Contrasting Morphology and Ecophysiology of Cooccurring Broad and Terete Leaves in Hakea trifurcata (Proteaceae)

1994 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 307
Author(s):  
PK Groom ◽  
BB Lamont ◽  
L Kupsky

We studied the morphology, anatomy, phyllotaxy and daily seasonal ecophysiology of the two leaf types (broad and terete) of Hakea trifurcata (Smith) R.Br., a widespread shrub in south-western Australia. Both leaf types may be present on the same branchlet, with one or two broad leaves forming first during the annual growth period (late winter) followed by many terete leaves in spring. Terete leaves were more xeromorphic than broad leaves, including greater thickness, denser tissues and fewer veins. Broad leaves fixed more carbon and transpired more water per unit mass than terete leaves, in a well ventilated leaf chamber, and had lower (more negative) xylem pressure potentials. Broad leaf temperatures only exceeded those of terete leaves under hot, dry conditions, with no relationship between transpiration rates and leaf temperature. Terete leaves possessed many structural and physiological characteristics commonly associated with drought-tolerant leaves, whereas broad leaves were characteristic of leaves which keep their stomates open during periods of water and heat stress. Both leaf types appear to increase the fitness of this species in a mediterranean climate, with broad leaves having the potential to supply extra photosynthates and nutrients to the new season's growth.

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (14) ◽  
pp. 4846
Author(s):  
Dilek Killi ◽  
Antonio Raschi ◽  
Filippo Bussotti

Agricultural production is predicted to be adversely affected by an increase in drought and heatwaves. Drought and heat damage cellular membranes, such as the thylakoid membranes where photosystem II occurs (PSII). We investigated the chlorophyll fluorescence (ChlF) of PSII, photosynthetic pigments, membrane damage, and the activity of protective antioxidants in drought-tolerant and -sensitive varieties of C3 sunflower and C4 maize grown at 20/25 and 30/35 °C. Drought-tolerant varieties retained PSII electron transport at lower levels of water availability at both temperatures. Drought and heat stress, in combination and isolation, had a more pronounced effect on the ChlF of the C3 species. For phenotyping, the maximum fluorescence was the most effective ChlF measure in characterizing varietal variation in the response of both species to drought and heat. The drought-tolerant sunflower and maize showed lower lipid peroxidation under drought and heat stress. The greater retention of PSII function in the drought-tolerant sunflower and maize at higher temperatures was associated with an increase in the activities of antioxidants (glutathione reductase, superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase, and ascorbate peroxidase), whereas antioxidant activity declined in the drought-sensitive varieties. Antioxidant activity should play a key role in the development of drought- and heat-tolerant crops for future food security.


2007 ◽  
Vol 34 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Noah S. Diffenbaugh ◽  
Jeremy S. Pal ◽  
Filippo Giorgi ◽  
Xuejie Gao

1982 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 448-451 ◽  
Author(s):  
Garriet W. Smith ◽  
Steven S. Hayasaka

Nitrogenase activity (at in situ temperatures) associated with Zostera marina reflected the active growth periods of this plant in North Carolina coastal waters. During the plants most active growth period (late winter – spring) nitrogenase activity was primarily rhizospheric (8.47 μmol nitrogen fixed∙m−2∙day−1), while during its fall – early winter period it was primarily phyllospheric (8.03 μmol nitrogen fixed∙m−2∙day−1). No nitrogenase activity was detected during the warmer summer months when the plant is dormant. Phyllospheric nitrogenase activity (possibly the result of epiphytic heterocystic blue-green bacteria) was highest when plants were incubated aerobically in the presence of light.


