scholarly journals Chloroplast Response to Low Leaf Water Potentials

1973 ◽  
Vol 51 (6) ◽  
pp. 989-992 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. S. Boyer ◽  
J. R. Potter
Keyword(s):  
1994 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 377 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Alvino ◽  
M Centritto ◽  
FD Lorenzi

Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) plants were grown in 1 m2 lysimeters under two different water regimes in order to investigate differences in the spatial arrangements of the leaves and to relate this to daily assimilation rates of leaves of the canopy. The control regime (well-watered (W) treatment) was irrigated whenever the accumulated 'A' pan evaporation reached 4 cm, whereas the water-stressed (S) treatment was watered whenever the predawn leaf water potential fell below -1 MPa. During the growing cycle, equal numbers of sun and shade leaves were chosen from the apical, middle and basal parts of the canopy, corresponding to groups of leaves of increasing age. The CO2 exchange rate (CER) was measured at 0830, 1230 and 1530 hours on 8 days along the crop cycle, on leaves in their natural inclination and orientation. Leaf water potentials were measured on apical leaves before dawn and concurrently with gas exchange measurements. Control plants maintained predawn leaf water potential at -0.3 MPa, but S plants reached values lower than -1.2 MPa. Midday leaf water potentials were about twice as low in the S plants as in the controls. Water stress reduced LA1 during the period of crop growth, and dry matter production at harvest. Stressed apical leaves appeared to reduce stress by changing their inclination. They were paraheliotropic around midday and diaheliotropic at 0830 and 1530 hours. The CER values of the S treatment were significantly lower than those of the W treatment in apical and middle leaves, whereas the CER of basal leaves did not differ in either treatments. In the S treatment, reduction in the CER values of sunlit apical leaves was more evident in the afternoon than at midday or early in the morning, whereas basal leaves were less affected by water than basal stress leaves if sunlit, and negligibly in shaded conditions.


1992 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 659 ◽  
Author(s):  
L Guobin ◽  
DR Kemp ◽  
GB Liu

The effect of water stress during summer and recovery after rain on herbage accumulation, leaf growth components, stomatal conductance and leaf water relations of white clover (Trifolium repens cv. Haifa) and phalaris (Phalaris aquatica cv. Australian Commercial) was studied in an established mixed pasture under dryland (dry) or irrigated (wet) conditions. Soil water deficits under dry conditions reached 150 mm and soil water potentials in the top 20 cm declined to nearly -2 MPa after 50 days of dry weather. Water stress severely restricted growth of both species but then after rain fell, white clover growth rates exceeded those of phalaris. Under irrigation, white clover produced twice the herbage mass of phalaris but under dry conditions herbage production was similar from both species. Leaf appearance rates per tiller or stolon were slightly higher for white clover than phalaris but were reduced by 20% under water stress in both species. Leaf or petiole extension rates were more sensitive to water stress than leaf appearance rates and declined by 75% in phalaris and 90% in white clover. The ratio of leaf or petiole extension rates on dry/wet treatments was similar for both species in relation to leaf relative water contents, but in relation to leaf water potentials phalaris maintained higher leaf growth rates. Phalaris maintained a higher leaf relative water content in relation to leaf water potentials than did white clover and also maintained higher leaf water potentials in relation to the soil water potential in the top 20 cm. Stomata1 conductances for both species declined by 80-90% with increasing water stress, and both species showed similar stomatal responses to bulk leaf water potentials and leaf relative water contents. It is suggested that the poorer performance of white clover under water stress may be due principally to a shallower root system than phalaris and not due to any underlying major physiological differences. The white clover cultivar used in this study came from the mediterranean region and showed some different responses to water stress than previously published evidence on white clover. This suggests genetic variation in responses to water stress may exist within white clover. To maintain white clover in a pasture under dry conditions it is suggested that grazing practices aim to retain a high proportion of growing points.


1983 ◽  
Vol 101 (2) ◽  
pp. 407-410 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. Palta

SUMMARYIn the application of the Scholander pressure chamber technique to cassava water relations studies, the leaf water potential measured on central lobules was initially compared with that measured on entire leaves (including petiole). Measurements made using both a Campbell-Brewster hydraulic press and a pressure chamber of the leaf water potential in six different cassava clones were also compared. Although the central lobules showed a greater sensitivity to moisture loss after sampling than entire leaves, their leaf water potential was in close agreement with those measured on the entire leaves (r3 = 0·96). Therefore, for routine and field estimates in cassava, measurements made on the central lobules may be used to avoid the large reduction in total leaf area. The Campbell-Brewster hydraulic press satisfactorily estimated leaf water potential in M.Col. 1684 clone, which had the longest and narrowest lobules, but in other clones the leaf water potential was overestimated at high leaf potential (> -12·5) and underestimated at low water potentials (< -12·5). Over a wide range of leaf water potentials, a poor relationship between leaf water potentials estimated with hydraulic press and with the pressure chamber was observed for cassava because press estimates are influenced by lobule length and lobule width.


1988 ◽  
Vol 18 (9) ◽  
pp. 1159-1166 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. R. Pezeshki ◽  
T. M. Hinckley

Water relations of red alder (AlnusrubraBong.) and black cottonwood (populustrichocarpa Torr. & Gray) were studied in the field during the 1980, 1981, and 1982 growing seasons. Stomatal closure in response to drought was noted in both species; however, the following major differences were noted between the 1980 observations and those of 1981 and 1982; (i) stomatal conductance was greater in black cottonwood than in red alder, whereas the reverse was noted in 1980, and (ii) even though 1981 and 1982 were warmer and drier than 1980, corresponding changes in predawn and minimum leaf water potentials were not observed. These differences were attributed to greater root development, particularly in black cottonwood, in the second (1981) and third (1982) years following establishment (1980) of these species. Leaf age and drought exposure were observed to influence osmotic potentials in both species. Values of the osmotic potential at saturation varied from −0.80 to −1.03 MPa in newly mature leaves of red alder and from −1.00 to −1.26 MPa in similarly aged leaves of black cottonwood. Values in mature leaves ranged from −0.84 to −1.27 MPa in red alder and from −1.37 to −1.75 MPa in black cottonwood. There appeared to be a continued decrease in osmotic potential in both species throughout the growing season, a response associated with leaf development and drought exposure. Throughout the study, significantly lower values of osmotic potential at saturation and at the turgor loss point were found in black cottonwood than in red alder. Consequently, black cottonwood had a potential adaptive advantage in comparison with red alder. Leaf shedding in response to drought was noted mainly in red alder. Generally, both of these riparian species exhibited slight to moderate capabilities of surviving exposure to low leaf water potentials and moderate to excellent capabilities of stomatal closure under conditions potentially leading to low water potentials. The role played by root development in the differences observed among the years and between black cottonwood and red alder is discussed.


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