scholarly journals Water Deficit Stress Responses of Three Native Australian Ornamental Herbaceous Wildflower Species for Water-wise Landscapes

HortScience ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 44 (5) ◽  
pp. 1358-1365 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roger Kjelgren ◽  
Lixue Wang ◽  
Daryl Joyce

Perennial wildflower species are important but not well-understood elements in water-wise landscaping that anchors urban water conservation programs in arid climates. Comparative growth and physiological responses to soil substrate drying of three herbaceous Australian ornamental species from habitats of variable moisture regimes were investigated in the context of isohydric and anisohydric behavior. Clonal Orthosiphon aristatus, Dianella revoluta ‘Breeze’, and Ptilotus nobilis plants were container-grown individually and competitively together in two separate studies. In both studies, plants were water-stressed through cyclical dry downs. We measured stomatal conductance (g S), soil water content, and water potential during each study and osmotic adjustment estimated from pressure-volume data and plant biomass at the end of each study. O. aristatus, a rainforest species, fit a general anisohydric model of high water use and more negative water potential during soil drying until stomatal closure and leaf wilting. D. revolata and P. nobilis, indigenous to Australia's dry interior, fit a general isohydric, drought-tolerant model of stomatal closure from water deficits that moderates leaf water potential but through different mechanisms. P. nobilis and D. revolata moderate water use and maintain acceptable aesthetic performance under water stress, suitable for mixed low-water landscape plantings. O. aristatus would not be suitable for low-water urban landscapes, either isolated or in mixed plantings, because of high soil water depletion and wilting.

1977 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 355 ◽  
Author(s):  
KA Seaton ◽  
JJ Landsberg ◽  
RH Sedgley

Changes in the transpiration rate of wheat in drying soils were followed in experiments in which plants were grown in two small weighable lysimeters in a glasshouse. Hourly measurements of soil water potential (Ψs) were made at three depths in each lysimeter. The water potential of flag leaves was measured with a pressure chamber, and stomatal resistance with a pressure drop porometer. Data on root densities and distribution were also obtained. Transpiration rates fell below estimated potential levels when the average value of Ψs in the root zone was reduced to –1 to –5 bars, depending on soil storage, root distribution and potential transpiration rate. From this point Ψs fell rapidly in the surface layers, more slowly at depth. It was found that accurate calculations of daily water uptake could be made from changes in soil water content. The minimum value of leaf water potential (�1 )attained each day declined progressively through the drying cycle, but there was evidence that stomatal resistance (rs) is not uniquely related to Ψ1; initial stomatal closure occurred at Ψ1, values which decreased from –11 to –25 bars as drying progressed. This adaptive mechanism is related to changes in osmotic potential of the leaves. Whole plant resistances (Rp), derived from leaf water potentials and fluxes through individual stems, increased as stem populations increased. In the high population lysimeter Rp decreased from 300 to 100 bar sec mm-3 as canopy transpiration rates increased from 1.5 to 4.5 x 10-4 mm sec-1. In the low population lysimeter Rp decreased from 70 to 30 bar sec mm-3 as transpiration increased from about 2.2 to 4.5 x 10-4 mm sec-1. The higher resistances appear to confer significant advantages in terms of water conservation and adaptation to drought.


2012 ◽  
Vol 39 (1) ◽  
pp. 53-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Balota ◽  
Steve McGrath ◽  
Thomas G. Isleib ◽  
Shyam Tallury

Abstract Water deficit, i.e., rainfall amounts and distribution, is the most common abiotic stress that limits peanut production worldwide. Even though extensive research efforts have been made to improve drought tolerance in peanut, performance of genotypes largely depends upon the environment in which they grow. Based on greenhouse experiments, it has been hypothesized that stomata closure under high vapor pressure deficit (VPD) is a mechanism of soil water conservation and it has been shown that genotypic variation for the response of transpiration rate to VPD in peanut exists. The objective of this study was to determine the relationship between stomatal conductance (gs) and VPD for field grown peanut in Virginia-Carolina (VC) rainfed environments. In 2009, thirty virginia-type peanut cultivars and advanced breeding lines were evaluated for gs at several times before and after rain events, including a moisture stress episode. In 2010, eighteen genotypes were evaluated for gs under soil water deficit. In 2009, VPD ranged from 1.3 to 4.2 kPa and in 2010 from 1.78 to 3.57 kPa. Under water deficit, genotype and year showed a significant effect on gs (P  =  0.0001), but the genotype × year interaction did not. During the water deficit episodes while recorded gs values were relatively high, gs was negatively related to VPD (R2  =  0.57, n  =  180 in 2009; R2  =  0.47, n  =  108 in 2010), suggesting that stomata closure is indeed a water conservation mechanism for field grown peanut. However, a wide range of slopes among genotype were observed in both years. Genotypes with significant negative relationships of gs and VPD under water deficit in both years were Florida Fancy, Gregory, N04074FCT, NC-V11, and VA-98R. While Florida Fancy, Gregory, and NC-V11 are known to be high yielding cultivars, VA-98R and line N04074FCT are not. The benefit of stomatal closure during drought episodes in the VC environments is further discussed in this paper.


