaxial surface data). These data indicate that infra-red photography is useful for detecting the degree of plant water stress

Dynamic changes in the leaf proteome of a C3 xerophyte, Citrullus lanatus (wild watermelon), in response to water deficit.

Science.gov (United States)

Akashi, Kinya; Yoshida, Kazuo; Kuwano, Masayoshi; Kajikawa, Masataka; Yoshimura, Kazuya; Hoshiyasu, Saki; Inagaki, Naoyuki; Yokota, Akiho

2011-05-01

Wild watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) is a xerophyte native to the Kalahari Desert, Africa. To better understand the molecular mechanisms of drought resistance in this plant, we examined changes in the proteome in response to water deficit. Wild watermelon leaves showed decreased transpiration and a concomitant increase in leaf temperature under water deficit conditions. Comparison of the proteome of stressed plants with that of unstressed plants by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis revealed that the intensity of 40 spots increased in response to the stress, and the intensity of 11 spots decreased. We positively identified 23 stress-induced and 6 stress-repressed proteins by mass spectrometry and database analyses. Interestingly, 15 out of the 23 up-regulated proteins (65% of annotated up-regulated proteins) were heat shock proteins (HSPs). Especially, 10 out of the 15 up-regulated HSPs belonged to the small heat shock protein (sHSP) family. Other stress-induced proteins included those related to antioxidative defense and carbohydrate metabolism. Fifteen distinct cDNA sequences encoding the sHSP were characterized from wild watermelon. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis of the representative sHSP genes revealed strong transcriptional up-regulation in the leaves under water deficit. Moreover, immunoblot analysis confirmed that protein abundance of sHSPs was massively increased under water deficit. Overall, these observations suggest that the defense response of wild watermelon may involve orchestrated regulation of a diverse array of functional proteins related to cellular defense and metabolism, of which HSPs may play a pivotal role on the protection of the plant under water deficit in the presence of strong light.

Apparent Overinvestment in Leaf Venation Relaxes Leaf Morphological Constraints on Photosynthesis in Arid Habitats1[OPEN

Science.gov (United States)

de Boer, Hugo J.; Drake, Paul L.; Wendt, Erin; Price, Charles A.; Schulze, Ernst-Detlef; Turner, Neil C.; Nicolle, Dean

2016-01-01

Leaf veins supply the mesophyll with water that evaporates when stomata are open to allow CO2 uptake for photosynthesis. Theoretical analyses suggest that water is optimally distributed in the mesophyll when the lateral distance between veins (dx) is equal to the distance from these veins to the epidermis (dy), expressed as dx:dy ≈ 1. Although this theory is supported by observations of many derived angiosperms, we hypothesize that plants in arid environments may reduce dx:dy below unity owing to climate-specific functional adaptations of increased leaf thickness and increased vein density. To test our hypothesis, we assembled leaf hydraulic, morphological, and photosynthetic traits of 68 species from the Eucalyptus and Corymbia genera (termed eucalypts) along an aridity gradient in southwestern Australia. We inferred the potential gas-exchange advantage of reducing dx beyond dy using a model that links leaf morphology and hydraulics to photosynthesis. Our observations reveal that eucalypts in arid environments have thick amphistomatous leaves with high vein densities, resulting in dx:dy ratios that range from 1.6 to 0.15 along the aridity gradient. Our model suggests that, as leaves become thicker, the effect of reducing dx beyond dy is to offset the reduction in leaf gas exchange that would result from maintaining dx:dy at unity. This apparent overinvestment in leaf venation may be explained from the selective pressure of aridity, under which traits associated with long leaf life span, high hydraulic and thermal capacitances, and high potential rates of leaf water transport confer a competitive advantage. PMID:27784769

[Coordination effect between vapor water loss through plant stomata and liquid water supply in soil-plant-atmosphere continuum (SPAC): a review].

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Li-Min; Qi, Hua; Luo, Xin-Lan; Zhang, Xuan

2008-09-01

Some important phenomena and behaviors concerned with the coordination effect between vapor water loss through plant stomata and liquid water supply in SPAC were discussed in this paper. A large amount of research results showed that plants show isohydric behavior when the plant hydraulic and chemical signals cooperate to promote the stomatal regulation of leaf water potential. The feedback response of stomata to the change of environmental humidity could be used to explain the midday depression of stomatal conductance and photosynthesis under drought condition, and also, to interpret the correlation between stomatal conductance and hydraulic conductance. The feed-forward response of stomata to the change of environmental humidity could be used to explain the hysteresis response of stomatal conductance to leaf-atmosphere vapor pressure deficit. The strategy for getting the most of xylem transport requires the rapid stomatal responses to avoid excess cavitation and the corresponding mechanisms for reversal of cavitation in short time.

Leaf morphophysiology of a Neotropical mistletoe is shaped by seasonal patterns of host leaf phenology.

Science.gov (United States)

Scalon, Marina Corrêa; Rossatto, Davi Rodrigo; Domingos, Fabricius Maia Chaves Bicalho; Franco, Augusto Cesar

2016-04-01

Several mistletoe species are able to grow and reproduce on both deciduous and evergreen hosts, suggesting a degree of plasticity in their ability to cope with differences in intrinsic host functions. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of host phenology on mistletoe water relations and leaf gas exchange. Mistletoe Passovia ovata parasitizing evergreen (Miconia albicans) hosts and P. ovata parasitizing deciduous (Byrsonima verbascifolia) hosts were sampled in a Neotropical savanna. Photosynthetic parameters, diurnal cycles of stomatal conductance, pre-dawn and midday leaf water potential, and stomatal anatomical traits were measured during the peak of the dry and wet seasons, respectively. P. ovata showed distinct water-use strategies that were dependent on host phenology. For P. ovata parasitizing the deciduous host, water use efficiency (WUE; ratio of photosynthetic rate to transpirational water loss) was 2-fold lower in the dry season than in the wet season; in contrast, WUE was maintained at the same level during the wet and dry seasons in P. ovata parasitizing the evergreen host. Generally, mistletoe and host diurnal cycles of stomatal conductance were linked, although there were clear differences in leaf water potential, with mistletoe showing anisohydric behaviour and the host showing isohydric behaviour. Compared to mistletoes attached to evergreen hosts, those parasitizing deciduous hosts had a 1.4-fold lower stomatal density and 1.2-fold wider stomata on both leaf surfaces, suggesting that the latter suffered less intense drought stress. This is the first study to show morphophysiological differences in the same mistletoe species parasitizing hosts of different phenological groups. Our results provide evidence that phenotypical plasticity (anatomical and physiological) might be essential to favour the use of a greater range of hosts.

Specific leaf area estimation from leaf and canopy reflectance through optimization and validation of vegetation indices

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ali, A.M.; Darvishzadeh, R.; Skidmore, A.K.; van Duren, I.C.

2017-01-01

Specific leaf area (SLA), which is defined as the leaf area per unit of dry leaf mass is an important component when assessing functional diversity and plays a key role in ecosystem modeling, linking plant carbon and water cycles as well as quantifying plant physiological processes. However, studies

Physiological responses of Theobroma cacao L. to water soil available in nursery stage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jairo Garcia Lozano

2016-01-01

Full Text Available In the locality of El Espinal, Tolima, the effect of water stress on leaf water potential and gas exchange of plants three clones of cacao (Theobroma cacao L was evaluated. The experiment was established in a split plot design in randomized block arrangement. The main plot was four levels of available soil water, subplot grafted seedlings to three months of three clones with five repetitions. The results showed highly significant differences (P <0.01 in content of soil water, but no differences between the materials evaluated. The loss of water in the soil decreases leaf water potential (Ψf and causes stomatal closure altering gas exchange and vapor pressure deficit (DPV accentuates mainly at noon with increasing evapotranspiration. The magnitude of impact of water deficit depends on climatic variations throughout the day. The climatic variables that affect plant development, are temperature and relative humidity in the form of DPV. Net photosynthesis and growth of cocoa seedlings are physiological variables very sensitive to excess and especially to water deficit.

Identification of water use strategies at early growth stages in durum wheat from shoot phenotyping and physiological measurements.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

ALIREZA NAKHFOROOSH

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Modern imaging technology provides new approaches to plant phenotyping for traits relevant to crop yield and resource efficiency. Our objective was to investigate water use strategies at early growth stages in durum wheat genetic resources using shoot imaging at the ScreenHouse phenotyping facility combined with physiological measurements. 12 durum landraces from different pedoclimatic backgrounds were compared to three modern check cultivars in a greenhouse pot experiment under well watered (75 % plant available water, PAW and drought (25 % PAW conditions. Transpiration rate was analyzed for the underlying main morphological (leaf area duration and physiological (stomata conductance factors. Combining both morphological and physiological regulation of transpiration, four distinct water use types were identified. Most landraces had high transpiration rates either due to extensive leaf area (area types or both large leaf areas together with high stomata conductance (spender types. All modern cultivars were distinguished by high stomata conductance with comparatively compact canopies (conductance types. Only few landraces were water saver types with both small canopy and low stomata conductance. During early growth, genotypes with large leaf area had high dry-matter accumulation under both well watered and drought conditions compared to genotypes with compact stature. However, high stomata conductance was the basis to achieve high dry matter per unit leaf area, indicating high assimilation capacity as a key for productivity in modern cultivars. We conclude that the identified water use strategies based on early growth shoot phenotyping combined with stomata conductance provide an appropriate framework for targeted selection of distinct pre-breeding material adapted to different types of water limited environments.

Identification of Water Use Strategies at Early Growth Stages in Durum Wheat from Shoot Phenotyping and Physiological Measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Nakhforoosh, Alireza; Bodewein, Thomas; Fiorani, Fabio; Bodner, Gernot

2016-01-01

Modern imaging technology provides new approaches to plant phenotyping for traits relevant to crop yield and resource efficiency. Our objective was to investigate water use strategies at early growth stages in durum wheat genetic resources using shoot imaging at the ScreenHouse phenotyping facility combined with physiological measurements. Twelve durum landraces from different pedoclimatic backgrounds were compared to three modern check cultivars in a greenhouse pot experiment under well-watered (75% plant available water, PAW) and drought (25% PAW) conditions. Transpiration rate was analyzed for the underlying main morphological (leaf area duration) and physiological (stomata conductance) factors. Combining both morphological and physiological regulation of transpiration, four distinct water use types were identified. Most landraces had high transpiration rates either due to extensive leaf area (area types) or both large leaf areas together with high stomata conductance (spender types). All modern cultivars were distinguished by high stomata conductance with comparatively compact canopies (conductance types). Only few landraces were water saver types with both small canopy and low stomata conductance. During early growth, genotypes with large leaf area had high dry-matter accumulation under both well-watered and drought conditions compared to genotypes with compact stature. However, high stomata conductance was the basis to achieve high dry matter per unit leaf area, indicating high assimilation capacity as a key for productivity in modern cultivars. We conclude that the identified water use strategies based on early growth shoot phenotyping combined with stomata conductance provide an appropriate framework for targeted selection of distinct pre-breeding material adapted to different types of water limited environments. PMID:27547208

Investigation of the influence of liquid water films on O3 and PAN deposition on plant leaf surfaces treated with organic / inorganic compounds

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Shang; Moravek, Alexander; von der Heyden, Lisa; Held, Andreas; Kesselmeier, Jürgen; Sörgel, Matthias

2016-04-01

Liquid water films on environmental surfaces play an important role in various fields of interest (Burkhardt and Eiden, 1994). For example, the deposition of water soluble trace gases could be increased by surface moisture. Chameides and Stelson (1992) found out that the dissolution of trace gases in airborne particulate matter increases with rising water/solid ratio of the particles. Further, Flechard et al. (1999) concluded that deliquescent salt particles represent a potential sink for trace gases, depending on their chemical property. The formation of surface water films and its influence on the gas deposition was proposed by many previous studies (Fuentes and Gillespie, 1992, Burkhardt and Eiden, 1994, van Hove et al., 1989, Burkhardt et al., 1999, Flechard et al., 1999). In this study we investigate the influence of leaf surface water films on the deposition of O3 and PAN under controlled laboratory conditions. A twin cuvette system described in Sun et al. (2015) was used to control the environmental parameters such as light, temperature, trace gas mixing ratio and humidity. Furthermore, the leaf surface was treated with various organic and inorganic solutions to investigate the influence of deposited compounds on the electrical surface conductance of the leaves and the surface deposition of O3 and PAN at various relative humidities. The result shows that RHcrit, where the electrical surface conductance (G) increases exponentially, was 40 % during the light period and 50 % during the dark period. Furthermore, we observed that the formation of the leaf surface liquid film was depended on the deposited compounds on the leaf cuticles. For the O3 deposition on plants (Quercus ilex) a clear enhancement at rising environmental air humidity under light and dark condition was found. The increase during light conditions can be related partly to increasing stomatal conductance with higher RH. From the non-stomatal deposition measured in dark experiments, we could

Physiological and biochemical responses involved in water deficit tolerance of nitrogen-fixing Vicia faba

Science.gov (United States)

Kabbadj, Ablaa; Makoudi, Bouchra; Mouradi, Mohammed; Frendo, Pierre; Ghoulam, Cherki

