scholarly journals Mechanical Harvesting Has Little Effect on Water Status and Leaf Gas Exchange in Citrus Trees

2005 ◽  
Vol 130 (5) ◽  
pp. 661-666 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kuo-Tan Li ◽  
James P. Syvertsen

Mechanical harvesting of citrus trees can cause physical injuries, such as shedding of leaves, exposing roots, and scuffing bark. Although mechanical harvesting usually has not reduced yield, physiological consequences to the tree from these visible injuries have not been investigated. We hypothesized that physical injuries to tree canopies and root systems from a properly operated trunk shaker would not cause short-term physiological effects. Tree water status and leaf gas exchange of mature `Hamlin' and `Valencia' sweet orange [Citrus sinensis (L.) Osb.] trees that were harvested by a trunk shaker were compared to hand-harvested trees. A trunk shaker was operated with adequate duration to remove >90% of mature fruit or with excessive shaking time under various environmental conditions and drought stress treatments throughout the harvest season. Mid-day stem (Ψstem) and leaf (Ψleaf) water potentials along with leaf gas exchange were measured before and after harvest. Trees harvested by the trunk shaker did not develop altered water status under most conditions. Trees harvested with excessive shaking time and/or with limited soil water supply developed low Ψstem resembling Ψstem of drought-stressed trees. However, water potential of all treatments recovered to values of the well-irrigated, hand-harvested trees after rainfall. In addition, mechanical harvesting did not reduce CO2 assimilation, transpiration, stomatal conductance, water use efficiency, or photosystem II efficiency as measured by chlorophyll fluorescence. Thus, despite visible injuries, a properly operated trunk shaker did not result in any measurable physiological stress.

2011 ◽  
Vol 38 (5) ◽  
pp. 372 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregorio Egea ◽  
Ian C. Dodd ◽  
María M. González-Real ◽  
Rafael Domingo ◽  
Alain Baille

To determine whether partial rootzone drying (PRD) optimised leaf gas exchange and soil–plant water relations in almond (Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D.A. Webb) compared with regulated deficit irrigation (RDI), a 2 year trial was conducted on field-grown trees in a semiarid climate. Five irrigation treatments were established: full irrigation (FI) where the trees were irrigated at 100% of the standard crop evapotranspiration (ETc); three PRD treatments (PRD70, PRD50 and PRD30) that applied 70, 50 and 30% ETc, respectively; and a commercially practiced RDI treatment that applied 50% ETc during the kernel-filling stage and 100% ETc during the remainder of the growth season. Measurements of volumetric soil moisture content in the soil profile (0–100 cm), predawn leaf water potential (Ψpd), midday stem water potential (Ψms), midday leaf gas exchange and trunk diameter fluctuations (TDF) were made during two growing seasons. The diurnal patterns of leaf gas exchange and stem water potential (Ψs) were appraised during the kernel-filling stage in all irrigation regimes. When tree water relations were assessed at solar noon, PRD did not show differences in either leaf gas exchange or tree water status compared with RDI. At similar average soil moisture status (adjudged by similar Ψpd), PRD50 trees had higher water status than RDI trees in the afternoon, as confirmed by Ψs and TDF. Although irrigation placement showed no effects on diurnal stomatal regulation, diurnal leaf net photosynthesis (Al) was substantially less limited in PRD50 than in RDI trees, indicating that PRD improved leaf-level water use efficiency.


OENO One ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 52 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vivian Zufferey ◽  
Thibaut Verdenal ◽  
Agnès Dienes ◽  
Sandrine Belcher ◽  
Fabrice Lorenzini ◽  
...  

Aims: The aim of this research was to study the physiological and agronomical behaviors (leaf gas exchange, plant vigor, mineral supply, and yield components) of the Chasselas grapevine subjected to different water regimes during the growing season. The resulting grape and wine qualities were also determined.Methods and results: Adult vines of Vitis vinifera L. cv. Chasselas (clone 14/33-4, grafted onto 5BB) were subjected to different water regimes (various levels of irrigation) during the growing season. Physiological indicators were used to monitor the plant water status [the predawn leaf (. Leaf photosynthesis (A) and transpiration (E), stomatal conductance (gs), vulnerability to cavitation, yield parameters, berry composition at harvest, and organoleptic quality of wines were analyzed over a period of eight consecutive years between 2009 and 2016, under the relatively dry conditions of the Canton of Wallis, Switzerland.In non-irrigated vines, the progressively increasing water deficit observed over the season reduced the leaf gas exchange (A and E) and gs. The intrinsic water use efficiency (WUEi, A/gs) increased over the season and was greater in vines that had suffered water restriction than in irrigated vines. The rise in WUEi was correlated with an increase in d13C in the must sugars at harvest. Vulnerability to cavitation (embolism phenomenon) increased with increasing water deficit in the non-irrigated vines with covered soils. A decrease in plant vigor was observed in the vines that had been subjected to water restrictions over multiple years. Moderate water stress during fruit ripening was favorable for sugar accumulation in berries and lowered the contents of total and malic acidity in the musts and the content of available nitrogen (YAN). Overall, the organoleptic characteristics and quality of Chasselas wines were little influenced by the vine water regimes, with the exception of the hot, dry season in 2009 (and, to a lesser degree, in 2011). In those years, the quality of the wines from the irrigated vines, which had not suffered any water stress, received a better appreciation. Bitterness was generally greater in samples from the non-irrigated vineyards that had suffered from drought than in samples from the irrigated vines. No significant differences in the aroma and wine structure were measured during the study period, regardless of the vine irrigation status.Conclusions: The physiological behavior (gas exchange, plant vigor, and mineral supplies) and grape ripening in Chasselas vines were largely dependent on the water supply conditions in the vineyard during the growing season.Significance and impact of the study: Vine water status is a key factor in leaf gas exchange, canopy water use efficiency, berry composition and, lastly, wine quality.


