scholarly journals Evaluation of the Effect of Irrigation on Biometric Growth, Physiological Response, and Essential Oil of Mentha spicata (L.)

Water ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 2264 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marino ◽  
Ahmad ◽  
Ferreira ◽  
Alvino

A field experiment was performed on spearmint (Mentha spicata L.) under different irrigation regimes in a hilly area of Southern Italy. Objectives of the study include evaluating the physiological and biometrical response of mint from plant establishment up to its complete maturation, as well as the yield composition in essential oil at two different dates. Increasing levels of water stress affected later developing leaves and plant’s water status and net photosynthesis (from the beginning of stress (DAT 63), while affecting negatively the biometric response very soon and significantly from 35 DAT. Photosynthesis limitation played a critical role from DAT 53 on, namely later, in the harvest period (DAT 35–70). Under severe water stress, crop restricted water losses by modulating stomatal closure and, at harvest, showing lowered mesophyll conductance. Irrigation treatments did not affect the concentration of organic compounds, while the yield of essential oils was negatively affected by water stress due to reduced crop growth, in terms of total and leaf biomass, leaf area index (LAI) and crop height.

1989 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. 549 ◽  
Author(s):  
SL Steinberg ◽  
MJ Mcfarland ◽  
JC Miller

A gradation, that reflects the maturity of the leaves, exists in the leaf water, osmotic and turgor potential and stomatal conductance of leaves along current and 1-year-old branches of peach. Predawn leaf water potentials of immature folded leaves were approximately 0.24 MPa lower than mature leaves under both well-watered and dry conditions. During the daytime the leaf water potential of immature leaves reflected the water potential produced by water flux for transpiration. In well- watered trees, mature and immature unfolded leaves had a solute potential at least 0.5 MPa lower than immature folded leaves, resulting in a turgor potential that was approximately 0.8 MPa higher. The turgor requirement for growth appeared to be much less than that maintained in mature leaves. As water stress developed and leaf water potentials decreased, the osmotic potential of immature folded leaves declined to the level found in mature leaves, thus maintaining turgor. In contrast, mature leaves showed little evidence of turgor maintenance. Stomatal conductance was lower in immature leaves than in fully mature leaves. With the onset of water stress, conductance of mature leaves declined to a level near that of immature leaves. Loss of turgor in mature leaves may be a major factor in early stomatal closure. It was concluded that osmotic adjustment played a role in maintenance of a leaf water status favorable for some growth in water-stressed immature peach leaves.


2019 ◽  
Vol 49 (7) ◽  
pp. 752-758
Author(s):  
Martin-Michel Gauthier ◽  
Douglass F. Jacobs

The influence of water deficits and drought on tree physiological processes, growth, and survival has been the focus of substantial research efforts and debate over the past decades, but there is still a need to quantitatively link finer scale mechanistic explanations of the influence of water status with the physiological responses of trees, particularly for those past the sapling stage. Hence, the objective of this study was to link accumulated water stress during the growing season to leaf physiological response mechanisms of Juglans nigra L. trees. Results showed that trees subjected to higher cumulative water stress had lower maximum light-saturated photosynthesis (Amax), initiated net photosynthesis at higher light levels (Ic), and displayed reduced effectiveness of CO2 fixation per photons absorbed (Qe) at the bottom and upper positions along the vertical canopy gradient. Results suggest that water stress integral (Sψ), a variable that takes into account accumulated water deficits, would be useful to help future research efforts aimed at investigating responses to drought in trees past the sapling stage.


1976 ◽  
Vol 54 (21) ◽  
pp. 2457-2464 ◽  
Author(s):  
James A. Bunce ◽  
Lee N. Miller

Respiration in the light, dark respiration, and leaf water status were monitored once a day in leaves of woody plants as seedlings dried during 7- to 10-day periods. Light respiration was estimated from an electrical analogue model of the response of net photosynthesis to ambient CO2 concentration and also by the rate of CO2 evolution into CO2-free air. Respiration in the light was found to increase with water stress in four dry-habitat species and to decrease with stress in four wet-habitat species. Dark respiration changes could not account for the different trends observed. When light respiration in dry-habitat plants under water stress was temporarily inhibited, net photosynthesis during recovery from water stress was reduced compared with controls for at least a week. This may indicate a protective role of light respiration in these plants when under water stress.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yongtian Luo ◽  
Che-Ling Ho ◽  
Brent R. Helliker ◽  
Eleni Katifori