2009 ◽  
Vol 36 (11) ◽  
pp. 990 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guo Yu Qiu ◽  
Kenji Omasa ◽  
Sadanori Sase

By introducing a reference dry leaf (a leaf without transpiration), a formerly proposed plant transpiration transfer coefficient (hat) was applied to detect environmental stress caused by water shortage and high temperature on melon, tomato and lettuce plants under various conditions. Results showed that there were obvious differences between leaf temperature, dry reference leaf temperature and air temperature. The proposed coefficient hat could integrate the three temperatures and quantitatively evaluate the environmental stress of plants. Experimental results showed that the water stress of melon plants under two irrigation treatments was clearly distinguished by using the coefficient. The water stress of a tomato plant as the soil dried under a controlled environmental condition was sensitively detected by using hat. A linear relationship between hat and conventional crop water stress index was revealed with a regression determination coefficient R2 = 0.97. Further, hat was used to detect the heat stress of lettuce plants under high air temperature conditions (28.7°C) with three root temperature treatments (21.5, 25.9 and 29.5°C). The canopy temperature under these treatments was respectively 26.44, 27.15 and 27.46°C and the corresponding hat value was –1.11, –0.74 and –0.59. Heat stress was also sensitively detected using hat. The main advantage of hat is its simplicity for use in infrared applications.


2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hrvoje Mihanović ◽  
Ivica Vilibić ◽  
Jadranka Šepić ◽  
Frano Matić ◽  
Zrinka Ljubešić ◽  
...  

The paper aims to describe the preconditioning and observations of exceptionally high salinity values that were observed in summer and autumn of 2017 in the Adriatic. The observations encompassed CTD measurements carried out along the well-surveyed climatological transect in the Middle Adriatic (the Palagruža Sill, 1961–2020), Argo profiling floats and several glider missions, accompanied with satellite altimetry and operational ocean numerical model (Mediterranean Forecasting System) products. Typically, subsurface salinity maximum, with values lower than 39.0, is observed in the Southern Adriatic (usually between 200 and 400 m), related to ingressions of saltier and warmer waters originating in the eastern Mediterranean (Levantine Intermediate Water—LIW). However, seasonally strong inflow of warm and high salinity waters (S > 38.8) has been observed much closer to the surface since spring 2015. The main LIW core deepened at the same time (to 400–700 m). Such double-maxima vertical pattern was eventually disturbed by winter convection at the beginning of 2017, increasing salinities throughout the water column. A new episode of very strong inflow of high salinity waters from the Northern Ionian was observed in late winter and spring of 2017, this time restricted almost to the surface. As most of 2017 was characterized by extremely dry conditions, low riverine inputs and warmer than usual summer over the Adriatic and Northern Ionian, salinity values above the sharp and shallow (15–40 m) thermocline significantly increased. The maximum recorded salinity was 39.26, as measured by the Argo float in the Southern Adriatic. Surface salinity maximum events, but with much lower intensity, have been documented in the past. Both past events and the 2017 event were characterized by (i) concurrence with overall high salinity conditions and cyclonic or transitional phase of the Adriatic-Ionian Bimodal Oscillating System, (ii) very low river discharges preconditioning the events for a year or more, (iii) higher-than-average heat fluxes during most of the summer and early autumn periods, forming a stable warm layer above the thermocline, and (iv) higher-than-average E-P (evaporation minus precipitation) acting on this warm surface layer. Importantly, the 2017 event was also preceded by strong near-surface inflow of very saline waters from the Northern Ionian in early 2017.


HortScience ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 55 (7) ◽  
pp. 1132-1143
Author(s):  
Qirui Cui ◽  
Haizheng Xiong ◽  
Yufeng Yufeng ◽  
Stephen Eaton ◽  
Sora Imamura ◽  
...  

Cowpea [Vigna unguiculate (L.) Walp.] is not only a healthy, nutritious, and versatile leguminous crop; it also has a relatively high adaptation to drought. Research has shown that cowpea lines have a high tolerance to drought, and many of them can survive more than 40 days under scorching and dry conditions. The cowpea (Southern pea) breeding program at the University of Arkansas has been active for more than 50 years and has produced more than 1000 advanced breeding lines. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the drought-tolerant ability in Arkansas cowpea lines and use the drought-tolerant lines in cowpea production or as parents in cowpea breeding. A total of 36 University of Arkansas breeding lines were used to screen drought tolerance at the seedling stage in this study. The experiment was conducted in the greenhouse using a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with two replicates, organized in a split-plot manner, where the drought treatment (drought and nondrought stress) as the main plot and the cowpea genotypes as the subplot. Drought stress was applied for 4 weeks, and three drought-tolerant–related traits were collected and analyzed. Results showed that cowpea breeding lines: ‘17-61’, ‘17-86’, ‘Early Scarlet’, and ‘ARBlackeye #1’ were found to be drought tolerant.