2017-01-01

Climate change is increasingly impacting the water deficit over the world. Because of drought and the high pressure of the rising human population, water is becoming a scarce and expensive commodity, especially in developing countries. The identification of crops presenting a higher acclimation to drought stress is thus an important objective in agriculture. The present investigation aimed to assess the adaptation of three Vicia faba genotypes, Aguadulce (AD), Luz d’Otonio (LO) and Reina Mora (RM) to water deficit. Multiple physiological and biochemical parameters were used to analyse the response of the three genotypes to two soil water contents (80% and 40% of field capacity). A significant lower decrease in shoot, root and nodule dry weight was observed for AD compared to LO and RM. The better growth performance of AD was correlated to higher carbon and nitrogen content than in LO and RM under water deficit. Leaf parameters such as relative water content, mass area, efficiency of photosystem II and chlorophyll and carotenoid content were significantly less affected in AD than in LO and RM. Significantly higher accumulation of proline was correlated to the higher performance of AD compared to LO and RM. Additionally, the better growth of AD genotype was related to an important mobilisation of antioxidant enzyme activities such as ascorbate peroxidase and catalase. Taken together, these results allow us to suggest that AD is a water deficit tolerant genotype compared to LO and RM. Our multiple physiological and biochemical analyses show that nitrogen content, leaf proline accumulation, reduced leaf hydrogen peroxide accumulation and leaf antioxidant enzymatic activities (ascorbate peroxidase, guaiacol peroxidase, catalase and polyphenol oxidase) are potential biological markers useful to screen for water deficit resistant Vicia faba genotypes. PMID:29281721

Physiological and biochemical responses involved in water deficit tolerance of nitrogen-fixing Vicia faba.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ablaa Kabbadj

Full Text Available Climate change is increasingly impacting the water deficit over the world. Because of drought and the high pressure of the rising human population, water is becoming a scarce and expensive commodity, especially in developing countries. The identification of crops presenting a higher acclimation to drought stress is thus an important objective in agriculture. The present investigation aimed to assess the adaptation of three Vicia faba genotypes, Aguadulce (AD, Luz d'Otonio (LO and Reina Mora (RM to water deficit. Multiple physiological and biochemical parameters were used to analyse the response of the three genotypes to two soil water contents (80% and 40% of field capacity. A significant lower decrease in shoot, root and nodule dry weight was observed for AD compared to LO and RM. The better growth performance of AD was correlated to higher carbon and nitrogen content than in LO and RM under water deficit. Leaf parameters such as relative water content, mass area, efficiency of photosystem II and chlorophyll and carotenoid content were significantly less affected in AD than in LO and RM. Significantly higher accumulation of proline was correlated to the higher performance of AD compared to LO and RM. Additionally, the better growth of AD genotype was related to an important mobilisation of antioxidant enzyme activities such as ascorbate peroxidase and catalase. Taken together, these results allow us to suggest that AD is a water deficit tolerant genotype compared to LO and RM. Our multiple physiological and biochemical analyses show that nitrogen content, leaf proline accumulation, reduced leaf hydrogen peroxide accumulation and leaf antioxidant enzymatic activities (ascorbate peroxidase, guaiacol peroxidase, catalase and polyphenol oxidase are potential biological markers useful to screen for water deficit resistant Vicia faba genotypes.

Leaf d15N as a physiological indicator of the responsiveness of N2-fixing alfalfa plants to elevated [CO2], temperature and low water availability

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Idoia eAriz

2015-08-01

Full Text Available The natural 15N/14N isotope composition (δ15N of a tissue is a consequence of its N source and N physiological mechanisms in response to the environment. It could potentially be used as a tracer of N metabolism in plants under changing environmental conditions, where primary N metabolism may be complex, and losses and gains of N fluctuate over time. In order to test the utility of δ15N as an indicator of plant N status in N2-fixing plants grown under various environmental conditions, alfalfa (Medicago sativa L. plants were subjected to distinct conditions of [CO2] (400 versus 700 mol mol-1, temperature (ambient versus ambient + 4ºC and water availability (fully watered versus water deficiency - WD. As expected, increased [CO2] and temperature stimulated photosynthetic rates and plant growth, whereas these parameters were negatively affected by WD. The determination of δ15N in leaves, stems, roots and nodules showed that leaves were the most representative organs of the plant response to increased [CO2] and WD. Depletion of heavier N isotopes in plants grown under higher [CO2] and WD conditions reflected decreased transpiration rates, but could also be related to a higher N demand in leaves, as suggested by the decreased leaf N and total soluble protein (TSP contents detected at 700 mol mol-1 [CO2] and WD conditions. In summary, leaf δ15N provides relevant information integrating parameters which condition plant responsiveness (e.g. photosynthesis, TSP, N demand and water transpiration to environmental conditions.

Rates of nocturnal transpiration in two evergreen temperate woodland species with differing water-use strategies.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeppel, Melanie; Tissue, David; Taylor, Daniel; Macinnis-Ng, Catriona; Eamus, Derek

2010-08-01

Nocturnal fluxes may be a significant factor in the annual water budget of forested ecosystems. Here, we assessed sap flow in two co-occurring evergreen species (Eucalyptus parramattensis and Angophora bakeri) in a temperate woodland for 2 years in order to quantify the magnitude of seasonal nocturnal sap flow (E(n)) under different environmental conditions. The two species showed different diurnal water relations, demonstrated by different diurnal curves of stomatal conductance, sap flow and leaf water potential. The relative influence of several microclimatic variables, including wind speed (U), vapour pressure deficit (D), the product of U and D (UD) and soil moisture content, were quantified. D exerted the strongest influence on E(n) (r² = 0.59-0.86), soil moisture content influenced E(n) when D was constant, but U and UD did not generally influence E(n). In both species, cuticular conductance (G(c)) was a small proportion of total leaf conductance (G(s)) and was not a major pathway for E(n). We found that E(n) was primarily a function of transpiration from the canopy rather than refilling of stem storage, with canopy transpiration accounting for 50-70% of nocturnal flows. Mean E(n) was 6-8% of the 24-h flux across seasons (spring, summer and winter), but was up to 19% of the 24-h flux on some days in both species. Despite different daytime strategies in water use of the two species, both species demonstrated low night-time water loss, suggesting similar controls on water loss at night. In order to account for the impact of E(n) on pre-dawn leaf water potential arising from the influence of disequilibria between root zone and leaf water potential, we also developed a simple model to more accurately predict soil water potential (ψ(s)).

Water relations, gas exchange and growth of dominant and suppressed shoots of Arbutus unedo L.

Science.gov (United States)

Castell, C; Terradas, J

1995-06-01

Basal shoots produced by Arbutus unedo L. after cutting at ground level vary in size and growth rate, and are classified accordingly as dominant or suppressed. The suppressed shoots eventually cease growth and die. In this study, we investigated the role of light and water in the competition among shoots of A. unedo. Dominant and suppressed shoots of A. unedo showed similar leaf water potentials and tissue water relations over the year, suggesting that water status is not responsible for the lack of flushing in suppressed shoots. Although suppressed shoots did not flush under low light, they showed many characteristics of shade-tolerant plants. Leaves of suppressed shoots had lower leaf conductance and light-saturated photosynthetic rate, and higher specific leaf area than leaves of dominant shoots. We conclude that light was the main resource determining competition among shoots and the death of suppressed shoots.

Effects of Nutrients Foliar Application on Agrophysiological Characteristics of Maize under Water Deficit Stress

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nour Ali SAJEDI

2010-09-01

Full Text Available To investigate effects of nutrients foliar application on agrophysiological characteristics of maize hybrid �KSC 704� water deficit stress conditions, an experiment was arranged in a split plot factorial based on a randomized complete block design with four replications to the Research Station of Islamic Azad University-Arak Branch, Iran in 2007-2008. Main factors studied were four irrigation levels including irrigation equal to crop water requirement, water deficit stress at eight-leaf stage (V8, blister stage (R2 and filling grain stage (R4 in the main plot. Combined levels of selenium treatment (without and with application 20 gha-1 and micronutrients (without and with application 2 lha-1 were situated in sub plots. Results showed that water deficit stress decreased grain yield 19.7% in blister stage as compared with control. Using selenium increased relative content water at R2 and R4 stages significantly. Using selenium in water deficit stress condition increased measured traits except plant height as compared with treatment without selenium. A negative antagonistic interaction was found between selenium and micronutrients on some measured traits. Between treatments of water deficit stress, highest grain yield equal 6799.52 and 6736.97 kgha-1 was obtained from combined treatments of water deficit stress at eight-leaf stage+without selenium+without micronutrients and water deficit stress at eight-leaf stage+selenium+without micronutrients respectively which compared with treatment of irrigation equal to crop water requirement+selenium+microelements did not differ significant. According to the results of experiment, it is concluded that with micronutrients fertilizer spray under optimum irrigation and selenium spray under water deficit obtain optimum yield.

Measurement of leaf hydraulic conductance and stomatal conductance and their responses to irradiance and dehydration using the Evaporative Flux Method (EFM).

Science.gov (United States)

Sack, Lawren; Scoffoni, Christine

2012-12-31

Water is a key resource, and the plant water transport system sets limits on maximum growth and drought tolerance. When plants open their stomata to achieve a high stomatal conductance (gs) to capture CO2 for photosynthesis, water is lost by transpiration(1,2). Water evaporating from the airspaces is replaced from cell walls, in turn drawing water from the xylem of leaf veins, in turn drawing from xylem in the stems and roots. As water is pulled through the system, it experiences hydraulic resistance, creating tension throughout the system and a low leaf water potential (Ψ(leaf)). The leaf itself is a critical bottleneck in the whole plant system, accounting for on average 30% of the plant hydraulic resistance(3). Leaf hydraulic conductance (K(leaf) = 1/ leaf hydraulic resistance) is the ratio of the water flow rate to the water potential gradient across the leaf, and summarizes the behavior of a complex system: water moves through the petiole and through several orders of veins, exits into the bundle sheath and passes through or around mesophyll cells before evaporating into the airspace and being transpired from the stomata. K(leaf) is of strong interest as an important physiological trait to compare species, quantifying the effectiveness of the leaf structure and physiology for water transport, and a key variable to investigate for its relationship to variation in structure (e.g., in leaf venation architecture) and its impacts on photosynthetic gas exchange. Further, K(leaf) responds strongly to the internal and external leaf environment(3). K(leaf) can increase dramatically with irradiance apparently due to changes in the expression and activation of aquaporins, the proteins involved in water transport through membranes(4), and K(leaf) declines strongly during drought, due to cavitation and/or collapse of xylem conduits, and/or loss of permeability in the extra-xylem tissues due to mesophyll and bundle sheath cell shrinkage or aquaporin deactivation(5

Hydraulic failure defines the recovery and point of death in water-stressed conifers.

Science.gov (United States)

Brodribb, Tim J; Cochard, Hervé

2009-01-01

This study combines existing hydraulic principles with recently developed methods for probing leaf hydraulic function to determine whether xylem physiology can explain the dynamic response of gas exchange both during drought and in the recovery phase after rewatering. Four conifer species from wet and dry forests were exposed to a range of water stresses by withholding water and then rewatering to observe the recovery process. During both phases midday transpiration and leaf water potential (Psileaf) were monitored. Stomatal responses to Psileaf were established for each species and these relationships used to evaluate whether the recovery of gas exchange after drought was limited by postembolism hydraulic repair in leaves. Furthermore, the timing of gas-exchange recovery was used to determine the maximum survivable water stress for each species and this index compared with data for both leaf and stem vulnerability to water-stress-induced dysfunction measured for each species. Recovery of gas exchange after water stress took between 1 and >100 d and during this period all species showed strong 1:1 conformity to a combined hydraulic-stomatal limitation model (r2 = 0.70 across all plants). Gas-exchange recovery time showed two distinct phases, a rapid overnight recovery in plants stressed to 50% loss of Kleaf. Maximum recoverable water stress (Psimin) corresponded to a 95% loss of Kleaf. Thus, we conclude that xylem hydraulics represents a direct limit to the drought tolerance of these conifer species.

Below-ground interspecific competition for water in a rubber agroforestry system may enhance water utilization in plants.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Junen; Liu, Wenjie; Chen, Chunfeng

2016-01-19

Rubber-based (Hevea brasiliensis) agroforestry systems are regarded as the best way to improve the sustainability of rubber monocultures, but few reports have examined water use in such systems. Accordingly, we tested whether interplanting facilitates water utilization of rubber trees using stable isotope (δD, δ(18)O, and δ(13)C) methods and by measuring soil water content (SWC), shoot potential, and leaf C and N concentrations in a Hevea-Flemingia agroforestry system in Xishuangbanna, southwestern China. We detected a big difference in the utilization of different soil layer water between both species in this agroforestry system, as evidenced by the opposite seasonal fluctuations in both δD and δ(18)O in stem water. However, similar predawn shoot potential of rubber trees at both sites demonstrating that the interplanted species did not affect the water requirements of rubber trees greatly. Rubber trees with higher δ(13)C and more stable physiological indexes in this agroforestry system showed higher water use efficiency (WUE) and tolerance ability, and the SWC results suggested this agroforestry is conductive to water conservation. Our results clearly indicated that intercropping legume plants with rubber trees can benefit rubber trees own higher N supply, increase their WUE and better utilize soil water of each soil layer.

Grapevine acclimation to water deficit: the adjustment of stomatal and hydraulic conductance differs from petiole embolism vulnerability.

Science.gov (United States)

Hochberg, Uri; Bonel, Andrea Giulia; David-Schwartz, Rakefet; Degu, Asfaw; Fait, Aaron; Cochard, Hervé; Peterlunger, Enrico; Herrera, Jose Carlos

2017-06-01

Drought-acclimated vines maintained higher gas exchange compared to irrigated controls under water deficit; this effect is associated with modified leaf turgor but not with improved petiole vulnerability to cavitation. A key feature for the prosperity of plants under changing environments is the plasticity of their hydraulic system. In the present research we studied the hydraulic regulation in grapevines (Vitis vinifera L.) that were first acclimated for 39 days to well-watered (WW), sustained water deficit (SD), or transient-cycles of dehydration-rehydration-water deficit (TD) conditions, and then subjected to varying degrees of drought. Vine development under SD led to the smallest leaves and petioles, but the TD vines had the smallest mean xylem vessel and calculated specific conductivity (k ts ). Unexpectedly, both the water deficit acclimation treatments resulted in vines more vulnerable to cavitation in comparison to WW, possibly as a result of developmental differences or cavitation fatigue. When exposed to drought, the SD vines maintained the highest stomatal (g s ) and leaf conductance (k leaf ) under low stem water potential (Ψ s ), despite their high xylem vulnerability and in agreement with their lower turgor loss point (Ψ TLP ). These findings suggest that the down-regulation of k leaf and g s is not associated with embolism, and the ability of drought-acclimated vines to maintain hydraulic conductance and gas exchange under stressed conditions is more likely associated with the leaf turgor and membrane permeability.

