The correlation of carbon isotope discrimination (△<sup>13</sup>C) with photosynthetic gas exchange and water use efficiency (WUE) in maize was investigated under low rainfall conditions with or without superabsorbent polymer (SAP). SAP (45 kg/ha) was mixed into the top 10 cm soil layer at sowing in lysimeters. Compared with the control plants not treated with SAP, the application of SAP increased net photosynthesis rate; stomatal conductance (g<sub>s</sub>); transpiration rate; chlorophyll content (Chl) and intrinsic water use efficiency at leaf level (WUE<sub>i</sub>), but decreased intercellular CO<sub>2</sub> concentration (C<sub>i</sub>) and leaf △<sup>13</sup>C. In plants supplied with SAP, leaf △<sup>13</sup>C was positively correlated with C<sub>i</sub> (r = 0.864, P < 0.01) and negatively correlated with g<sub>s</sub> and WUE<sub>i</sub> (r = –0.860 and –0.626, P < 0.01, respectively). Leaf △<sup>13</sup>C was not correlated with Chl with or without SAP. Grain △<sup>13</sup>C significantly decreased by 12.4% and showed a significant negative correlation with grain WUE under SAP treatments (r = –0.670, P < 0.05). These results suggest that in the presence of SAP, maize leaf and grain △<sup>13</sup>C could be good indicators for evaluating maize WUE during periods of low rainfall.
IMPACTS OF WET AND DRY PERIODS ON LEAF GAS EXCHANGE, WATER USE EFFICIENCY AND CARBON ISOTOPE DISCRIMINATION IN DIFFERENT OIL PALM MATERIALS