Leaf hydraulic networks play an important role not only in fluid transport but also in maintaining whole-plant water status through transient environmental changes in soil-based water supply or air humidity. Both water potential and hydraulic resistance vary spatially throughout the leaf transport network, consisting of xylem, stomata and water-storage cells, and portions of the leaf areas far from the leaf base can be disproportionately disadvantaged under water stress. Besides the suppression of transpiration and reduction of water loss caused by stomatal closure, the leaf capacitance of water storage, which can also vary locally, is thought to be crucial for the maintenance of leaf water status. In order to study the fluid dynamics in these networks, we develop a spatially explicit, capacitive model which is able to capture the local spatiotemporal changes of water potential and flow rate in monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous leaves. In electrical-circuit analogs described by Ohm's law, we implement linear capacitors imitating water storage, and we present both analytical calculations of a uniform one-dimensional model and numerical simulation methods for general spatially explicit network models, and their relation to conventional lumped-element models. Calculation and simulation results are shown for the uniform model, which mimics key properties of a monocotyledonous grass leaf. We illustrate water status of a well-watered leaf, and the lowering of water potential and transpiration rate caused by excised water source or reduced air humidity. We show that the time scales of these changes under water stress are hugely affected by leaf capacitance and resistances to capacitors, in addition to stomatal resistance. Through this modeling of a grass leaf, we confirm the presence of uneven water distribution over leaf area, and also discuss the importance of considering the spatial variation of leaf hydraulic traits in plant biology.


2012 ◽  
Vol 137 (6) ◽  
pp. 400-410 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shinsuke Agehara ◽  
Daniel I. Leskovar

Excess transpiration relative to water uptake often causes water stress in transplanted vegetable seedlings. Abscisic acid (ABA) can limit transpirational water loss by inducing stomatal closure and inhibiting leaf expansion. We examined the concentration effect of exogenous ABA on growth and physiology of muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) seedlings during water stress and rehydration. Plants were treated with seven concentrations of ABA (0, 0.24, 0.47, 0.95, 1.89, 3.78, and 7.57 mm) and subjected to 4-day water withholding. Application of ABA improved the maintenance of leaf water potential and relative water content, while reducing electrolyte leakage. These effects were linear or exponential to ABA concentration and maximized at 7.57 mm. Gas-exchange measurements provided evidence that such stress control is attributed to ABA-induced stomatal closure. First, net CO2 assimilation rate and stomatal conductance initially decreased with increasing ABA concentration by up to 95% and 70%, respectively. A follow-up study (≤1.89 mm ABA) confirmed this result with or without water stress and further revealed a close positive correlation between intercellular CO2 concentration and net CO2 assimilation rate 1 day after treatment (r2 > 0.83). In contrast, ABA did not affect leaf elongation, indicating that stress alleviation was not mediated by leaf area adjustment. After 18 days of post-stress daily irrigation, dry matter accumulation showed a quadratic concentration-response, increasing up to 1.89 mm by 38% and 44% in shoot and roots, respectively, followed by 16% to 18% decreases at >1.89 mm ABA. These results suggest that excess levels of ABA delay post-stress growth, despite the positive effect on the maintenance of water status and membrane integrity. Another negative side effect was chlorosis, which accelerated linearly with increasing ABA concentration, although it was reversible upon re-watering. The optimal application rate of ABA should minimize these negative effects, while keeping plant water stress to an acceptable level.


2010 ◽  
Vol 37 (8) ◽  
pp. 726 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew T. Harrison ◽  
Walter M. Kelman ◽  
Andrew D. Moore ◽  
John R. Evans

To model the impact of grazing on the growth of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), we measured photosynthesis in the field. Grazing may affect photosynthesis as a consequence of changes to leaf water status, nitrogen content per unit leaf area (Na) or photosynthetic enzyme activity. While light-saturated CO2 assimilation rates (Asat) of field-grown wheat were unchanged during grazing, Asat transiently increased by 33–68% compared with ungrazed leaves over a 2- to 4-week period after grazing ended. Grazing reduced leaf mass per unit area, increased stomatal conductance and increased intercellular CO2 concentrations (Ci) by 36–38%, 88–169% and 17–20%, respectively. Grazing did not alter Na. Using a photosynthesis model, we demonstrated that the increase in Asat after grazing required an increase in Rubisco activity of up to 53%, whereas the increase in Ci could only increase Asat by up to 13%. Increased Rubisco activity was associated with a partial alleviation of leaf water stress. We observed a 68% increase in leaf water potential of grazed plants that could be attributed to reduced leaf area index and canopy evaporative demand, as well as to increased rainfall infiltration into soil. The grazing of rain-fed grain cereals may be tailored to relieve plant water stress and enhance leaf photosynthesis.


1989 ◽  
Vol 19 (8) ◽  
pp. 1071-1076 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Borghetti ◽  
S. Cocco ◽  
M. Lambardi ◽  
S. Raddi

The morphological and physiological response to water stress was studied in 2-year-old potted Italian alder (Alnuscordata Loisel.) seedlings. Leaf area, transpiration, stomatal conductance, and xylem water potential were measured during May 1987 on seedlings from five geographic sources grown (i) with soil water content close to field capacity and (ii) with a severe drought. Significant differences in leaf area were found, at the end of the experiment, between drought-stressed and well-watered plants. As drought progressed, plants displayed a reduction of xylem water potentials and a decrease in stomatal conductance. However, transpiration did not stop completely, and seedlings were not able to maintain a favourable internal water status. Osmotic potentials for the undiluted cell sap, estimated from pressure–volume curves, were between −0.9 and −1.3 MPa. In June 1988, a similar experiment was carried out using seedlings from only one geographic source. A simultaneous decrease of transpiration, xylem potential, and net photosynthesis was observed in seedlings subjected to the drought treatment. During both experiments, a recovery of physiological parameters was observed, after rewatering. Some differences between provenances were detected. The provenance from Corsica showed the greatest sensitivity to water stress; a seed source from the province of Avellino (Campania, south Italy) was able to maintain a more favourable internal water status, as drought progressed.