Potential Study of Water Extraction from Selected Plants

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Musa S.

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Water is absorbed by the roots of a plant and transported subsequently as a liquid to all parts of the plant before being released into the atmosphere as transpiration. In this study, seven(7selected plant species collected from urban, rural and forested areas were studied and characterized. The water was collected using transparent plastic bag that being tied to the tree branches. Then, the vapouris water trapped inside the plastic bag and through the condensation process, it become water droplets. Water quality parameters such as temperature, pH value, DO, turbidity, colour, magnesium, calcium, nitrate and chloride were analyzed. The analysis was compared to drinking water quality standard set by the Ministry of Health Malaysia. Based on the results, it shows that banana leaf has a higher rate of water extraction compared to others. Thus, the plant can be categorised as a helpful guide for emergency use of water or as an alternative source to survival.

The Effects on Water Consumption and Some Growth Parameters of Different Level of Leonardite in Curly Leaf Salad (Lactuva sativa var. crispa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sertan Sesveren

2018-04-01

Full Text Available In the research, effects of Leonardite which is an important source of humic and fulvic acid applied in different levels on the basis of weight to soil on the water consumption and agricultural productivity in curly leaf salad (Lactuva sativa var. crispa were evaluated. The study was carried out under the greenhouse conditions as a pot experiment. The soil used was clayey-loamy and the PE pots with 10 L volume were used in the experiment. The study was designed to test random blocks with 3 replications in 4 different treatments. The subjects were formed as L0: (Control, L5: (5% leonardite + 95% soil, L10: (10% leonardite + 90% soil and L20: (20% leonardite + 80% soil. Plant water depletions were monitored by weighing the pots. The highest water consumption was achieved with 9.74 L for L0 control (non-leonardite applied potting soil, while it was lowest as 7.20 L for the L20. The effect of the Leonardite applied as different levels on the yield and some growth parameters were found statistically significant (P

Plant water potential improves prediction of empirical stomatal models.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

William R L Anderegg

Full Text Available Climate change is expected to lead to increases in drought frequency and severity, with deleterious effects on many ecosystems. Stomatal responses to changing environmental conditions form the backbone of all ecosystem models, but are based on empirical relationships and are not well-tested during drought conditions. Here, we use a dataset of 34 woody plant species spanning global forest biomes to examine the effect of leaf water potential on stomatal conductance and test the predictive accuracy of three major stomatal models and a recently proposed model. We find that current leaf-level empirical models have consistent biases of over-prediction of stomatal conductance during dry conditions, particularly at low soil water potentials. Furthermore, the recently proposed stomatal conductance model yields increases in predictive capability compared to current models, and with particular improvement during drought conditions. Our results reveal that including stomatal sensitivity to declining water potential and consequent impairment of plant water transport will improve predictions during drought conditions and show that many biomes contain a diversity of plant stomatal strategies that range from risky to conservative stomatal regulation during water stress. Such improvements in stomatal simulation are greatly needed to help unravel and predict the response of ecosystems to future climate extremes.

Water status and gas exchange of umbu plants (Spondias tuberosa Arr. Cam.) propagated by seeds and stem cuttings.

OpenAIRE

LIMA FILHO, J. M. P.

2008-01-01

The experiment was carried out at the Embrapa Semi-Árido, Petrolina-PE, Brazil, in order to study the physiological responses of umbu plants propagated by seeds and by stem cuttings under water stress conditions, based on leaf water potential and gas exchange measurements. Data were collected in one-year plants established in pots containing 30 kg of a sandy soil and submitted to twenty-day progressive soil water deficit. The evaluations were based on leaf water potential and gas exchange dat...

The impact of long-term water stress on relative growth rate and morphology of needles and shoots of Metasequoia glyptostroboides seedlings: research toward identifying mechanistic models.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yanxiang; Equiza, Maria Alejandra; Zheng, Quanshui; Tyree, Melvin T

2011-09-01

Leaf morphology in the upper canopy of trees tends to be different from that lower down. The effect of long-term water stress on leaf growth and morphology was studied in seedlings of Metasequoia glyptostroboides to understand how tree height might affect leaf morphology in larger trees. Tree height increases water stress on growing leaves through increased hydraulic resistance to water flow and increased gravitational potential, hence we assume that water stress imposed by soil dehydration will have an effect equivalent to stress induced by height. Seedlings were subjected to well-watered and two constant levels of long-term water stress treatments. Drought treatment significantly reduced final needle count, area and mass per area (leaf mass area, LMA) and increased needle density. Needles from water-stressed plants had lower maximum volumetric elastic modulus (ε(max)), osmotic potential at full turgor (Ψ¹⁰⁰(π)) (and at zero turgor (Ψ⁰(π)) (than those from well-watered plants. Palisade and spongy mesophyll cell size and upper epidermal cell size decreased significantly in drought treatments. Needle relative growth rate, needle length and cell sizes were linear functions of the daily average water potential at the time of leaf growth (r² 0.88-0.999). We conclude that water stress alone does mimic the direction and magnitude of changes in leaf morphology observed in tall trees. The results are discussed in terms of various models for leaf growth rate. Copyright © Physiologia Plantarum 2011.

Molecular, physiological and biochemical responses of Theobroma cacao L. genotypes to soil water deficit.

Science.gov (United States)

Santos, Ivanildes C Dos; Almeida, Alex-Alan Furtado de; Anhert, Dário; Conceição, Alessandro S da; Pirovani, Carlos P; Pires, José L; Valle, Raúl René; Baligar, Virupax C

2014-01-01

Six months-old seminal plants of 36 cacao genotypes grown under greenhouse conditions were subjected to two soil water regimes (control and drought) to assess, the effects of water deficit on growth, chemical composition and oxidative stress. In the control, soil moisture was maintained near field capacity with leaf water potentials (ΨWL) ranging from -0.1 to -0.5 MPa. In the drought treatment, the soil moisture was reduced gradually by withholding additional water until ΨWL reached values of between -2.0 to -2.5 MPa. The tolerant genotypes PS-1319, MO-20 and MA-15 recorded significant increases in guaiacol peroxidase activity reflecting a more efficient antioxidant metabolism. In relation to drought tolerance, the most important variables in the distinguishing contrasting groups were: total leaf area per plant; leaf, stem and total dry biomass; relative growth rate; plant shoot biomass and leaf content of N, Ca, and Mg. From the results of these analyses, six genotypes were selected with contrasting characteristics for tolerance to soil water deficit [CC-40, C. SUL-4 and SIC-2 (non-tolerant) and MA-15, MO-20, and PA-13 (tolerant)] for further assessment of the expression of genes NCED5, PP2C, psbA and psbO to water deficit. Increased expression of NCED5, PP2C, psbA and psbO genes were found for non-tolerant genotypes, while in the majority of tolerant genotypes there was repression of these genes, with the exception of PA-13 that showed an increased expression of psbA. Mutivariate analysis showed that growth variables, leaf and total dry biomass, relative growth rate as well as Mg content of the leaves were the most important factor in the classification of the genotypes as tolerant, moderately tolerant and sensitive to water deficit. Therefore these variables are reliable plant traits in the selection of plants tolerant to drought.

Interaction between litter quality and simulated water depth on decomposition of two emergent macrophytes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yajun Xie

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Both water depth and litter quality are important factors influencing litter decomposition in wetlands, but the interactive role of these factors in regulating mass loss and nutrient dynamics is far from clear. The responses of mass loss and nutrient dynamics to simulated water depths and litter quality are investigated in leaves of Carex brevicuspis and leaves and stems of Miscanthus sacchariflorus from the Dongting Lake, China. Three litter types differing in litter quality were incubated for 210 days at three water depths (0 cm, 5 cm, and 80 cm, relative to the water surface in a pond near the Dongting Lake. The litter mass remaining, nitrogen (N, phosphorus (P, organic carbon (organic C, cellulose, and lignin contents were analyzed during the controlled decomposition experiment. Moreover, water properties (temperature, dissolved oxygen content, and conductivity and fungal biomass were also characterized. Initial N and P contents were highest in C. brevicuspis leaves, intermediate in M. sacchariflorus leaves and lowest in M. sacchariflorus stems, whereas the organic C, cellulose, and lignin contents exhibited an opposite trend. After a 210 days incubation, decomposition rate was highest in M. sacchariflorus leaves (0.0034–0.0090 g g-1 DW day-1, in exponential decay model, intermediate in C. brevicuspis leaves (0.0019–0.0041 g g-1 DW day-1, and lowest in M. sacchariflorus stems (0.0005–0.0011 g g-1DW day-1. Decomposition rate of C. brevicuspis leaves was highest at 5 cm water depth, intermediate at 80 cm, and lowest at 0 cm. Decomposition rate of M. sacchariflorus leaves was higher at 5 cm, and 80 cm than at 0 cm water depths. Water depth had no effect on decomposition of M. sacchariflorus stems. At the end of incubation, N and P mineralization was completely in leaf litters with increasing rates along with increasing water depth, while nutrients were accumulated in M. sacchariflorus stem. Organic C, cellulose, and lignin decayed quickly

Making C4 crops more water efficient under current and future climate: Tradeoffs between carbon gain and water loss

Science.gov (United States)

Srinivasan, V.; Pignon, C.

2017-12-01

C4 plants have a carbon concentrating mechanism that has evolved under historically low CO2 concentrations of around 200 ppm. However, increases in global CO2 concentrations in recent times (current CO2 concentrations are at 400 ppm and it is projected to be 550 ppm by mid-century) have diminished the relative advantage of C4 plants over C3 plants, which lack the expensive carbon concentrating machinery. Here we show by employing model simulations that under pre-historic CO2 concentrations, C4 plants are near optimal in their stomatal behavior and nitrogen partitioning between carbon concentrating machinery and carboxylation machinery, and they are significantly supra-optimal under current and future elevated CO2 concentrations. Model simulations performed at current CO2 concentrations of 400 ppm show that, under high light conditions, decreasing stomatal conductance by 20% results in a 15% increase in water use efficiency with negligible loss in photosynthesis. Under future elevated CO2 concentrations of 550 ppm, a 40% decrease in stomatal conductance produces a 35% increase in water use efficiency. Furthermore, stomatal closure is shown to be more effective in decreasing whole canopy transpiration compared to canopy top leaf transpiration, since shaded leaves are more supra-optimal than sunlit leaves. Model simulations for optimizing nitrogen distribution in C4 leaves show that under high light conditions, C4 plants over invest in carbon concentrating machinery and under invest in carboxylation machinery. A 20% redistribution in leaf nitrogen results in a 10% increase in leaf carbon assimilation without significant increases in transpiration under current CO2 concentrations of 400 ppm. Similarly, a 40% redistribution in leaf nitrogen results in a 15% increase in leaf carbon assimilation without significant increases in transpiration under future elevated CO2 concentrations of 550 ppm. Our model optimality simulations show that C4 leaves a supra optimal in their

Improving SWAT for simulating water and carbon fluxes of forest ecosystems

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yang, Qichun; Zhang, Xuesong

2016-11-01

As a widely used watershed model for assessing impacts of anthropogenic and natural disturbances on water quantity and quality, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) has not been extensively tested in simulating water and carbon fluxes of forest ecosystems. Here, we examine SWAT simulations of evapotranspiration (ET), net primary productivity (NPP), net ecosystem exchange (NEE), and plant biomass at ten AmeriFlux forest sites across the U.S. We identify unrealistic radiation use efficiency (Bio_E), large leaf to biomass fraction (Bio_LEAF), and missing phosphorus supply from parent material weathering as the primary causes for the inadequate performance of the default SWAT model in simulating forest dynamics. By further revising the relevant parameters and processes, SWAT’s performance is substantially improved. Based on the comparison between the improved SWAT simulations and flux tower observations, we discuss future research directions for further enhancing model parameterization and representation of water and carbon cycling for forests.

Water use efficiency and functional traits of a semiarid shrubland

Science.gov (United States)

Perez-Priego, Oscar; Lopez-Ballesteros, Ana; Sánchez-Cañete, Enrique P.; Serrano-Ortiz, Penélope; Carrara, Arnaud; Palomares-Palacio, Agustí; Oyonarte, Cecilio; Domingo, Francisco; Kowalski, Andrew S.

2013-04-01

In semiarid climates, water is the fundamental factor determining ecosystem productivity and thereby the capacity for carbon sequestration. Increased water use efficiency (WUE), the ratio of carbon dioxide assimilation (canopy photosynthesis, Pc) to water transpired (canopy evaporation, Ec), is assumed to be an adaptive strategy for sclerophyll shrublands to improve productivity and stress resistance in water-limited environments. However, the real complexity of WUE lies in its dependence on both plant physiological traits (e.g. stomatal resistance, photosynthetic capacity, leaf chemical composition, structure) and on environmental conditions (e.g. atmospheric CO2 concentration, vapour pressure deficit, temperature, light, soil water availability). We used a transient-state closed canopy-chamber to characterise CO2 and water vapour exchanges at the whole plant scale under different environmental conditions and phenological stages. Diurnal and seasonal variations in Pc, Ec and WUE were explained by both physiological and environmental variables. All species showed symmetric patterns in both Pc and Ec when not water limited, but asymmetry during summer drought when leaf water potential was low. During drought, grasses (Festuca sp.) showed a marked decline in functioning (Pc and Ec), whereas shrubs (Genista sp., Hormathophylla sp.) maintained spring-like assimilation rates all morning until stomatal controls shut down gas exchanges. While grasses showed the highest WUE when not water limited, their near senescence during summer drought yielded the lowest WUE. Shrubs showed reduced WUE under moderate drought stress, in contradiction to the assumptions made in global ecosystem models. The importance of the appropriate time-scale for calculating WUE (daily versus hourly), together with water use strategies and ecological functions of individual species, will be further discussed.

