ROOT CHARACTERISTICS IN COWPEA RELATED TO DROUGHT TOLERANCE AT THE SEEDLING STAGE

2003 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. MATSUI ◽  
B. B. SINGH

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) has relatively higher drought tolerance than other legume crops. It is widely grown in semi-arid regions, particularly in West Africa. One objective of the present study was to determine the effects of soil moisture stress on the length, dry matter and distribution of the roots of two cowpea varieties with different drought tolerances. Another objective was to evaluate the pin-board root-box as a method for identifying the role of root characteristics in drought tolerance. Two cowpea varieties, IT96D-604 (drought tolerant) and TVu7778 (drought susceptible), were used in this study. There were three watering treatments, T1 (well-watered), T2 (mild water stress) and T3 (severe water stress). Between varieties, there were no significant differences in shoot and root characteristics except for leaf area in T1. Under T2, the shoot:root ratio (S:R ratio) of IT96D-604 was significantly decreased compared with that under T1 as a result of the increase in root dry matter and decrease in leaf area without significant differences in total dry matter. In addition, the root dry matter per leaf area, which indicates the capacity to absorb water, of IT96D-604 was significantly higher than that of TVu7778. Under T3, the total dry matter of TVu7778 was about one third of those of the other treatments for the same variety, whereas that of IT96D-604 was more than half. Regarding root distribution, the centres of root dry matter and root length density of both varieties moved downwards significantly under water-stress conditions compared with those of the well-watered condition. This tendency was more pronounced in IT96D-604 than in TVu7778. Drought tolerance in IT96D-604 was associated with the increase in root dry matter per leaf area under mild water-stress conditions, and downward movement of roots (increasing access and use of soil moisture in deep soil layers) under mild and severe water stress conditions. In addition, the root-box method was versatile and can be used for studying root responses to edaphic factors relevant to root growth.

1988 ◽  
Vol 18 (4) ◽  
pp. 421-426 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. C. Hennessey ◽  
E. M. Lorenzi ◽  
R. W. McNew

An experiment to quantify the response of unnodulated, fertilized European black alder (Alnusglutinosa (L.) Gaertn.) seedlings to progressive water stress showed contrasting drought tolerance among five clones, using stomatal conductance, leaf area, and height as indices of drought sensitivity. In particular, one rapidly growing clone (AG 8022-14) showed the ability to moderate changes in water stress more efficiently than the more slowly growing clones. After 30 days of moderate levels of water stress, clones that had higher stomatal conductance also had greater leaf area and height growth. Leaf area and height were both sensitive to plant water status, although no threshold of stress associated with a cessation of leaf area or height expansion was found even though stomatal conductance decreased to 0.05 cm s−1 under severe water stress.


Plants ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 27
Author(s):  
Mahmoud M. Gaballah ◽  
Azza M. Metwally ◽  
Milan Skalicky ◽  
Mohamed M. Hassan ◽  
Marian Brestic ◽  
...  