2018 ◽  
Vol 45 (8) ◽  
pp. 865 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda P. De Souza ◽  
Adriana Grandis ◽  
Bruna C. Arenque-Musa ◽  
Marcos S. Buckeridge

Photosynthesis and growth are dependent on environmental conditions and plant developmental stages. However, it is still not clear how the environment and development influence the diurnal dynamics of nonstructural carbohydrates production and how they affect growth. This is particularly the case of C4 plants such as sugarcane (Saccharum spp.). Aiming to understand the dynamics of leaf gas exchange and nonstructural carbohydrates accumulation in different organs during diurnal cycles across the developmental stages, we evaluated these parameters in sugarcane plants in a 12-month field experiment. Our results show that during the first 3 months of development, light and vapour pressure deficit (VPD) were the primary drivers of photosynthesis, stomatal conductance and growth. After 6 months, in addition to light and VPD, drought, carbohydrate accumulation and the mechanisms possibly associated with water status maintenance were also likely to play a role in gas exchange and growth regulation. Carbohydrates vary throughout the day in all organs until Month 9, consistent with their use for growth during the night. At 12 months, sucrose is accumulated in all organs and starch had accumulated in leaves without any diurnal variation. Understanding of how photosynthesis and the dynamics of carbohydrates are controlled might lead to strategies that could increase sugarcane’s biomass production.


1996 ◽  
Vol 36 (7) ◽  
pp. 861 ◽  
Author(s):  
H Schaper ◽  
EK Chacko ◽  
SJ Blaikie

Gas exchange, leaf water status, soil water use and nut yield of cashew trees were monitored during the reproductive phase in 2 consecutive years (1988 and 1989). Treatment 1 comprised continuous irrigation from the end of the wet season in April until harvest in October; T2, irrigation between flowering (mid June) and harvest; and T3, no irrigation. Irrigation was applied by under-tree sprinkler at 43 mm/week in 1988 and 64 mm/week in 1989. Measurement of leaf gas exchange, chlorophyll content and nut production showed that trees in T2 were as productive as those in T1 (>1.3 kg kernel/tree). In T3, water deficit caused a 4-fold reduction in leaf photosynthesis and reduced leaf chlorophyll content from about 600 to 400 mg/m2 during fruit development. There was no effect on the number of hermaphrodite flowers produced (both ranging from 0 to 15 hermaphrodite flowers/panicle) but the water deficit was associated with a lower kernel yield (1.16 kg kernel/tree). Commercial yields (kg kernel/tree) in irrigated treatments were 20% greater than in the non-irrigated treatment and the kernels from irrigated trees were of a higher grade (kernel recovery >32% in T1 and T2 compared with 27.4% in T3). These results suggest that irrigation of established cashew plantations in the tropical regions of northern Australia can be restricted to the period between flowering and harvest without reducing yield.


1995 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 461 ◽  
Author(s):  
J Vadell ◽  
C Cabot ◽  
H Medrano

The effects of drought acclimation on the diurnal time courses of photosynthesis and related characters were studied in Trifolium subterraneum L. leaves during two consecutive late spring days. Leaf CO2 assimilation rate and transpiration rate followed irradiance variations in irrigated plants. Under drought, a bimodal pattern of leaf CO2 assimilation rate developed although stomatal conductance remained uniform and low. Instantaneous water-use efficiency was much higher in droughted plants during the early morning and late evening, while during the middle of the day it was close to the value of irrigated plants. Net carbon gain in plants under drought reached 40% of the carbon gain in irrigated plants with a significant saving of water (80%). Average data derived from midday values of leaf CO2 assimilation rates and instantaneous water-use efficiency did not provide good estimates of the daily carbon gain and water-use efficiency for droughted leaves. Coupled with the morphological changes as a result of acclimation to progressive drought, modifications of diurnal patterns of leaf gas exchange rates effectively contribute to a sustained carbon gain during drought. These modifications significantly improve water-use efficiency, mainly by enabling the plant to take advantage of morning and evening hours with high air humidity.