Smallholder Food and Water Security in the Face of Climatic Stress and the Coffee Leaf Rust: Lessons from Nicaragua

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, I. T.; Bacon, C. M.; Sundstrom, W.

2015-12-01

Smallholder farmers in Nicaragua and throughout much of Central America preserve forest biodiversity and contribute to the sustainable production of coffee and other crops while, paradoxically, they themselves must cope with recurring periods of seasonal hunger. Smallholder food and water security in the region is affected by hurricanes, periodic drought events, climatic changes, an on-going outbreak of the coffee leaf rust, and fluctuations in food prices. Using regression analysis, our research examines what factors strengthened resilience to these hazards at the household level over the 1981 - 2014 time period. To this end, we integrate qualitative research on coping responses and local institutions, a participatory survey of 368 households, and an analysis of hydro-climatic data. Our results indicate that coping responses to the coffee leaf rust outbreak and the 2014 drought are comparable in severity to those used to endure Hurricane Mitch in 1998, and a severe 2009 drought. Higher smallholder resilience to stresses affecting food and water security is associated with larger farms, off-farm employment, more on-farm food production, higher numbers of fruit trees, and greater coffee harvests. Households that reported more severe coping responses to hazards earlier in the study period tended to be more strongly impacted by later hazards and reported generally greater seasonal hunger. Affiliation with local farmer-to-farmer institutions prioritizing either subsistence-oriented production or sales to international fair-trade markets did not correlate strongly with coping responses; however, subsistence-oriented institutions promote several resilience-enhancing practices. Lessons learned by adapting to past hazards may be used to develop adaptation and mitigation strategies for smallholders under continued climate variability and change.

Leaf habit and woodiness regulate different leaf economy traits at a given nutrient supply.

Science.gov (United States)

Ordoñez, Jenny C; van Bodegom, Peter M; Witte, Jan-Philip M; Bartholomeus, Ruud P; van Dobben, Han F; Aerts, Rien

2010-11-01

The large variation in the relationships between environmental factors and plant traits observed in natural communities exemplifies the alternative solutions that plants have developed in response to the same environmental limitations. Qualitative attributes, such as growth form, woodiness, and leaf habit can be used to approximate these alternative solutions. Here, we quantified the extent to which these attributes affect leaf trait values at a given resource supply level, using measured plant traits from 105 different species (254 observations) distributed across 50 sites in mesic to wet plant communities in The Netherlands. For each site, soil total N, soil total P, and water supply estimates were obtained by field measurements and modeling. Effects of growth forms, woodiness, and leaf habit on relations between leaf traits (SLA, specific leaf area; LNC, leaf nitrogen concentration; and LPC, leaf phosphorus concentration) vs. nutrient and water supply were quantified using maximum-likelihood methods and Bonferroni post hoc tests. The qualitative attributes explained 8-23% of the variance within sites in leaf traits vs. soil fertility relationships, and therefore they can potentially be used to make better predictions of global patterns of leaf traits in relation to nutrient supply. However, at a given soil fertility, the strength of the effect of each qualitative attribute was not the same for all leaf traits. These differences may imply a differential regulation of the leaf economy traits at a given nutrient supply, in which SLA and LPC seem to be regulated in accordance to changes in plant size and architecture while LNC seems to be primarily regulated at the leaf level by factors related to leaf longevity.

within plant resistance to water flow in tomato and sweet melons

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Administrator

high pressure flow meter (HPFM) and evaporative flux (EF) methods. In the evaporative flux method, measure- ments of transpiration flux and leaf water potential were used to calculate the total resistance to water flow using. Ohm's law analogy. Measurements of tranpiration flux (Q) relationship, plant resistance calculated ...

In vitro safety assessment of the strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.) water leaf extract and arbutin in human peripheral blood lymphocytes.

Science.gov (United States)

Jurica, K; Brčić Karačonji, I; Mikolić, A; Milojković-Opsenica, D; Benković, V; Kopjar, N

2018-04-25

Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo L.) leaves have long been used in the traditional medicine of the Mediterranean region. One of their most bioactive constituents is the glycoside arbutin, whose presence makes A. unedo suitable as a potential substitute for bearberry [Arctostaphylos uva ursi (L.) Spreng] leaves, an herbal preparation widely used for treating urinary tract infections. The safety and biocompatibility of strawberry tree water leaf extract have not yet been documented well. This study estimated arbutin content in strawberry tree water leaf extract (STE) using high performance liquid chromatography. Furthermore, we performed an in vitro safety assessment of the 24 h exposure to three presumably non-toxic concentrations of standardized STE and arbutin in human peripheral blood lymphocytes using the apoptosis/necrosis assay, the alkaline comet assay, and the cytokinesis-block micronucleus cytome assay. The STE was also tested for total antioxidant capacity and lipid peroxidation. At a concentration corresponding to the maximum allowable daily intake of arbutin, the tested extract was not cytotoxic, had a negligible potential for causing primary DNA damage and even hindered micronuclei formation in lymphocytes. It also showed a valuable antioxidant capacity, and did not exert marked lipid peroxidation. These promising results represent a solid frame for further development of STE-based herbal preparations. Although arbutin generally had a low DNA damaging potential, the slowing down of lymphocyte proliferation observed after 24 h of exposure points to a cytostatic effect, which merits further research.

Soil water regime and evapotranspiration of sites with trees and lawn in Moscow

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bondarenko, V.

2009-01-01

Keywords: Urban vegetation, Tilia cordata, linden, lawn, grass, Leaf Area Index, LAI, digital image processing, evapotranspiration, water stress, electric conductivity, salinity stress, Makkink’s radiation model, deep percolation, water infiltration, runoff, modelling

Situations where

Water relations and microclimate around the upper limit of a cloud forest in Maui, Hawai'i.

Science.gov (United States)

Gotsch, Sybil G; Crausbay, Shelley D; Giambelluca, Thomas W; Weintraub, Alexis E; Longman, Ryan J; Asbjornsen, Heidi; Hotchkiss, Sara C; Dawson, Todd E

2014-07-01

The goal of this study was to determine the effects of atmospheric demand on both plant water relations and daily whole-tree water balance across the upper limit of a cloud forest at the mean base height of the trade wind inversion in the tropical trade wind belt. We measured the microclimate and water relations (sap flow, water potential, stomatal conductance, pressure-volume relations) of Metrosideros polymorpha Gaudich. var. polymorpha in three habitats bracketing the cloud forest's upper limit in Hawai'i to understand the role of water relations in determining ecotone position. The subalpine shrubland site, located 100 m above the cloud forest boundary, had the highest vapor pressure deficit, the least amount of rainfall and the highest levels of nighttime transpiration (EN) of all three sites. In the shrubland site, on average, 29% of daily whole-tree transpiration occurred at night, while on the driest day of the study 50% of total daily transpiration occurred at night. While EN occurred in the cloud forest habitat, the proportion of total daily transpiration that occurred at night was much lower (4%). The average leaf water potential (Ψleaf) was above the water potential at the turgor loss point (ΨTLP) on both sides of the ecotone due to strong stomatal regulation. While stomatal closure maintained a high Ψleaf, the minimum leaf water potential (Ψleafmin) was close to ΨTLP, indicating that drier conditions may cause drought stress in these habitats and may be an important driver of current landscape patterns in stand density. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Soil Moisture and Excavation Behaviour in the Chaco Leaf-Cutting Ant (Atta vollenweideri): Digging Performance and Prevention of Water Inflow into the Nest

Science.gov (United States)

Pielström, Steffen; Roces, Flavio

2014-01-01

The Chaco leaf-cutting ant Atta vollenweideri is native to the clay-heavy soils of the Gran Chaco region in South America. Because of seasonal floods, colonies are regularly exposed to varying moisture across the soil profile, a factor that not only strongly influences workers' digging performance during nest building, but also determines the suitability of the soil for the rearing of the colony's symbiotic fungus. In this study, we investigated the effects of varying soil moisture on behaviours associated with underground nest building in A. vollenweideri. This was done in a series of laboratory experiments using standardised, plastic clay-water mixtures with gravimetric water contents ranging from relatively brittle material to mixtures close to the liquid limit. Our experiments showed that preference and group-level digging rate increased with increasing water content, but then dropped considerably for extremely moist materials. The production of vibrational recruitment signals during digging showed, on the contrary, a slightly negative linear correlation with soil moisture. Workers formed and carried clay pellets at higher rates in moist clay, even at the highest water content tested. Hence, their weak preference and low group-level excavation rate observed for that mixture cannot be explained by any inability to work with the material. More likely, extremely high moistures may indicate locations unsuitable for nest building. To test this hypothesis, we simulated a situation in which workers excavated an upward tunnel below accumulated surface water. The ants stopped digging about 12 mm below the interface soil/water, a behaviour representing a possible adaptation to the threat of water inflow field colonies are exposed to while digging under seasonally flooded soils. Possible roles of soil water in the temporal and spatial pattern of nest growth are discussed. PMID:24748382

Soil moisture and excavation behaviour in the Chaco leaf-cutting ant (Atta vollenweideri: digging performance and prevention of water inflow into the nest.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Steffen Pielström

Full Text Available The Chaco leaf-cutting ant Atta vollenweideri is native to the clay-heavy soils of the Gran Chaco region in South America. Because of seasonal floods, colonies are regularly exposed to varying moisture across the soil profile, a factor that not only strongly influences workers' digging performance during nest building, but also determines the suitability of the soil for the rearing of the colony's symbiotic fungus. In this study, we investigated the effects of varying soil moisture on behaviours associated with underground nest building in A. vollenweideri. This was done in a series of laboratory experiments using standardised, plastic clay-water mixtures with gravimetric water contents ranging from relatively brittle material to mixtures close to the liquid limit. Our experiments showed that preference and group-level digging rate increased with increasing water content, but then dropped considerably for extremely moist materials. The production of vibrational recruitment signals during digging showed, on the contrary, a slightly negative linear correlation with soil moisture. Workers formed and carried clay pellets at higher rates in moist clay, even at the highest water content tested. Hence, their weak preference and low group-level excavation rate observed for that mixture cannot be explained by any inability to work with the material. More likely, extremely high moistures may indicate locations unsuitable for nest building. To test this hypothesis, we simulated a situation in which workers excavated an upward tunnel below accumulated surface water. The ants stopped digging about 12 mm below the interface soil/water, a behaviour representing a possible adaptation to the threat of water inflow field colonies are exposed to while digging under seasonally flooded soils. Possible roles of soil water in the temporal and spatial pattern of nest growth are discussed.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi improve photosynthetic energy use efficiency and decrease foliar construction cost under recurrent water deficit in woody evergreen species.

Science.gov (United States)

Barros, Vanessa; Frosi, Gabriella; Santos, Mariana; Ramos, Diego Gomes; Falcão, Hiram Marinho; Santos, Mauro Guida

2018-06-01

Plants suffer recurrent cycles of water deficit in semiarid regions and have several mechanisms to tolerate low water availability. Thus, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can alleviate deleterious effects of stress. In this study, Cynophalla flexuosa plants, a woody evergreen species from semiarid, when associated with AMF were exposed to two consecutive cycles of water deficit. Leaf primary metabolism, specific leaf area (SLA), leaf construction cost (CC) and photosynthetic energy use efficiency (PEUE) were measured. The maximum stress occurred on seven days (cycle 1) and ten days (cycle 2) after suspending irrigation (photosynthesis close to zero). The rehydration was performed for three days after each maximum stress. In both cycles, plants submitted to water deficit showed reduced gas exchange and leaf relative water content. However, Drought + AMF plants had significantly larger leaf relative water content in cycle 2. At cycle 1, the SLA was larger in non-inoculated plants, while CC was higher in inoculated plants. At cycle 2, Drought + AMF treatment had lower CC and large SLA compared to control, and high PEUE compared to Drought plants. These responses suggest AMFs increase tolerance of C. flexuosa to recurrent water deficit, mainly in cycle 2, reducing the CC, promoting the improvement of SLA and PEUE, leading to higher photosynthetic area. Thus, our result emphasizes the importance of studies on recurrence of water deficit, a common condition in semiarid environments. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Water relations and photosynthesis as criteria for adequate irrigation management in 'Tahiti' lime trees

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silva Cláudio Ricardo da

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Irrigation scheduling based on soil moisture status is one of the most useful methods because of its practicality and low cost. The effects of available soil water depletion on evapotranspiration (ETc, transpiration (E, leaf water potential at predawn (psiP and midday (psiM, stomatal conductance (gs and net CO2 assimilation (A in lime 'Tahiti' trees (Citrus latifolia were evaluated to improve irrigation schedule and minimize water use without causing water stress. The trees were spaced 7 4 m and drip-irrigated by four drippers with the available soil water content (AWC depleted by suspension of irrigation (40 days. Leaf water potential was measured on a pressure chamber (psiP and psiM and leaf gas exchange was measured by infrared gas analyzer (E, gs and A. Evapotranspiration was determined with the aid of weighing lysimeter. Water soil content and potential (psiS were monitored with TDR probes and tensiometers, respectively, installed at 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9 m depths. Meteorological variables were monitored with an automatic weather station in the experimental area. The threshold AWC level for the onset of ETc decline was 43%, and 60% for gs, A, E and Y P. Also, psiP was more sensitive to AWC than psiM, and is therefore a better tool for irrigation. When AWC was around 60%, values of psiP and psis were -0.62 MPa and -48.8 kPa, respectively.