2021 ◽  
Vol 58 (3) ◽  
pp. 123-129
Author(s):  
Adel Aboulnaga ◽  
Mohmed Hayder ◽  
Mohmed Abdelkhalek ◽  
Mohmed Shafie ◽  
Taha AbdelSabour ◽  
...  

2017 ◽  
Vol 68 (9) ◽  
pp. 823 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rashmi Awasthi ◽  
Pooran Gaur ◽  
Neil C. Turner ◽  
Vincent Vadez ◽  
Kadambot H. M. Siddique ◽  
...  

Drought and heat stress are two major constraints that limit chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) yield, particularly during seed filling. The present study aimed (i) to assess the individual and combined effects of drought and heat stress on oxidative metabolism during seed filling, and (ii) to determine any genetic variation in oxidative metabolism among genotypes differing in drought and heat tolerance and sensitivity. The plants were raised in outdoor conditions with two different times of sowing, one in November (normal-sown, temperatures <32°C−20°C (day–night) during seed filling), and the other in February (late-sown, temperatures >32°C−20°C (day–night) during seed filling). Plants were regularly irrigated to prevent any water shortage until the water treatments were applied. At both sowing times, the drought treatment was applied during seed filling (at ~75% podding) by withholding water from half of the pots until the relative leaf water content (RLWC) of leaves on the top three branches reached 42–45%, whereas leaves in the fully irrigated control plants were maintained at RLWC 85–90%. Drought-stressed plants were then rewatered and maintained under fully irrigated conditions until maturity. Several biochemical parameters were measured on the leaves and seeds at the end of the stress treatments, and seed yield and aboveground biomass were measured at maturity. Individual and combined stresses damaged membranes, and decreased PSII function and leaf chlorophyll content, more so under the combined stress treatment. The levels of oxidative molecules (malondialdehyde (MDA) and H2O2) markedly increased compared with the control plants in all stress treatments, especially across genotypes in the combined heat + drought stress treatment (increases in leaves: MDA 5.4–8.4-fold and H2O2 5.1–7.1-fold; in seeds: MDA 1.9–3.3-fold and H2O2 3.8–7.9-fold). The enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants related to oxidative metabolism increased under individual stress treatments but decreased in the combined heat + drought stress treatment. Leaves had higher oxidative damage than seeds, and this likely inhibited their photosynthetic efficiency. Yields were reduced more by drought stress than by heat stress, with the lowest yields in the combined heat + drought stress treatment. Heat- and drought-tolerant genotypes suffered less damage and had higher yields than the heat- and drought-sensitive genotypes under the individual and combined stress treatments, suggesting partial cross-tolerance in these genotypes. A drought-tolerant genotype ICC8950 produced more seed yield under the combined heat + drought stress than other genotypes, and this was associated with low oxidative damage in leaves and seeds.


1991 ◽  
Vol 42 (7) ◽  
pp. 1173 ◽  
Author(s):  
FL Stoddard

Commercial crops of faba beans (Vicia faba L.) in South Australia and western Victoria were surveyed for flower visitors and incidence of pollination. Honeybees were the only pollen vectors. The incidence of pollination was never less than 50% and averaged 80%. The effectiveness of honeybees as pollen vectors contrasts with their ineffectiveness in colder climates, partly because in the Mediterranean climate beans flower in late winter and early spring when bees are in search of pollen. It is unlikely that growers of faba beans in Australia will need to provide supplementary hives to ensure adequate pollination.


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