2016 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 455-464 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria da Assunção Machado Rocha ◽  
Claudivan Feitosa de Lacerda ◽  
Marlos Alves Bezerra ◽  
Francisca Edineide Lima Barbosa ◽  
Hernandes de Oliveira Feitosa ◽  
...  

ABSTRACT The low availability of water in the soil is one of the limiting factors for the growth and survival of plants. The objective of this study was to evaluate the responses of physiological processes in early growth of guanandi (Calophyllum brasilense Cambess), African mahogany (Khayai vorensis A. Chev) and oiti (Licaniato mentosa Benth Fritsch) over a period of water stress and other of rehydration in the soil with and without addition of organic matter. The study was conducted in a greenhouse and the experimental design was completely randomised into a 3 x 2 x 2 factorial scheme, comprising three species (guanandi, African mahogany, and oiti), two water regimes (with and without water restriction) and two levels of organic fertilisation (with and without the addition of organic matter). Irrigation was suspended for 15 days in half of the plants, while the other half (control) continued to receive daily irrigation, the soil being maintained near field capacity for these plants. At the end of the stress period, the plants were again irrigated for 15 days to determine their recovery. Water restriction reduced leaf water potential and gas exchange in the three species under study, more severely in soil with no addition of organic matter. The addition of this input increased soil water retention and availability to the plants during the suspension of irrigation, reducing the detrimental effects of the stress. During the period of rehydration, there was strong recovery of water status and leaf gas exchange. However recovery was not complete, suggesting that some of the effects caused by stress irreversibly affected cell structures and functions. However, of the species being studied, African mahogany displayed a greater sensitivity to stress, with poorer recovery.


2012 ◽  
Vol 169 (4) ◽  
pp. 379-386 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonio Diaz-Espejo ◽  
María Victoria Cuevas ◽  
Miquel Ribas-Carbo ◽  
Jaume Flexas ◽  
Sebastian Martorell ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wellington L Almeida ◽  
Rodrigo T Ávila ◽  
Junior P Pérez-Molina ◽  
Marcela L Barbosa ◽  
Dinorah M S Marçal ◽  
...  

Abstract The overall coordination between gas exchanges and plant hydraulics may be affected by soil water availability and source-to-sink relationships. Here we evaluated how branch growth and mortality, leaf gas exchange and metabolism are affected in coffee (Coffea arabica L.) trees by drought and fruiting. Field-grown plants were irrigated or not, and maintained with full or no fruit load. Under mild water deficit, irrigation per se did not significantly impact growth but markedly reduced branch mortality in fruiting trees, despite similar leaf assimilate pools and water status. Fruiting increased net photosynthetic rate in parallel with an enhanced stomatal conductance, particularly in irrigated plants. Mesophyll conductance and maximum RuBisCO carboxylation rate remained unchanged across treatments. The increased stomatal conductance in fruiting trees over nonfruiting ones was unrelated to internal CO2 concentration, foliar abscisic acid (ABA) levels or differential ABA sensitivity. However, stomatal conductance was associated with higher stomatal density, lower stomatal sensitivity to vapor pressure deficit, and higher leaf hydraulic conductance and capacitance. Increased leaf transpiration rate in fruiting trees was supported by coordinated alterations in plant hydraulics, which explained the maintenance of plant water status. Finally, by preventing branch mortality, irrigation can mitigate biennial production fluctuations and improve the sustainability of coffee plantations.


HortScience ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 426D-426 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andres A. Estrada-Luna ◽  
Fred T. Davies ◽  
Jonathan N. Egilla

Micropropagated chile ancho pepper (Capsicum annuum L. cv. San Luis) plants were transferred to ex vitro conditions to study plantlet performance and selected physiological changes that occur during acclimatization and post-acclimatization. The physiology of the plantlets was characterized by measuring leaf gas exchange and water status. Plant growth was determined by assessing plant height, leaf number, total leaf area, relative growth rate (RGR), and leaf, root, and stem dry mass. Measurements were taken at 0, 1, 2, 3, 6, 12, and 24 days after transplanting. After initial transplanting ex vitro to liner pots with soilless media, plantlet wilting was observed that correlated with reduced leaf relative water content (RWC). Water stress was partially alleviated by a reduction in stomatal conductance (gs), confirming that the in vitro formed stomata were functional and able to regulate transpiration (E) to minimize desiccation losses. Because of this stomatal control, plantlets had minimal transplant shock, recovered, and survived. Prior to transplanting, micropropagated plantlets showed heterotrophic/mixotrophic characteristics as indicated by low photosynthesis [(A) 4.74 μmol·m2·s-1]. During acclimatization, RWC, gs, E, and A were significantly lower 2 days after transplanting. However, within 6 days after transplanting, plantlets recovered and became autotrophic, attaining high A (16.3 μmol·m-2·s-1), gs, and E. The stabilization and improvement of plantlet water status and gas exchange during acclimatization and post-acclimatization closely correlated with dramatic increases in plantlet growth.


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