Detecting leaf-water content in Mediterranean trees using high-resolution spectrometry

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Jong, Steven M.; Addink, Elisabeth A.; Doelman, Jonathan C.

2014-01-01

Water content of the vegetation canopy or individual leaves is an important variable in physiological plant processes. In Mediterranean regions where water availability is an important production limiting factor, it is a strong indicator of vegetation stress. Spectroscopic earth-observation

Examining Influence of Fog and Stratus Clouds on Bishop Pine Water Budgets, Channel Islands, CA

Science.gov (United States)

Fischer, D. T.; Still, C. J.; Williams, A. P.

2004-12-01

We present the first results from a project whose goal is to advance our basic understanding of the role that fog and persistent stratus clouds play in ecological processes in the California Channel Islands. Our work is focused on a population of Bishop Pines (Pinus muricata) on Santa Cruz Island (SCI), the largest, most topographically complex and most biologically diverse island along the California coast. This is the southernmost population (except for an outlier stand near San Vicente, Baja California), and tree growth appears to be water-limited in such a marginal habitat. We hypothesize that persistent fog and low stratus clouds enhance the water balance of these trees via direct water inputs (fog drip and foliar absorption) and reduced solar heating. To assess these possible effects, we have established weather stations and fog and rain collectors throughout the largest Bishop pine stand on SCI. Initial analysis of weather data shows dramatic differences in solar loading over short distances. We present data on the isotopic content (oxygen-18 and hydrogen-2) of water samples collected from winter 2003 to summer 2004. The samples we collected include fogwater, rainfall, water vapor, soil water, leaf and xylem water, and stream water. We also collected and analyzed leaf biomass and soil organic matter samples at periodic intervals for carbon-13 content. These latter data are evaluated in light of extensive leaf-level ecophysiological data collected in the field and as part of a parallel greenhouse study.

Screening of lettuce germplasm for agronomic traits under low water conditions

Science.gov (United States)

After a preliminary screening of over 3,500 varieties, we selected 200 cultivars of butterhead, cos, crisphead, leaf, and stem lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) and wild prickly lettuce (Lactuca serriola L.) to test under high water (150% ET) and low water (50% ET) conditions in the field, and tracked com...

Within plant resistance to water flow in tomato and sweet melons ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

In the evaporative flux method, measurements of transpiration flux and leaf water potential were used to calculate the total resistance to water flow using Ohm's law analogy. Measurements of tranpiration flux (Q) relationship, plant resistance calculated from the slope of their relationship, ranged from 6.57x10-01 to ...

Diurnal Variation in Gas Exchange: The Balance between Carbon Fixation and Water Loss.

Science.gov (United States)

Matthews, Jack S A; Vialet-Chabrand, Silvere R M; Lawson, Tracy

2017-06-01

Stomatal control of transpiration is critical for maintaining important processes, such as plant water status, leaf temperature, as well as permitting sufficient CO 2 diffusion into the leaf to maintain photosynthetic rates ( A ). Stomatal conductance often closely correlates with A and is thought to control the balance between water loss and carbon gain. It has been suggested that a mesophyll-driven signal coordinates A and stomatal conductance responses to maintain this relationship; however, the signal has yet to be fully elucidated. Despite this correlation under stable environmental conditions, the responses of both parameters vary spatially and temporally and are dependent on species, environment, and plant water status. Most current models neglect these aspects of gas exchange, although it is clear that they play a vital role in the balance of carbon fixation and water loss. Future efforts should consider the dynamic nature of whole-plant gas exchange and how it represents much more than the sum of its individual leaf-level components, and they should take into consideration the long-term effect on gas exchange over time. © 2017 American Society of Plant Biologists. All Rights Reserved.

Water stress drastically reduces root growth and inulin yield in Cichorium intybus (var. sativum) independently of photosynthesis

Science.gov (United States)

Vandoorne, B.; Mathieu, A.-S.; Van den Ende, W.; Vergauwen, R.; Périlleux, C.; Javaux, M.; Lutts, S.

2012-01-01

Root chicory (Cichorium intybus var. sativum) is a cash crop cultivated for inulin production in Western Europe. This plant can be exposed to severe water stress during the last 3 months of its 6-month growing period. The aim of this study was to quantify the effect of a progressive decline in water availability on plant growth, photosynthesis, and sugar metabolism and to determine its impact on inulin production. Water stress drastically decreased fresh and dry root weight, leaf number, total leaf area, and stomatal conductance. Stressed plants, however, increased their water-use efficiency and leaf soluble sugar concentration, decreased the shoot-to-root ratio and lowered their osmotic potential. Despite a decrease in photosynthetic pigments, the photosynthesis light phase remained unaffected under water stress. Water stress increased sucrose phosphate synthase activity in the leaves but not in the roots. Water stress inhibited sucrose:sucrose 1-fructosyltransferase and fructan:fructan 1 fructosyltransferase after 19 weeks of culture and slightly increased fructan 1-exohydrolase activity. The root inulin concentration, expressed on a dry-weight basis, and the mean degree of polymerization of the inulin chain remained unaffected by water stress. Root chicory displayed resistance to water stress, but that resistance was obtained at the expense of growth, which in turn led to a significant decrease in inulin production. PMID:22577185

Mosquitocidal and water purification properties of Cynodon dactylon, Aloe vera, Hemidesmus indicus and Coleus amboinicus leaf extracts against the mosquito vectors.

Science.gov (United States)

Arjunan, Nareshkumar; Murugan, Kadarkarai; Madhiyazhagan, Pari; Kovendan, Kalimuthu; Prasannakumar, Kanagarajan; Thangamani, Sundaram; Barnard, Donald R

2012-04-01

Ethanolic extracts of Cynodon dactylon, Aloe vera, Hemidesmus indicus and Coleus amboinicus were tested for their toxicity effect on the third-instar larvae of Anopheles stephensi, Culex quinquefasciatus and Aedes aegypti. The leaves of C. dactylon, A. vera, H. indicus and C. amboinicus were collected from natural habitats (forests) in Western Ghats, Tamil Nadu, India. A total of 250 g of fresh, mature leaves were rinsed with distilled water and dried in shade. The dried leaves were put in Soxhlet apparatus and extract prepared using 100% ethanol for 72 h at 30-40°C. Dried residues were obtained from 100 g of extract evaporated to dryness in rotary vacuum evaporator. Larvicidal properties of ethanolic leaf extracts showed that the extracts are effective as mosquito control agents. The larval mortality was observed after 24 h exposure. No mortality was observed in the control. The median lethal concentration (LC(50)) values observed for the larvicidal activities are 0.44%, 0.51%, 0.59% and 0.68% for extracts of C. dactylon, A. vera, H. indicus and C. amboinicus, respectively. The observed mortality were statistically significant at P < 0.05 level. C. dactylon showed the highest mortality rate against the three species of mosquito larvae in laboratory and field. The selected plants were shown to exhibit water purification properties. Water quality parameters such as turbidity, pH and water clarity were analyzed in the water samples (pre-treatment and post-treatment of plant extracts) taken from the different breeding sites of mosquitoes. Water colour, turbidity and pH were reduced significantly after treatment with C. dactylon (13 HU, 31.5 mg/l and 6.9), H. indicus (13.8 HU, 33 mg/l and 7.1), A. vera (16 HU, 33.8 mg/l and 7.4) and C. amboinicus (21 HU, 35 mg/l and 7.5) extracts. The study proved that the extracts of C. dactylon, A. vera, H. indicus and C. amboinicus have both mosquitocidal and water sedimentation properties.

The long-term resistance mechanisms, critical irrigation threshold and relief capacity shown by Eugenia myrtifolia plants in response to saline reclaimed water

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Acosta-Motos, José Ramón; Hernández, José Antonio; Álvarez, Sara

2017-01-01

water potential, the relative water content of leaves, leaf stomatal conductance, the leaf photosynthetic rate, water-use efficiency and accumulated evapotranspiration in order to limit water loss; and 4) changes in the antioxidant defence mechanisms. These different responses induced oxidative stress...... to different electric conductivities of the treatments. Based on these premises, we studied the long-term effect of three reclaimed water treatments with different saline concentrations on Eugenia myrtifolia plants. We also looked at the ability of these plants to recover when no drainage was applied. The RW...... with the highest electric conductivity (RW3, EC = 6.96 dS m(-1)) provoked a number of responses to salinity in these plants, including: 1) accumulation and extrusion of phytotoxic ions in roots; 2) a decrease in the shoot/root ratio, leaf area, number of leaves; 3) a decrease in root hydraulic conductivity, leaf...

Responses of forest carbon and water coupling to thinning treatments at both the leaf and individual tree levels in a 16-year-old natural Pinus Contorta stand

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Y.; Wei, A.; del Campo, A.; Li, Q.; Giles-Hansen, K.

2017-12-01

Large-scale disturbances in Canadian forests, including mountain pine beetle infestation in western Canada, forest fires, timber harvesting and climate change impacts, have significantly affected both forest carbon and water cycles. Thinning, which selectively removes trees at a given forest stand, may be an effective tool to mitigate the effect of these disturbances. Various studies have been conducted to assess the thinning effect on growth, transpiration, and nutrient availability; however, relatively few studies have been conducted to examine its effect on the coupling of forest carbon and water. Thus, the objective of this research is to evaluate the effect of thinning on forest carbon and water coupling at both the leaf and tree levels in a 16-year-old natural Pinus Contorta forest in the interior of British Columbia in Canada. We used water-use efficiency (WUE), the ratio of basal area increment (BA) to tree transpiration (E), as the indicator of the carbon and water coupling at individual tree level, and use intrinsic water-use efficiency (iWUE), the ratio of photosynthesis (A) to stomatal conductance (G), to represent the coupling at the leaf level. Field experiments were conducted in the Upper Penticton Watershed where the mean annual precipitation is 750 mm with seasonal drought during summer. A randomized block design was used, with three blocks each containing two thinning intensities and one unthinned plot (T1: 4,500, T2: 1,100, C: 26,400 trees per ha.). From May to October 2016, basal diameter, sap flow, and environmental conditions were monitored continuously at every 20 minutes, while A and G were measured weekly. Preliminary results showed that thinning significantly increased solar radiation, wind speed, and soil moisture in the treatment plots, where the changes observed were proportional to the intensity of the thinning; but thinning did not change stand level temperature and relative humidity. Thinning also significantly enhanced tree E and BA

Antimicrobial activity of medicinal plant leaf extracts against pathogenic bacteria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Atikya Farjana

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Objective: To determine antibacterial activity of water, oil and methanol extracts of guava (Psidium guajava, green tea (Camellia sinensis, neem (Azadirachta indica and marigold (Calendula officinalis against different species of bacteria, Pseudomonas spp., Vibrio cholerae, Vibrio parahaemolyticus (V. parahaemolyticus, Klebsiella spp., Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp. and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus. Methods: Antibacterial activity of plant extracts was measured by agar well diffusion method. Results: Boiled water extracts of guava leaf showed the largest zone of inhibition (22 mm against V. parahaemolyticus. Water extracts of green tea leaf at boiling and room temperature showed 17.5 mm and 19 mm zone of inhibitions against V. parahaemolyticus and S. aureus, respectively. Boiled water extract of neem leaf showed moderate zone of inhibition against Escherichia coli (10 mm and Klebsiella spp. (11 mm. Water and oil extracts of marigold leaf at both boiling and room temperature did not show any zone of inhibition against any of the tested microorganisms. Methanol extracts of both guava and green tea leaves showed same zone of inhibition against Pseudomonus spp. (18 mm. Methanol extract of neem leaf showed antibacterial acitivity against Klebsiella spp. (16 mm and Vibrio cholerae (14 mm and that of marigold leaf showed antimicrobial activity against S. aureus (18 mm and Klebsiella spp. (12 mm. Conclusions: The results from the study suggest that the leaves of guava, green tea, neem and marigold show anibacterial activity against different bacterial species. They could be used as alternatives to common antimicrobial agents for treatment of bacterial infections.

Role of soil-to-leaf tritium transfer in controlling leaf tritium dynamics: Comparison of experimental garden and tritium-transfer model results.

Science.gov (United States)

Ota, Masakazu; Kwamena, Nana-Owusua A; Mihok, Steve; Korolevych, Volodymyr

2017-11-01

Environmental transfer models assume that organically-bound tritium (OBT) is formed directly from tissue-free water tritium (TFWT) in environmental compartments. Nevertheless, studies in the literature have shown that measured OBT/HTO ratios in environmental samples are variable and generally higher than expected. The importance of soil-to-leaf HTO transfer pathway in controlling the leaf tritium dynamics is not well understood. A model inter-comparison of two tritium transfer models (CTEM-CLASS-TT and SOLVEG-II) was carried out with measured environmental samples from an experimental garden plot set up next to a tritium-processing facility. The garden plot received one of three different irrigation treatments - no external irrigation, irrigation with low tritium water and irrigation with high tritium water. The contrast between the results obtained with the different irrigation treatments provided insights into the impact of soil-to-leaf HTO transfer on the leaf tritium dynamics. Concentrations of TFWT and OBT in the garden plots that were not irrigated or irrigated with low tritium water were variable, responding to the arrival of the HTO-plume from the tritium-processing facility. In contrast, for the plants irrigated with high tritium water, the TFWT concentration remained elevated during the entire experimental period due to a continuous source of high HTO in the soil. Calculated concentrations of OBT in the leaves showed an initial increase followed by quasi-equilibration with the TFWT concentration. In this quasi-equilibrium state, concentrations of OBT remained elevated and unchanged despite the arrivals of the plume. These results from the model inter-comparison demonstrate that soil-to-leaf HTO transfer significantly affects tritium dynamics in leaves and thereby OBT/HTO ratio in the leaf regardless of the atmospheric HTO concentration, only if there is elevated HTO concentrations in the soil. The results of this work indicate that assessment models

Seasonal Canopy Temperatures for Normal and Okra Leaf Cotton under Variable Irrigation in the Field

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

James R. Mahan

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Temperature affects a number of physiological factors in plants and is related to water use, yield and quality in many crop species. Seasonal canopy temperature, measured with infrared thermometers, is often used in conjunction with environmental factors (e.g., air temperature, humidity, solar radiation to assess crop stress and management actions in cotton. Normal and okra leaf shapes in cotton have been associated with differences in water use and canopy temperature. The okra leaf shape in cotton is generally expected to result in lower water use and lower canopy temperatures, relative to normal leaf, under water deficits. In this study canopy temperatures were monitored in okra and normal leaf varieties for a growing season at four irrigation levels. Differences in canopy temperature (<2 °C were measured between the two leaf shapes. As irrigation levels increased, canopy temperature differences between the leaf shapes declined. At the lowest irrigation level, when differences in sensible energy exchanges due to the okra leaf shape would be enhanced, the canopy temperature of the okra leaf was warmer than the normal leaf. This suggests that varietal differences that are not related to leaf shape may have more than compensated for leaf shape differences in the canopy temperature.