Drought is the most challenging abiotic stress for rice production in the world. Thus, developing new rice genotype tolerance to water scarcity is one of the best strategies to achieve and maximize high yield potential with water savings. The study aims to characterize 16 rice genotypes for grain and agronomic parameters under normal and drought stress conditions, and genetic differentiation, by determining specific DNA markers related to drought tolerance using Simple Sequence Repeats (SSR) markers and grouping cultivars, establishing their genetic relationship for different traits. The experiment was conducted under irrigated (normal) and water stress conditions. Mean squares due to genotype × environment interactions were highly significant for major traits. For the number of panicles/plants, the genotypes Giza179, IET1444, Hybrid1, and Hybrid2 showed the maximum mean values. The required sterility percentage values were produced by genotypes IET1444, Giza178, Hybrid2, and Giza179, while, Sakha101, Giza179, Hybrid1, and Hybrid2 achieved the highest values of grain yield/plant. The genotypes Giza178, Giza179, Hybrid1, and Hybrid2, produced maximum values for water use efficiency. The effective number of alleles per locus ranged from 1.20 alleles to 3.0 alleles with an average of 1.28 alleles, and the He values for all SSR markers used varied from 0.94 to 1.00 with an average of 0.98. The polymorphic information content (PIC) values for the SSR were varied from 0.83 to 0.99, with an average of 0.95 along with a highly significant correlation between PIC values and the number of amplified alleles detected per locus. The highest similarity coefficient between Giza181 and Giza182 (Indica type) was observed and are susceptible to drought stress. High similarity percentage between the genotypes (japonica type; Sakha104 with Sakha102 and Sakha106 (0.45), Sakha101 with Sakha102 and Sakha106 (0.40), Sakha105 with Hybrid1 (0.40), Hybrid1 with Giza178 (0.40) and GZ1368-S-5-4 with Giza181 (0.40)) was also observed, which are also susceptible to drought stress. All genotypes are grouped into two major clusters in the dendrogram at 66% similarity based on Jaccard’s similarity index. The first cluster (A) was divided into two minor groups A1 and A2, in which A1 had two groups A1-1 and A1-2, containing drought-tolerant genotypes like IET1444, GZ1386-S-5-4 and Hybrid1. On the other hand, the A1-2 cluster divided into A1-2-1 containing Hybrid2 genotype and A1-2-2 containing Giza179 and Giza178 at coefficient 0.91, showing moderate tolerance to drought stress. The genotypes GZ1368-S-5-4, IET1444, Giza 178, and Giza179, could be included as appropriate materials for developing a drought-tolerant variety breeding program. Genetic diversity to grow new rice cultivars that combine drought tolerance with high grain yields is essential to maintaining food security.


1968 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 129-137 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. R. Maurer ◽  
H. F. Fletcher ◽  
D. P. Ormrod

Pea plants growing in "weighing lysimeters" were subjected to five soil-water regimes to determine their response to varying conditions of soil water imposed at different stages of development. Plants subjected to a minimal water stress developed luxuriantly and continued to grow up to the harvest period. Pea yield and plant height were not reduced, but fresh weight and dry matter were less if irrigation was applied when soil water fell to 60% rather than 88% of that available. A severe water stress after blossom reduced pea yield, irrespective of soil-water conditions prior to blossom. Plants which had been given ample soil water before blossom wilted visibly when a severe stress was imposed in the post-blossom period, yet wilting did not occur in plants subjected to severe water stress both before and after blossom. Severe water stress prior to blossom did not cause a decrease in pea yield if ample soil moisture was made available after blossom.


1987 ◽  
Vol 67 (1) ◽  
pp. 21-34 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. M. DWYER ◽  
D. W. STEWART

Barley (Hordeum vulgare ’Bruce’) was grown in a greenhouse under three photoperiods (8, 12 and 16 h) and nine watering treatments, resulting in different timing, duration and intensity of water stress. Phenological development, according to the Feekes scale, was monitored three times a week and leaf area was measured weekly from tillering to ripening. Final aboveground and root dry matter production and grain yield were obtained at harvest. Phenological observations were fit to a nonlinear photothermal model that expressed phenological development as a function of heat units modified by photoperiod. In the absence of water stress, maximum leaf area was directly proportional to photoperiod and the time of maximum leaf area was delayed at longer photoperiods. Water stress hastened leaf area senescence and, in general, the more severe the stress, the greater the reduction in leaf area. Most stress treatments also resulted in lower shoot/root ratios than found in well-watered controls, as well as significant yield reductions. Reduction in biomass and yield components appeared independent of photoperiod. In contrast, not only was phenological development rate proportional to photoperiod, but the effect of water stress on development rate was modified by photoperiod. Development was significantly delayed by several water stress treatments; no treatment significantly hastened development. A stress period from tillering to the beginning of stem extension caused the largest, and most consistent, delay and the duration of the delay was inversely proportional to the photoperiod.Key words: Barley, degree days, phenology, leaf area, biomass


2014 ◽  
Vol 41 (No. 4) ◽  
pp. 192-200 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Penella ◽  
S.G. Nebauer ◽  
S. López-Galarza ◽  
A. SanBautista ◽  
A. Rodríguez-Burruezo ◽  
...  