Agronomy ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 708 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tommaso Frioni ◽  
Arianna Biagioni ◽  
Cecilia Squeri ◽  
Sergio Tombesi ◽  
Matteo Gatti ◽  
...  

M4 is a relatively new rootstock that was selected for increased resilience of vineyards across hot regions where meteorological drought is often coupled to water scarcity. However, M4 has thus far been tested only against water-stress sensitive rootstocks. Against this backdrop, the aim of the present work is to examine the water status and gas exchange performances of vines grafted to M4 in comparison to those of vines grafted to a commercial stock that is drought-tolerant, 1103 Paulsen (1103P), under a progressive water deficit followed by re-watering. This study was undertaken on Grechetto Gentile, a cultivar that is renowned for its rather conservative water use (near-isohydric behavior). While fifty percent of both grafts were fully irrigated (WW), the remaining underwent progressive water stress by means of suspending irrigation (WS). Soil and leaf water status, as well as leaf gas exchanges, along with chlorophyll fluorescence, were followed daily from 1 day pre-stress (DOY 176) until re-watering (DOY 184). Final leaf area per vine, divided in main and lateral contribution, was also assessed. While 1103P grafted vines manifested higher water use under WW conditions, progressive stress evidenced a faster water depletion by 1103P, which also maintained slightly more negative midday leaf water potential (Ψleaf) as compared to M4 grafted plants. Daily gas exchange readings, as well as diurnal assessment performed at the peak of stress (DOY 183), also showed increased leaf assimilation rates (A) and water use efficiency (WUE) in vines grafted on M4, which were also less susceptible to photosynthetic downregulation. Dynamic of stomatal closure targeted at 90% reduction of leaf stomatal conductance showed a similar behavior among rootstocks since the above threshold was reached by both at Ψleaf of about −1.11 MPa. The same fractional reduction in leaf A was reached by vines grafted on M4 at a Ψleaf of −1.28 MPa vs. −1.10 MPa measured in 1103P, meaning that using M4 as a rootstock will postpone full stomatal closure. While mechanisms involved in improved CO2 uptake in M4-grafted vines under moderate-to-severe stress are still unclear, our data support the hypothesis that M4 might outscore the performance of a commercial drought-tolerant genotype (1103P) and can be profitably used as a tool to improve the resilience of vines to summer drought.


1985 ◽  
Vol 15 (2) ◽  
pp. 371-375 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. R. Pezeshki ◽  
J. L. Chambers

Effects of short-term flooding on stomatal conductance, net photosynthesis, and water status of sweet gum (Liquidambarstyraciflua L.) seedlings were studied under controlled environment conditions. Flooding for 9 days induced partial stomatal closure, resulting in significant declines in transpiration and net photosynthesis. The response to flooding was rapid with an average daily stomatal conductance declining from a preflood level of 0.43 cm•s−1 to 0.26 cm•s−1 by 24 h after flooding began (40% reduction). The average preflooding daily net photosynthesis was reduced from 13.7 to 10.2 mg CO2•dm−2•h−1 (25% reduction) during the same period and the average daily stomatal conductance and net photosynthesis for the 9th day of flooding were reduced by 70 and 77%, respectively, compared with preflood levels. The leaf xylem pressure potential measurements, however, indicated that water deficits did not develop as a result of flooding. Partial stomatal reopening 3 days after termination of flooding was noted with an average daily stomatal conductance approaching 63% of the preflood levels and an average daily net photosynthesis reaching 46% of its preflood levels. Maintenance of positive net photosynthesis throughout flooding, and partial stomatal and photosynthetic recovery following drainage may account for the tolerance of sweet gum seedlings to short-term flooding.


Many plant processes are affected by mild water stress, with cell growth probably the most sensitive. Except for turgor-mediated processes, the physicochemical basis for the transduction of small changes in water status into alterations in metabolism remains obscure. Turgor pressure is assigned a critical role in cell growth: the physical force needed to sustain enlargement. Simple physical models relating growth to turgor are conceptually useful in examining effects of water stress but can be misleading because metabolic and regulatory responses may be marked and vary temporally. Osmotic adjustment has long been known as a means by which higher plants adapt to salinity, with much of the cell osmotica being ionic and accumulated from the medium. Though not generally recognized, osmotic adjustment also appears to be an important mechanism for adaptation to water-limiting conditions, even in mesophytic plants. In this case much of the osmotica might possibly be internally generated. Recent field data on seasonal and diurnal adjustment and vertical water-potential gradients in plant canopies are discussed relative to growth and water-potential components.


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