The effects of water stress on the chemical composition of soybean ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The response of soybean [Glycine max (L) Merrill] cv. Akiyoshi to three moisture levels at three growth stages was investigated in a glasshouse experiment. Percent leaf nitrogen was reduced by water deficit at late flowering and early podding but increased after rewatering. This parameter was not affected by water deficit at ...

Water storage capacity, stemflow and water funneling in Mediterranean shrubs

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia-Estringana, P.; Alonso-Blázquez, N.; Alegre, J.

2010-08-01

SummaryTo predict water losses and other hydrological and ecological features of a given vegetation, its water storage capacity and stemflow need to be accurately determined. Vast areas of the Mediterranean region are occupied by shrublands yet there is scarce data available on their rainwater interception capacity. In this study, simulated rainfall tests were conducted in controlled conditions on nine Mediterranean shrubs of varying anatomic and morphological features to determine water storage capacity, stemflow and the funneling ratio. After assessing correlations between these hydrological variables and the biometric characteristics of the shrubs, we compared two methods of determining storage capacity: rainfall simulation and immersion. Mean water storage capacity was 1.02 mm (0.35-3.24 mm), stemflow was 16% (3.8-26.4%) and the funneling ratio was 104 (30-260). Per unit biomass, mean storage capacity was 0.66 ml g -1 and ranged from 0.23 ml g -1 for Cistus ladanifer to 2.26 ml g -1 for Lavandula latifolia. Despite their small size, shrubs may generate high water losses to the atmosphere when they form dense communities and this can have a significant impact in regions where water is scarce. When considered the whole shrubs in absolute terms (ml per plant), water storage capacity and stemflow were correlated to biomass and the dendrometric characteristics of the shrubs, yet in relative terms (expressed per surface area unit or as %), anatomic features such as pubescence, branch rigidity or leaf insertion angle emerged as determining factors. The use of a simple procedure to assess storage capacity was inefficient. The immersion method underestimated storage capacity to a different extent for each species. Some shrubs returned high stemflow values typical of their adaptation to the semiarid climate. In contrast, other shrubs seem to have structures that promote stemflow yet have developed other drought-adaptation mechanisms. In this report, we discuss the

Changes in water content and distribution in Quercus ilex leaves during progressive drought assessed by in vivo 1H magnetic resonance imaging.

Science.gov (United States)

Sardans, Jordi; Peñuelas, Josep; Lope-Piedrafita, Silvia

2010-08-24

Drought is a common stressor in many regions of the world and current climatic global circulation models predict further increases in warming and drought in the coming decades in several of these regions, such as the Mediterranean basin. The changes in leaf water content, distribution and dynamics in plant tissues under different soil water availabilities are not well known. In order to fill this gap, in the present report we describe our study withholding the irrigation of the seedlings of Quercus ilex, the dominant tree species in the evergreen forests of many areas of the Mediterranean Basin. We have monitored the gradual changes in water content in the different leaf areas, in vivo and non-invasively, by 1H magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using proton density weighted (rhow) images and spin-spin relaxation time (T2) maps. Rhow images showed that the distal leaf area lost water faster than the basal area and that after four weeks of similar losses, the water reduction was greater in leaf veins than in leaf parenchyma areas and also in distal than in basal leaf area. There was a similar tendency in all different areas and tissues, of increasing T2 values during the drought period. This indicates an increase in the dynamics of free water, suggesting a decrease of cell membranes permeability. The results indicate a non homogeneous leaf response to stress with a differentiated capacity to mobilize water between its different parts and tissues. This study shows that the MRI technique can be a useful tool to follow non-intrusively the in vivo water content changes in the different parts of the leaves during drought stress. It opens up new possibilities to better characterize the associated physiological changes and provides important information about the different responses of the different leaf areas what should be taken into account when conducting physiological and metabolic drought stress studies in different parts of the leaves during drought stress.

Changes in water content and distribution in Quercus ilex leaves during progressive drought assessed by in vivo 1H magnetic resonance imaging

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sardans Jordi

2010-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Drought is a common stressor in many regions of the world and current climatic global circulation models predict further increases in warming and drought in the coming decades in several of these regions, such as the Mediterranean basin. The changes in leaf water content, distribution and dynamics in plant tissues under different soil water availabilities are not well known. In order to fill this gap, in the present report we describe our study withholding the irrigation of the seedlings of Quercus ilex, the dominant tree species in the evergreen forests of many areas of the Mediterranean Basin. We have monitored the gradual changes in water content in the different leaf areas, in vivo and non-invasively, by 1H magnetic resonance imaging (MRI using proton density weighted (ρw images and spin-spin relaxation time (T2 maps. Results ρw images showed that the distal leaf area lost water faster than the basal area and that after four weeks of similar losses, the water reduction was greater in leaf veins than in leaf parenchyma areas and also in distal than in basal leaf area. There was a similar tendency in all different areas and tissues, of increasing T2 values during the drought period. This indicates an increase in the dynamics of free water, suggesting a decrease of cell membranes permeability. Conclusions The results indicate a non homogeneous leaf response to stress with a differentiated capacity to mobilize water between its different parts and tissues. This study shows that the MRI technique can be a useful tool to follow non-intrusively the in vivo water content changes in the different parts of the leaves during drought stress. It opens up new possibilities to better characterize the associated physiological changes and provides important information about the different responses of the different leaf areas what should be taken into account when conducting physiological and metabolic drought stress studies in

Evaluating variations of physiology-based hyperspectral features along a soil water gradient in Eucalyptus grandis plantation

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Cho, Moses A

2010-04-01

Full Text Available a raised platform. Foliar macronutrient concentrations for N, P, K, S, Ca, Mg and Na and their corresponding spectral features were also evaluated. The spectral signals for leaf water-normalized difference water index (NDWI), water band index (WBI...

Tuning Transpiration by Interfacial Solar Absorber-Leaf Engineering.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhuang, Shendong; Zhou, Lin; Xu, Weichao; Xu, Ning; Hu, Xiaozhen; Li, Xiuqiang; Lv, Guangxin; Zheng, Qinghui; Zhu, Shining; Wang, Zhenlin; Zhu, Jia

2018-02-01

Plant transpiration, a process of water movement through a plant and its evaporation from aerial parts especially leaves, consumes a large component of the total continental precipitation (≈48%) and significantly influences global water distribution and climate. To date, various chemical and/or biological explorations have been made to tune the transpiration but with uncertain environmental risks. In recent years, interfacial solar steam/vapor generation is attracting a lot of attention for achieving high energy transfer efficiency. Various optical and thermal designs at the solar absorber-water interface for potential applications in water purification, seawater desalination, and power generation appear. In this work, the concept of interfacial solar vapor generation is extended to tunable plant transpiration by showing for the first time that the transpiration efficiency can also be enhanced or suppressed through engineering the solar absorber-leaf interface. By tuning the solar absorption of membrane in direct touch with green leaf, surface temperature of green leaf will change accordingly because of photothermal effect, thus the transpiration efficiency as well as temperature and relative humidity in the surrounding environment will be tuned. This tunable transpiration by interfacial absorber-leaf engineering can open an alternative avenue to regulate local atmospheric temperature, humidity, and eventually hydrologic cycle.

Tuning Transpiration by Interfacial Solar Absorber‐Leaf Engineering

Science.gov (United States)

Zhuang, Shendong; Zhou, Lin; Xu, Weichao; Xu, Ning; Hu, Xiaozhen; Li, Xiuqiang; Lv, Guangxin; Zheng, Qinghui; Zhu, Shining

2017-01-01

Abstract Plant transpiration, a process of water movement through a plant and its evaporation from aerial parts especially leaves, consumes a large component of the total continental precipitation (≈48%) and significantly influences global water distribution and climate. To date, various chemical and/or biological explorations have been made to tune the transpiration but with uncertain environmental risks. In recent years, interfacial solar steam/vapor generation is attracting a lot of attention for achieving high energy transfer efficiency. Various optical and thermal designs at the solar absorber–water interface for potential applications in water purification, seawater desalination, and power generation appear. In this work, the concept of interfacial solar vapor generation is extended to tunable plant transpiration by showing for the first time that the transpiration efficiency can also be enhanced or suppressed through engineering the solar absorber–leaf interface. By tuning the solar absorption of membrane in direct touch with green leaf, surface temperature of green leaf will change accordingly because of photothermal effect, thus the transpiration efficiency as well as temperature and relative humidity in the surrounding environment will be tuned. This tunable transpiration by interfacial absorber‐leaf engineering can open an alternative avenue to regulate local atmospheric temperature, humidity, and eventually hydrologic cycle. PMID:29619300

Physical properties of snacks made from cassava leaf flour

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Adriana Cristina Ferrari

2014-02-01

Full Text Available The food industry is continually growing with new products becoming available every year. Extrusion combines a number of unit operations in one energy efficient rapid continuous process and can be used to produce a wide variety of snacks foods. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of extrusion temperature, screw speed, and amount of cassava leaf flour mixed with cassava starch on the physical properties of extruded snacks processed using a single screw extruder. A central composite rotational design, including three factors with 20 treatments, was used in the experimental design. Dependent variables included the expansion index, specific volume, color, water absorption index, and water solubility index. Among the parameters examined, the amount of cassava leaf flour and extrusion temperature showed significant effects on extruded snack characteristics. Mixtures containing 10% of cassava leaf flour extruded at 100°C and 255 rpm shows favorable levels of expansion, color, water absorption index, and water solubility index.

Effects of deficit irrigation and partial root-zone drying on soil and plant water status, stomatal conductance, plant growth and water use efficiency in tomato during early fruiting stage

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liu, Fulai; Shahnazari, Ali; Jacobsen, S.-E.

2008-01-01

The effects of 'partial root-zone drying' (PRD), compared with full irrigation (FI) and deficit irrigation (DI), on soil and plant water status, plant growth and water use efficiency (WUE) were investigated in potted tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum L., var. Cedrico) at the early fruiting stage...... system, and the irrigated side of the plants was reversed when volumetric soil water content ( ) of the dry side had decreased to 6%. of FI was about 14%. of DI decreased during the first 4-5 days after the onset of treatment (DAT) and was about 7% and 6% thereafter for DI-70 and DI-50, respectively....... of the wet side in PRD-70 declined during 3-6 DAT and was lower than that of FI by 4-6% thereafter. in both wet and dry sides of PRD-50 was slightly lower than that for PRD-70. After 5 DAT, midday leaf water potential was significantly lower in DI and PRD than in FI plants. FI plants had the highest leaf...

Cross contamination of Escherichia coli O157:H7 between lettuce and wash water during home-scale washing.

Science.gov (United States)

Jensen, Dane A; Friedrich, Loretta M; Harris, Linda J; Danyluk, Michelle D; Schaffner, Donald W

2015-04-01

Lettuce and leafy greens have been implicated in multiple foodborne disease outbreaks. This study quantifies cross contamination between lettuce pieces in a small-scale home environment. A five-strain cocktail of relevant Escherichia coli O157:H7 strains was used. Bacterial transfer between single inoculated lettuce leaf pieces to 10 non-inoculated lettuce leaf pieces that were washed in a stainless steel bowl of water for 30 s, 1 min, 2 min, and 5 min was quantified. Regardless of washing time, the wash water became contaminated with 90-99% of bacteria originally present on the inoculated lettuce leaf piece. The E. coli O157:H7 concentration on initially inoculated leaf pieces was reduced ∼ 2 log CFU. Each initially uncontaminated lettuce leaf piece had ∼ 1% of the E. coli O157:H7 from the inoculated lettuce piece transferred to it after washing, with more transfer occurring during the shortest (30 s) and longest (5 min) wash times. In all cases the log percent transfer rates were essentially normally distributed. In all scenarios, most of the E. coli O157:H7 (90-99%) transferred from the inoculated lettuce pieces to the wash water. Washing with plain tap water reduces levels of E. coli O157:H7 on the inoculated lettuce leaf pieces, but also spreads contamination to previously uncontaminated leaf pieces. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Microscopic observations of condensation of water on lotus leaves

Science.gov (United States)

Cheng, Yang-Tse; Rodak, Daniel E.; Angelopoulos, Anastasios; Gacek, Ted

2005-11-01

We report an in situ observation of water condensation and evaporation on lotus leaf surfaces inside an environmental scanning electron microscope. The real-time observation shows, at the micrometer length scale, how water drops grow to large contact angles during water condensation, and decrease in size and contact angle during the evaporation phase of the experiment. To rationalize the observations, we propose a geometric model for liquid drops on rough surfaces when the size of the drop and surface roughness scale are comparable. This model suggests that when drop size and surface roughness are of the same magnitude, such as micrometer size water drops on lotus leaves, well-known equations for wetting on rough surfaces may not be applicable.