 Water stress is a major environmental factor that limits crop production and it is important to develop crop varieties with higher yield under water scarcity. Increased pepper tolerance to water stress through grafting onto robust rootstocks could be an optimal alternative in the context of environmentally friendly agriculture. Our work evaluated the behaviour of 18 pepper genotypes during vegetative and reproductive stages under water stress in order to select tolerant genotypes to be used as rootstocks for pepper cultivation. The pepper tolerance screening was based on photosynthetic parameters. The genotypes Atlante, C-40, Serrano, PI-152225, ECU-973, BOL-58 and NuMex Conquistador were revealed as the most tolerant genotypes to water stress because they maintained net photosynthetic rate levels under water stress conditions. The selected genotypes were validated as rootstocks on a pepper cultivar in terms of productivity under severe water stress. Plants grafted onto cvs Atlante, PI-152225 and ECU-973 showed higher marketable yields when compared with ungrafted cultivar.  


2014 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
pp. 65-75
Author(s):  
Soleiman Mohammadi ◽  
Reza Kas Nazani ◽  
Ayda Hosseinzadeh Mahootchi ◽  
Keiwan Ftohi

ABSTRACT In order to evaluate promising lines in terms of grain yield and water-soluble carbohydrates remobiliza-tion, an experiment with fifteen promising lines and two checks was carried out under full irrigation and terminal water stress conditions at Miyandoab Agricultural Research and Natural Resources Station. Mobilized dry matter content and remobilization percentage from shoot to grain under water deficit (177mg)(11.2%) were greater than those under well watering condition. The lowest (110 mg) and the highest (260mg) mobilized dry matter to grain were obtained for C-79-18 and C-83-15lines, respectively. Water deficit reduced grain yield of barley genotypes by 200-1600 kg/ha, and mean grain yield reduction was 800 kg/ha. Line 14 with 5.880and 5.300t/ha grain yield in favorable and water stress conditions was superior to the other lines. Under water deficit condition, line 14 had greater grain yieldby20% and 38% than the Bahman and Makouee cultivars, respectively. The results showed that greater grain yield in tolerant lines under water deficit was due to remobilization of unstructured carbohydrates from shoot to grain. Thus, it seems that selection of lines with higher translocated dry matter and contribution of pre-anthesis assimilate in grain filling under water stress, the suitable way for achieving genotypes with high grain yield under water stress condition.


2018 ◽  
Vol 69 (6) ◽  
pp. 594 ◽  
Author(s):  
Goudarz Ahmadvand ◽  
Somayeh Hajinia

Piriformospora indica is one of the cultivable root-colonising endophytic fungi of the order Sebacinales, which efficiently promote plant growth, uptake of nutrients, and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of P. indica on millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) under water-stress conditions. Two field experiments were carried out in a factorial arrangement at Bu-Ali Sina University of Hamedan, Iran, during 2014 and 2015. The first factor was three levels of water-deficit stress, with irrigation after 60 mm (well-watered), 90 mm (mild stress) and 120 mm (severe stress) evaporation from pan class A. The second factor was two levels of fungus P. indica: inoculated and uninoculated. Results showed that water-deficit stress significantly decreased grain yield and yield components. Colonisation by P. indica significantly increased number of panicles per plant, number of grains per panicle and 1000-grain weight, regardless of water supply. Inoculation with P. indica increased grain yield by 11.4% (year 1) and 19.72% (year 2) in well-watered conditions and by 35.34% (year 1) and 32.59% (year 2) under drought stress, compared with uninoculated plants. Maximum flag-leaf area (21.71 cm2) was achieved with well-watered conditions. Severe water stress decreased flag-leaf area by 53.36%. Flag-leaf area was increased by 18.64% by fungus inoculation compared with the uninoculated control. Under drought conditions, inoculation with P. indica increased plant height by 27.07% and panicle length by 9.61%. Severe water stress caused a significant decrease in grain phosphorus concentration, by 42.42%, compared with the well-watered treatment. By contrast, grain nitrogen and protein contents were increased about 30.23% and 30.18%, respectively, with severe water stress. Inoculation with P. indica increased grain phosphorus by 24.22%, nitrogen by 7.47% and protein content by 7.54% compared with control. Water stress reduced leaf chlorophyll and carotenoid concentrations, whereas P. indica inoculation enhanced chlorophyll concentrations by 27.18% under severe water stress. The results indicated the positive effect of P. indica on yield and physiological traits of millet in both well-watered and water-stressed conditions.


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