1984 ◽  
Vol 102 (2) ◽  
pp. 415-425 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. McGowan ◽  
P. Blanch ◽  
P. J. Gregory ◽  
D. Haycock

SummaryShoot and root growth and associated leaf and soil water potential relations were compared in three consecutive crops of winter wheat grown in the same field. Despite a profuse root system the crop grown in the second drought year (1976) failed to dry the soil as throughly as the crops in 1975 and 1977. Measurements of plant water potential showed that the restricted utilization of soil water reserves by this crop was associated with failure to make any significant osmotic adjustment, leading to premature loss of leaf turgor and stomatal closure. The implications of these results for models to estimate actual crop evaporation from values of potential evaporation are discussed.


2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 425-432
Author(s):  
Matthew Lanning ◽  
Lixin Wang ◽  
Kimberly A Novick

Abstract Accurate understanding of plant responses to water stress is increasingly important for quantification of ecosystem carbon and water cycling under future climates. Plant water-use strategies can be characterized across a spectrum of water stress responses, from tight stomatal control (isohydric) to distinctly less stomatal control (anisohydric). A recent and popular classification method of plant water-use strategies utilizes the regression slope of predawn and midday leaf water potentials, σ, to reflect the coupling of soil water availability (predawn leaf water potential) and stomatal dynamics (daily decline in leaf water potential). This type of classification is important in predicting ecosystem drought response and resiliency. However, it fails to explain the relative stomatal responses to drought of Acer sacharrum and Quercus alba, improperly ranking them on the spectrum of isohydricity. We argue this inconsistency may be in part due to the cuticular conductance of different species. We used empirical and modeling evidence to show that plants with more permeable cuticles are more often classified as anisohydric; the σ values of those species were very well correlated with measured cuticular permeance. Furthermore, we found that midday leaf water potential in species with more permeable cuticles would continue to decrease as soils become drier, but not in those with less permeable cuticles. We devised a diagnostic parameter, Γ, to identify circumstances where the impact of cuticular conductance could cause species misclassification. The results suggest that cuticular conductance needs to be considered to better understand plant water-use strategies and to accurately predict forest responses to water stress under future climate scenarios.


1998 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 353 ◽  
Author(s):  
C.R. Jensen ◽  
V.O. Mogensen ◽  
H.-H. Poulsen ◽  
I.E. Henson ◽  
S. Aagot ◽  
...  

Drought responses in leaves of lupin (Lupinus angustifolius L., cv. Polonez) were investigated in plants grown in lysimeters either in a sand or in a loam soil in the field. Abscisic acid (ABA) content, water potential (ψl) and conductance to water vapour (gH2O) were determined in leaves of both irrigated plants and in plants exposed to gradual soil drying. Amorning-peak of leaf ABA content was found in both fully watered and droughted plants. During soil drying which, on both soils types, only decreased soil water potential of the upper soil layers, mid-day leaf ABA content increased relative to that in fully irrigated plants before any appreciable decreases occurred in ψl. In the part of the soil profile from which water was taken up (0–60 cm depth), gH2O decreased when the relative available soil water content (RASW) on sand was below 12% and RASW on loam, below 30%. At this point the average soil water matric potential (ψsoil) on sand was less than –0.13 MPa and the fraction of roots in ‘wet’ soil was 0.12, while on loam, the fraction of roots in ‘wet’ soil was 0.44 while y soil was similar to that on sand. A critical leaf ABA content of 300–400 ng/g FW was associated with the onset of stomatal closure on both soil types. We suggest that the initial stomatal closure is controlled by ABA which originates from the roots where its production is closely related to ψsoiland the water potential of the root surface and that ψsoil is a more important parameter than RASW or the fraction of roots in ‘wet’ soil for affecting leaf gas exchange. Further drying on both soils led to further increases in leaf ABA and declines in ψl and gH2O. In order to gain further insight, experiments should be designed which combine signalling studies with simulation studies, which take account of soil water potential, root contact area and water flux when calculating the water status at the root surface in the soil-plant-atmosphere-continuum.


1989 ◽  
Vol 16 (5) ◽  
pp. 415 ◽  
Author(s):  
CR Jensen ◽  
IE Henson ◽  
NC Turner

Plants of Lupinus cosentinii Guss. cv. Eregulla were grown in a sandy soil in large containers in a glasshouse and exposed to drought by withholding water. Under these conditions stomatal closure had previously been shown to be initiated before a significant reduction in leaf water potential was detected. In the experiments reported here, no significant changes were found in water potential or turgor pressure of roots or leaves when a small reduction in soil water potential was induced which led to a 60% reduction in leaf conductance. The decrease in leaf conductance and root water uptake closely paralleled the fraction of roots in wet soil. By applying observed data of soil water and root characteristics, and root water uptake for whole pots in a single-root model, the average water potential at the root surface was calculated. Potential differences for water transport in the soil-plant system, and the resistances to water flow were estimated using the 'Ohm's Law' analogy for water transport. Soil resistance was negligible or minor, whereas the root resistance accounted for 61-72% and the shoot resistance accounted for about 30% of the total resistance. The validity of the measurements and calculations is discussed and the possible role of root- to-shoot communication raised.