Storage effects on quantity and composition of dissolved organic carbon and nitrogen of lake water, leaf leachate and peat soil water.

Science.gov (United States)

Heinz, Marlen; Zak, Dominik

2018-03-01

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of freezing and cold storage at 4 °C on bulk dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nitrogen (DON) concentration and SEC fractions determined with size exclusion chromatography (SEC), as well as on spectral properties of dissolved organic matter (DOM) analyzed with fluorescence spectroscopy. In order to account for differences in DOM composition and source we analyzed storage effects for three different sample types, including a lake water sample representing freshwater DOM, a leaf litter leachate of Phragmites australis representing a terrestrial, 'fresh' DOM source and peatland porewater samples. According to our findings one week of cold storage can bias DOC and DON determination. Overall, the determination of DOC and DON concentration with SEC analysis for all three sample types were little susceptible to alterations due to freezing. The findings derived for the sampling locations investigated here may not apply for other sampling locations and/or sample types. However, DOC size fractions and DON concentration of formerly frozen samples should be interpreted with caution when sample concentrations are high. Alteration of some optical properties (HIX and SUVA 254 ) due to freezing were evident, and therefore we recommend immediate analysis of samples for spectral analysis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The fate of glyphosate in water hyacinth and its physiological and biochemical influences on growth of algae

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsai, Baolong.

1989-01-01

Absorption, translocation, distribution, exudation, and guttation of 14 C-glyphosate in water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) were studied. Glyphosphate entered the plant by foliage and solution treatment. Plants were harvested and separated into the following parts: treated leaf blade, treated leaf petiole, young leaf blade, young leaf petiole, old leak blade, old leaf petiole, and root. Each part was extracted with methanol. Treated leaves, which exist only in foliage treatment, were washed with water and chloroform to remove the glyphosate residues. All 14 C counting was made by liquid scintillation spectrometry. Autoradiography was used to locate 14 C-glyphosate after foliage treatment. Results indicated that glyphosate can be absorbed from the leaf surface and translocated rapidly through phloem tissues into the whole plant body. The roots of water hyacinth absorbed glyphosate without vertical transport. Guttation of glyphosate occurred in treated leaf tips. Exudation of glyphosate from roots of water hyacinth occurred within 8 hr after foliage treatment. Chlorella vulgaris, Chlamydomonas reihardii, Anabaena cylindrica, and Chroococcus turgidus were used to explore the physiological and biochemical effects of glyphosate on algae. Spectrophotometric assays were performed for algal growth, chlorophyll, carotenoids, phycobiliprotein, carbohydrate, and protein. TLC procedures and an image analyzer were used to detect the metabolites of glyphosate inside algal cells. The common visible symptom of glyphosate toxicity in all algal cells were bleaching effect and reduction of contents of carbohydrate, protein, and pigments. The results highly suggested that glyphosate injured the algal cells by destruction of photosynthetic pigments and resulted in lowering the contents of carbohydrate and protein in algal cells

A role for stomata in regulating water use efficiency in Populus x ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

A role for stomata in regulating water use efficiency in Populus x euramericana and characterization of a related gene, PdERECTA. P Guo, X Xia, WL Yin. Abstract. The physiological mechanism of water use efficiency (WUE) remains elucidated, especially in poplar. We studied WUEi (instantaneous leaf transpiration ...

Allelopathic effects of leaf and corm water extract of saffron (Crocus sativus L. on germination and seedling growth of flixweed (Descurainia sophia L. and downy brome (Bromus tectorum L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zeinab Alipoor

2015-04-01

Full Text Available This study was conducted in two factorial experiment based on completely randomized design with three replications at research laboratory of faculty of agriculture in University of Birjand in 2013. Factors included saffron organs at 2 levels (leaves and corms and water extract concentrations at 5 levels (0, 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2 percent.The allelopathic effects of saffron leaves and corms on seed germination and seedling growth characteristics of flixweed (Descurainia sophia L. and downy brome (Bromus tectorum L. were studied in two separate experiments. Results indicated lowest seed germination percentage of downy brome and flixweed were observed at concentration of 2% of corm extract (by 65% and 66% reduce compared to control, respectively. The rate of germination of downy brome decreased (by 71% compared to control with concentration of 2% of leaf extract but the rate of germination on flixweed was not significantly affected by extract concentrations. Different concentrations of leaf and corm extracts significantly decreased length and weight of plumule and radicals of two weeds. A logistic model provided a successful estimation of relationship between leaf water extract and germination percentage of two weeds. Based on orthogonal comparison tests, the allelopathic inhibition effects of saffron leaves and corms were more on downy brome and flixweed, respectively.

Plant water use efficiency over geological time--evolution of leaf stomata configurations affecting plant gas exchange.

Science.gov (United States)

Assouline, Shmuel; Or, Dani

2013-01-01

Plant gas exchange is a key process shaping global hydrological and carbon cycles and is often characterized by plant water use efficiency (WUE - the ratio of CO2 gain to water vapor loss). Plant fossil record suggests that plant adaptation to changing atmospheric CO2 involved correlated evolution of stomata density (d) and size (s), and related maximal aperture, amax . We interpreted the fossil record of s and d correlated evolution during the Phanerozoic to quantify impacts on gas conductance affecting plant transpiration, E, and CO2 uptake, A, independently, and consequently, on plant WUE. A shift in stomata configuration from large s-low d to small s-high d in response to decreasing atmospheric CO2 resulted in large changes in plant gas exchange characteristics. The relationships between gas conductance, gws , A and E and maximal relative transpiring leaf area, (amax ⋅d), exhibited hysteretic-like behavior. The new WUE trend derived from independent estimates of A and E differs from established WUE-CO2 trends for atmospheric CO2 concentrations exceeding 1,200 ppm. In contrast with a nearly-linear decrease in WUE with decreasing CO2 obtained by standard methods, the newly estimated WUE trend exhibits remarkably stable values for an extended geologic period during which atmospheric CO2 dropped from 3,500 to 1,200 ppm. Pending additional tests, the findings may affect projected impacts of increased atmospheric CO2 on components of the global hydrological cycle.

Accumulation of Pb and Cu heavy metals in sea water, sediment, and leaf and root tissue of Enhalus sp. in the seagrass bed of Banten Bay

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fauziah, Faiza, E-mail: faiza.fauziah@gmail.com; Choesin, Devi N., E-mail: faiza.fauziah@gmail.com [School of Life Sciences and Technology, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jalan Ganeca 10, Bandung 40132 (Indonesia)

2014-03-24

Banten Bay in Indonesia is a coastal area which has been highly affected by human activity. Previous studies have reported the presence of lead (Pb) and copper (Cu) heavy metals in the seawater of this area. This study was conducted to measure the accumulation of Pb and Cu in seawater, sediment, leaf tissue, and root tissue of the seagrass species Enhalus sp. Sampling was conducted at two observation stations in Banten Bay: Station 1 (St.1) was located closer to the coastline and to industrial plants as source of pollution, while Station 2 (St.2) was located farther away offshore. At each station, three sampling points were established by random sampling. Field sampling was conducted at two different dates, i.e., on 29 May 2012 and 30 June 2012. Samples were processed by wet ashing using concentrated HNO{sub 3} acid and measured using Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (AAS). Accumulation of Pb was only detected in sediment samples in St.1, while Cu was detected in all samples. Average concentrations of Cu in May were as follows: sediment St.1 = 0.731 ppm, sediment St.2 = 0.383 ppm, seawater St.1 = 0.163 ppm, seawater St.2 = 0.174 ppm, leaf St.1 = 0.102 ppm, leaf St.2 = 0.132 ppm, root St.1= 0.139 ppm, and root St.2 = 0.075 ppm. Average measurements of Cu in June were: sediment St.1 = 0.260 ppm, leaf St.1 = 0.335 ppm, leaf St.2 = 0.301 ppm, root St.1= 0.047 ppm, and root St.2 = 0.060 ppm. In June, Cu was undetected in St.2 sediment and seawater at both stations. In May, Cu concentration in seawater exceeded the maximum allowable threshold for water as determined by the Ministry of the Environment. Spatial and temporal variation in Pb and Cu accumulation were most probably affected by distance from source and physical conditions of the environment (e.g., water current and mixing)

Effects of light quality on leaf morphogenesis of a heterophyllous amphibious plant, Rotala hippuris.

Science.gov (United States)

Momokawa, Naoko; Kadono, Yasuro; Kudoh, Hiroshi

2011-11-01

For heterophyllous amphibious plants that experience fluctuating water levels, it is critical to control leaf development precisely in response to environmental cues that can serve as a quantitative index of water depth. Light quality can serve as such a cue because the ratio of red light relative to far-red light (R/FR) increases and blue-light intensity decreases with increasing water depth. Growth experiments were conducted to examine how R/FR and blue-light intensity alter leaf morphology of a heterophyllous amphibious plant, Rotala hippuris. Using combinations of far red (730 nm), red (660 nm) and blue (470 nm) light-emitting diodes (LEDs), growth experiments were used to quantitatively evaluate the effects of the R/FR ratio and blue-light intensity on leaf morphology. Under the natural light regime in an outside growth garden, R. hippuris produced distinct leaves under submerged and aerial conditions. R/FR and blue-light intensity were found to markedly affect heterophyllous leaf formation. Higher and lower R/FR caused leaf characters more typical of submerged and aerial leaves, respectively, in both aerial and submerged conditions, in accordance with natural distribution of leaf types and light under water. High blue light caused a shift of trait values toward those of typical aerial leaves, and the response was most prominent under conditions of R/FR that were expected near the water surface. R/FR and blue-light intensity provides quantitative cues for R. hippuris to detect water depth and determine the developmental fates of leaves, especially near the water surface. The utilization of these quantitative cues is expected to be important in habitats where plants experience water-level fluctuation.

Soil and water warming accelerates phenology and down-regulation of leaf photosynthesis of rice plants grown under free-air CO2 enrichment (FACE).

Science.gov (United States)

Adachi, Minaco; Hasegawa, Toshihiro; Fukayama, Hiroshi; Tokida, Takeshi; Sakai, Hidemitsu; Matsunami, Toshinori; Nakamura, Hirofumi; Sameshima, Ryoji; Okada, Masumi

2014-02-01

To enable prediction of future rice production in a changing climate, we need to understand the interactive effects of temperature and elevated [CO2] (E[CO2]). We therefore examined if the effect of E[CO2] on the light-saturated leaf photosynthetic rate (Asat) was affected by soil and water temperature (NT, normal; ET, elevated) under open-field conditions at the rice free-air CO2 enrichment (FACE) facility in Shizukuishi, Japan, in 2007 and 2008. Season-long E[CO2] (+200 µmol mol(-1)) increased Asat by 26%, when averaged over two years, temperature regimes and growth stages. The effect of ET (+2°C) on Asat was not significant at active tillering and heading, but became negative and significant at mid-grain filling; Asat in E[CO2]-ET was higher than in ambient [CO2] (A[CO2])-NT by only 4%. Photosynthetic down-regulation at E[CO2] also became apparent at mid-grain filling; Asat compared at the same [CO2] in the leaf cuvette was significantly lower in plants grown in E[CO2] than in those grown in A[CO2]. The additive effects of E[CO2] and ET decreased Asat by 23% compared with that of A[CO2]-NT plants. Although total crop nitrogen (N) uptake was increased by ET, N allocation to the leaves and to Rubisco was reduced under ET and E[CO2] at mid-grain filling, which resulted in a significant decrease (32%) in the maximum rate of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylation on a leaf area basis. Because the change in N allocation was associated with the accelerated phenology in E[CO2]-ET plants, we conclude that soil and water warming accelerates photosynthetic down-regulation at E[CO2].

Response of range grasses to water produced from in situ fossil fuel processing

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Skinner, Q D; Moore, T S; Sexton, J C

1984-11-01

In situ-produced waters collected while retorting oil shale and tar sands to produce oil, and coal to produce gas, were tested for their effects on plant growth. Basin wildrye (Elymus cinereus), western wheatgrass (Agropyron smithii) 'Rosana', alkali sacaton (Sporobolus airoides), bluebunch wheatgrass (Agropyron spicatum) and Nuttall alkaligrass (Puccinellia airoides) were utilized. Root weight, shoot weight, total dry weight, leaf area and root/shoot weight ratios were determined. All experiments were conducted under greenhouse conditions using hydroponic techniques and horticultural grade perlite for plant support. Measurements were collected after a 10-week growth period. Results show that differences in plant growth can be monitored using dry biomass, leaf area and root to shoot ratio measurements when plants are subjected to retort waters. Plant species reaction to a water may be different. Generally, alkali sacaton, basin wildrye and western wheatgrass are least susceptible to toxicity by the majority of retort waters tested. Bluebunch wheatgrass is most susceptible. Waters from different retort procedures vary in toxicity to different plant species.

Spectroscopic determination of leaf water content using linear ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

DR. NJ TONUKARI

2012-02-02

Feb 2, 2012 ... characteristics, this study measured 33 groups of peach tree leaf ... spectral absorption values were obtained from a total of 33 groups of leaves .... using the trial and error method, based on the following empirical ... be used as indicators for evaluation of prediction models. .... Comparison of the methods of.

Virus-induced plasma membrane aquaporin PsPIP2;1 silencing inhibits plant water transport of Pisum sativum.

Science.gov (United States)

Song, Juanjuan; Ye, Guoliang; Qian, Zhengjiang; Ye, Qing

2016-12-01

Aquaporins (AQPs) are known to facilitate water transport across cell membranes, but the role of a single AQP in regulating plant water transport, particularly in plants other than Arabidopsis remains largely unexplored. In the present study, a virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) technique was employed to suppress the expression of a specific plasma membrane aquaporin PsPIP2;1 of Pea plants (Pisum sativum), and subsequent effects of the gene suppression on root hydraulic conductivity (Lp r ), leaf hydraulic conductivity (K leaf ), root cell hydraulic conductivity (Lp rc ), and leaf cell hydraulic conductivity (Lp lc ) were investigated, using hydroponically grown Pea plants. Compared with control plants, VIGS-PsPIP2;1 plants displayed a significant suppression of PsPIP2;1 in both roots and leaves, while the expression of other four PIP isoforms (PsPIP1;1, PsPIP1;2, PsPIP2;2, and PsPIP2;3) that were simultaneously monitored were not altered. As a consequence, significant declines in water transport of VIGS-PsPIP2;1 plants were observed at both organ and cell levels, i.e., as compared to control plants, Lp r and K leaf were reduced by 29 %, and Lp rc and Lp lc were reduced by 20 and 29 %, respectively. Our results demonstrate that PsPIP2;1 alone contributes substantially to root and leaf water transport in Pea plants, and highlight VIGS a useful tool for investigating the role of a single AQP in regulating plant water transport.

Determining the water use of rambutan and longkong during phenological development by heat-pulse method

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sdoodee, S.

2003-01-01

Full Text Available The water use of two species of tropical fruit trees: rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum and longkong (Aglaia dookkoo Griff. were investigated by heat-pulse method. The sapflow rate of both species were determined during phenological development. An experiment was established at Prince of Songkla University, Songkhla Province. Characteristics of sapwood in each species and optimum depth for probe implanting on the trunk were investigated. During the measurement period, diurnal changes of photon flux density, leaf water potential and stomatal conductance were recorded. It was found that sapwood of rambutan and longkong were homogeneous. An appropriate probe depth to implant on the trunk was 25 mm from bark. It was found that diurnal changes of sapflow rates of each species varied with the changes of radiation, leaf water potential and stomata conductance. The results of measurement showed that water use decreased at pre-flowering stage, and fruit maturity stage. In rambutan, water use increased during vegetative growth stage followed by flowering stage. The marked increase of water use in rambutan was during fruit development. In longkong, water use increased at the flowering stage followed by vegetative growth stage, and the peak of water use was during fruit development.

Assessment of Salicylic Acid Impacts on Seedling Characteristic of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. under Water Stress

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hossein MARDANI

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Impacts of various concentrations of salicylic acid (SA on cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. seedling characteristic were evaluated under different water stress levels by using a factorial arrangement based on completely randomized design with three replications at experimental greenhouse of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran. The studied factors included three water deficit levels (100% FC, 80% FC, and 60% FC considered as first factor and five levels of SA concentrations (0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1 mM as second factor. Results showed that foliar application of SA at the highest concentration enhanced leaf area, leaf and dry weight while decreased stomatal conductance under high level of water deficit stress. Though, severe water deficit stress sharply raised the SPAD reading values. In general, exogenous SA application could develop cucumber seedling characteristic and improve water stress tolerance.

Foliar morphometric indicators for early detection of water stress in Gmelina arborea Roxb. in agroforestry systems of Santafé de Antioquia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Omar Melo-Cruz

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Leaf asymmetry was assessed in individuals of Gmelina arborea Roxb. growing under different soil water conditions in a dry forest agroforestry system (AFS, in Santafé de Antioquia. Leaf asymmetry was correlated with additional morphometric parameters, such as angle of insertion of the petiole in the leaf in mature individuals and the ratio of the number of teeth on the edge of the blade in juvenile leaves to propose new indicators of early stage stress. The models generated had R2 values of above 75 %, which support their use in identifying developmental instability as an early indicator of water stress. Similarly, leaf diversity was assessed between the two phenotypes of leaves (ML and JL, with conventional morphometric variables (length of the midrib, leaf perimeter, specific leaf area and dry matter, because they are characters related to leaf form and function. There were marked differences in form and behavior between the two types of leaf indicating a further source of instability evident from leaf ontogeny. The results of this work will allow the optimization of management strategies of G. arborea in the AFS as an early indicator of water stress.

Selection of drought tolerant and high water use efficient rice cultivars through /sup 13/C isotope discrimination technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akhtar, J.; Sabir, S.A.; Ashraf, M.Y.; Monneveux, P.; Serraj, R.

2010-01-01

Carbon isotope discrimination ('A') has been suggested as an indirect tool for selecting plants having higher water use efficiency (WUE) and yield potential. Enhancing WUE is an important breeding objective as water scarcity is increasing with every passing day. This study was undertaken to assess the genotypic variation and relationship between leaf, straw, grain 'A', grain yield and WUE in eight aromatic rice cultivars grown in lysimeters under three water regimes, in absence of drainage and runoff. Highly significant positive correlations were found between aboveground biomass and WUEB, and grain yield and WUEG, due to the low variation in water consumed by different cultivars. Leaf, straw and grain A showed a consistent variation across treatments and cultivars. Under water stress conditions, both leaf and straw 'A' were positively correlated to grain yield and WUEG. In all the water treatments, WUEG was positively correlated to harvest index and negatively to plant height. All the mutants from Basmati 385 had significantly higher 'A' values as compared to the mutants from Basmati 370. It was concluded that the new cultivar, Basmati 385, represents a better genetic source for 'A' improvement than the old cultivar, Basmati 370. (author)

Assimilation and water relations of dryland castor at different intensities of solar radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Balasubramanian, V.; Venkateswarlu, S.

1995-01-01

Primary racemes of dryland castor develop during later part of rainy season and secondaries and tertiaries develop during post-rainy season. The reproductive phase is therefore subjected to variation in soil moisture availability and solar radiation intensity. The objective of the study was to find out the influence of fluctuation in solar radiation intensity on photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, transpiration efficiency, stomatal conductance and leaf water potential during early and late reproductive phase of castor. When photosynthetically active radiation was less than 1000 mu-mol m-2s-1, transpiration efficiency decreased because reduction in photosynthesis rate was more than that in transpiration rate. Transpiration efficiency also decreased, when radiation was above 1500 mu-mol m-2s-1 because of increase only in transpiration rate. Leaf water potential was higher during early than during late reproductive phase at similar radiation intensity. Transpiration rate was lower and transpiration efficiency was more during early phase when radiation was above 1500 mu-mol m-2s-1. Photosynthetically active radiation and leaf water potential were inversely related

Stress Coefficients for Soil Water Balance Combined with Water Stress Indicators for Irrigation Scheduling of Woody Crops

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Isabel Ferreira

2017-06-01

Full Text Available There are several causes for the failure of empirical models to estimate soil water depletion and to calculate irrigation depths, and the problem is particularly critical in tall, uneven, deficit irrigated (DI crops in Mediterranean climates. Locally measured indicators that quantify water status are useful for addressing those causes and providing feed-back information for improving the adequacy of simple models. Because of their high aerodynamic resistance, the canopy conductance of woody crops is an important factor in determining evapotranspiration (ET, and accurate stress coefficient (Ks values are needed to quantify the impact of stomatal closure on ET. A brief overview of basic general principles for irrigation scheduling is presented with emphasis on DI applications that require Ks modelling. The limitations of existing technology related to scheduling of woody crops are discussed, including the shortcomings of plant-based approaches. In relation to soil water deficit and/or predawn leaf water potential, several woody crop Ks functions are presented in a secondary analysis. Whenever the total and readily available water data were available, a simple Ks model was tested. The ultimate aim of this discussion is to illustrate the central concept: that a combination of simple ET models and water stress indicators is required for scheduling irrigation of deep-rooted woody crops.

Simultaneous improvement in productivity, water use, and albedo through crop structural modification.

Science.gov (United States)

Drewry, Darren T; Kumar, Praveen; Long, Stephen P

2014-06-01

Spanning 15% of the global ice-free terrestrial surface, agricultural lands provide an immense and near-term opportunity to address climate change, food, and water security challenges. Through the computationally informed breeding of canopy structural traits away from those of modern cultivars, we show that solutions exist that increase productivity and water use efficiency, while increasing land-surface reflectivity to offset greenhouse gas warming. Plants have evolved to maximize capture of radiation in the upper leaves, thus shading competitors. While important for survival in the wild, this is suboptimal in monoculture crop fields for maximizing productivity and other biogeophysical services. Crop progenitors evolved over the last 25 million years in an atmosphere with less than half the [CO2] projected for 2050. By altering leaf photosynthetic rates, rising [CO2] and temperature may also alter the optimal canopy form. Here using soybean, the world's most important protein crop, as an example we show by applying optimization routines to a micrometeorological leaf canopy model linked to a steady-state model of photosynthesis, that significant gains in production, water use, and reflectivity are possible with no additional demand on resources. By modifying total canopy leaf area, its vertical profile and angular distribution, and shortwave radiation reflectivity, all traits available in most major crop germplasm collections, increases in productivity (7%) are possible with no change in water use or albedo. Alternatively, improvements in water use (13%) or albedo (34%) can likewise be made with no loss of productivity, under Corn Belt climate conditions. © 2014 California Institute of Technology. Government sponsorship acknowledged.

Characterizing Vineyard Water Status Variability in a Premium Winegrape Vineyard

Science.gov (United States)

Smart, David; Carvahlo, Angela

2017-04-01

One of the biggest challenges in viticulture and winemaking is managing and optimizing yield and quality across vineyard blocks that show high spatial variability. Studies have shown that zonal management of vine water status can contribute significantly to improving overall fruit quality and improving uniformity. Vine water status is a major parameter for vine management because it affects both wine quality and yield. In order to optimize vineyard management and harvesting practices, it is necessary to characterize vineyard variability in terms of water status. Establishing a targeted irrigation program first requires spatially characterizing the variability in vine water status of a vineyard. In California, due to the low or no rainfall during the active growing season, the majority of vineyards implement some type of irrigation management program. As water supplies continue to decrease as a consequence of persistent drought, establishing efficient and targeted water use programs is of growing importance in California. The aim of this work was to characterize the spatial variability of plant-water relations across a non-uniform 4 ha block in Napa Valley with the primary objective of establishing vineyard irrigation management zones. The study plot was divided into three sections, designated the North, Middle and South sections, each at about 1.3 hectares. Stem (Ψstem) and midday (Ψl) leaf water potential and predawn (ΨPD) water potential were measured at 36 locations within the block at 14 (Ψl), 10 (ΨPD) and 2 (Ψstem) points in time throughout the growing season. Of the three techniques utilized to evaluate water status, ΨPD and Ψstem were the most sensitive indicators of water stress conditions. An integrated overview of water use efficiency over the growing season was assessed by measuring the leaf carbon isotope ratio of δ13C. Fully mature leaves were sampled from 280 vines and results show, similarly to ΨPD and Ψstem, that the North section (-28

Water relations and gas exchange in poplar and willow under water stress and elevated atmospheric CO2.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Jon D; Tognetti, Roberto; Paris, Piero

2002-05-01

Predictions of shifts in rainfall patterns as atmospheric [CO2] increases could impact the growth of fast growing trees such as Populus spp. and Salix spp. and the interaction between elevated CO2 and water stress in these species is unknown. The objectives of this study were to characterize the responses to elevated CO2 and water stress in these two species, and to determine if elevated CO2 mitigated drought stress effects. Gas exchange, water potential components, whole plant transpiration and growth response to soil drying and recovery were assessed in hybrid poplar (clone 53-246) and willow (Salix sagitta) rooted cuttings growing in either ambient (350 &mgr;mol mol-1) or elevated (700 &mgr;mol mol-1) atmospheric CO2 concentration ([CO2]). Predawn water potential decreased with increasing water stress while midday water potentials remained unchanged (isohydric response). Turgor potentials at both predawn and midday increased in elevated [CO2], indicative of osmotic adjustment. Gas exchange was reduced by water stress while elevated [CO2] increased photosynthetic rates, reduced leaf conductance and nearly doubled instantaneous transpiration efficiency in both species. Dark respiration decreased in elevated [CO2] and water stress reduced Rd in the trees growing in ambient [CO2]. Willow had 56% lower whole plant hydraulic conductivity than poplar, and showed a 14% increase in elevated [CO2] while poplar was unresponsive. The physiological responses exhibited by poplar and willow to elevated [CO2] and water stress, singly, suggest that these species respond like other tree species. The interaction of [CO2] and water stress suggests that elevated [CO2] did mitigate the effects of water stress in willow, but not in poplar.

Water relations, stomatal response and transpiration of Quercus pubescens trees during summer in a Mediterranean carbon dioxide spring

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tognetti, R.; Miglietta, F.; Raschi, A. [Consiglio Nazionale della Ricerche, Firenze (Italy); Longobucco, A. [Centro Studi per l`Informatica applicata all`Agricoltura, Firenze (Italy)

1999-04-01

Variations in water relations and stomatal response of downy oak (Quercus pubescens) were analyzed under Mediterranean field conditions during two consecutive summers at two locations characterized by different atmospheric CO{sub 2} concentrations due to the presence of a CO{sub 2} spring at one of the locations. The heat-pulse velocity technique was used to estimate water use during a five-month period from June to November 1994. At the end of the sap flow measurements, the trees were harvested and foliage and sapwood area measured. The effect of elevated CO{sub 2} concentration on leaf conductance was less at high leaf-to-air water vapour pressure difference than at low leaf-to-air water vapour pressure difference. Mean and diurnal sap fluxes were consistently higher in trees at the control site than in the trees at the CO{sub 2} spring site. Results are discussed in terms of effects of elevated CO{sub 2} concentration on plant water use at the organ and whole-tree level. 76 refs., 9 figs.