2005 ◽  
Vol 85 (4) ◽  
pp. 877-888 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul G. Jefferson ◽  
Herb W. Cutforth

Crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum L. Gaertn.) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) are introduced forage species used for hay and grazing by cattle across western Canada. These species are well adapted to the semiarid region but their long-term responses to water stress have not been previously compared. Two alfalfa cultivars with contrasting root morphology (tap-rooted vs. creeping-rooted) and two crested wheatgrass (CWG) cultivars with different ploidy level (diploid vs. tetraploid) were compared with continuously cropped spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) for 6 yr at a semiarid location in western Canada. Soil water depletion, forage yield, water use efficiency, leaf water potential, osmotic potential and turgor were compared. There were no consistent differences between cultivars within alfalfa or CWG for variables measured. However, these two species exhibit different water stress response strategies. Leaf water potential of CWG was lower during midday stress period than that of alfalfa or wheat. Alfalfa apparently had greater capacity to osmotically adjust to avoid midday water stress and maintain higher turgor. Soil water use patterns changed as the stands aged. In the initial years of the trial, forage crops used soil water from upper layers of the profile. In later years, soil water was depleted down to 3 m by alfalfa and to 2 m by crested wheatgrass. Alfalfa was able to deplete soil water to lower concentrations than crested wheatgrass or wheat. Soil water depletion by wheat during the non-active growth season (after harvest to fall freeze-up) was much less than for CWG or alfalfa as expected for annual vs. perennial crops. As a result, more soil water was available to wheat during its active growth period. In the last 3 yr, the three species depleted all available soil water. Forage yield responses also changed over time. In the initial 3 yr, crested wheatgrass yielded as much as or more than alfalfa. For the last 3 yr of the experiment, alfalfa yielded more forage than crested wheatgrass. Forage crops deplete much more soil water during periods of aboveground growth dormancy than wheat. Water use efficiency of crested wheatgrass declined with stand age compared with fertilized continuous spring wheat. Alfalfa exhibited deep soil water extraction and apparent osmotic adjustment in response to water stress while CWG exhibited tolerance of low water potential during stress. Key words: forage yield, soil water, water potential, water use, water use efficiency, drought


Cells ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (9) ◽  
pp. 123 ◽  
Author(s):  
Avat Shekoofa ◽  
Thomas Sinclair

In plants, aquaporins (AQP) occur in multiple isoforms in both plasmalemma and tonoplast membranes resulting in regulation of water flow in and out of cells, and ultimately, water transfer through a series of cells in leaves and roots. Consequently, it is not surprising that physiological and molecular studies have identified AQPs as playing key roles in regulating hydraulic conductance in roots and leaves. As a result, the activity of AQPs influences a range of physiological processes including phloem loading, xylem water exit, stomatal aperture and gas exchange. The influence of AQPs on hydraulic conductance in plants is particularly important in regulating plant transpiration rate, particularly under conditions of developing soil water-deficit stress and elevated atmospheric vapor pressure deficit (VPD). In this review, we examine the impact of AQP activity and hydraulic conductance on crop water use and the identification of genotypes that express soil water conservation as a result of these traits. An important outcome of this research has been the identification and commercialization of cultivars of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.), maize (Zea mays L.), and soybean (Glycine max (Merr) L.) for dry land production systems.


HortScience ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 45 (8) ◽  
pp. 1178-1187 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Michael Glenn ◽  
Nicola Cooley ◽  
Rob Walker ◽  
Peter Clingeleffer ◽  
Krista Shellie

Water use efficiency (WUE) and response of grape vines (Vitis vinifera L. cvs. ‘Cabernet Sauvignon’, ‘Merlot’, and ‘Viognier’) to a particle film treatment (PFT) under varying levels of applied water were evaluated in Victoria, Australia, and southwestern Idaho. Vines that received the least amount of water had the warmest canopy or leaf surface temperature and the lowest (more negative) leaf water potential, stomatal conductance (gS), transpiration (E), and photosynthesis (A). Vines with plus-PFT had cooler leaf and canopy temperature than non-PFT vines; however, temperature difference resulting from irrigation was greater than that resulting from PFT. In well-watered vines, particle film application increased leaf water potential and lowered gS. Point-in-time measurements of WUE (A/E) and gS did not consistently correspond with seasonal estimates of WUE based on carbon isotope discrimination of leaf or shoot tissue. The response of vines with particle film to undergo stomatal closure and increase leaf water potential conserved water and enhanced WUE under non-limiting soil moisture conditions and the magnitude of response differed according to cultivar.


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