Water relations of cucumber, tomato, and sweet pepper

The ever increasing importance of water as a critical resource for agricultural production has encouraged more research on water relations in recent years. Most attention has been paid to field crops and less information is available for horticultural crops, especially vegetables. The results of studies on water relations of cucumber, tomato, and pepper are reported and discussed in this thesis.Drying cycle experiments were carried out with tomato, cucumber, and sweet pepper at two temperatures and three light intensities in order to: (1) examine suitability of some plant parameters as criteria for expression of plant water status; (2) investigate which parameter is most suitable as a basis for timing of irrigation; and (3) observe the change of various parameters during a drying cycle as affected by environment. Measurements were carried out on transpiration rate, stomatal diffusive resistance ( rs ), leaf temperature, plant and soil water potentials, and relative water content. The transpiration rate at 25°C was in general higher than that at 21°C due to the higher vapour pressure deficit (vpd) at the former temperature. For all the three species, a more pronounced stomatal closure was demonstrated at 25°C as compared to that at 21°C when drought was imposed on the plants. This result could be due to the fact that at 25°C the vpd and/or the internal CO 2 concentration was higher. Various levels of irradiance did not invoke different responses of stomata or transpiration rates throughout the drying cycles. The difference among the three light intensities used are thought to have been too small to show distinct responses. Moreover, relatively low intensities were used in this series of experiments. The measured rs , values did not always correlate significantly with soil water potentials because rs , measurements were carried out on single leaves at only one point in the photoperiod and the measurements were also affected by other environmental factors, such as humidity, prevailing during the measurements. Calculated rs , values showed better correlations with soil water potential, presumably because transpiration rates of the whole plants over the entire photoperiod were used for their calculation. Relative water content and leaf water potential correlated significantly with soil water potential. Among the plant parameters studied, the plant water potential as measured with the pressure chamber, was judged as the most suitable parameter expressing plant water status.Some physical aspects of the internal plant water relations were considered for the three species. The measured parameters were relative water content, sap electrical conductivity, and leaf water potential and its components (osmotic, pressure, and matric potentials). The contribution of matric potential to the total plant water potential was considerable. Neglecting the matric component would result in unrealistically low levels of pressure potential for the three species. Tomato was considered to have the best osmotic and matric adjustments, followed by cucumber and pepper. Sap osmotic potential and electrical conductivity were found to be significantly correlated with leaf water potential. Electrical conductivity was considered as an easy and accurate method to determine the osmotic potential indirectly. From the regression of relative water content on leaf water potential, cucumber, tomato, and pepper showed, in this order, decreasing drought resistance. Examination of some other parameters, however, such as osmotic and matric adjustments and reduction of photosynthesis in stress conditions, confirmed a better drought resistance property to tomato, followed by cucumber and pepper. Relative position of cucumber and tomato in drought resistance was discussed. For all the criteria examined, pepper was considered to be the least drought resistant. It was concluded that a better understanding of the drought resistance mechanisms in plants is required.Carbon dioxide exchange and transpiration rates were measured in a gas exchange assembly in two series of experiments. In the first series, measurements were carried out on cucumber and pepper at light saturation and in darkness. In the second series, photosynthesis-light curves for cucumber, tomato, and pepper were obtained. For both series, well-watered as well as stressed plants were used. Both photosynthesis and transpiration were reduced as stress set in. It was shown that both stomatal and nonstomatal mechanisms were involved in the reduction of photosynthesis. For all the three species, an increase in mesophyll resistance was observed as a result of water stress. In experiments with different levels of irradiance, it was observed that the stressinduced reduction of photosynthesis was more pronounced at light saturation compared to low light. After showing some initial opening reaction to light, the stomata of stressed plants showed a closing pattern, especially for cucumber and pepper, regardless of irradiance levels. It was proposed that the closing effect of drought overrode the opening effect of light. Severely stressed plants of cucumber and pepper were rewatered to study their recovery. Photosynthesis did not reach the pre-stress level one day after rewatering, this was due to an aftereffect of drought on stomata in cucumber and pepper and a damage to the photosynthetic system in pepper.Diurnal changes in water relations parameters were measured in a glasshouse for tomato and pepper. In a constant environmental condition, gas exchange rates were monitored throughout the photoperiod for cucumber, pepper, and two cultivars of tomato. Both well-watered and stressed plants were used for the above measurements. In the glasshouse, transpiration, leaf water potential, stomatal diffusive resistance, as well as the diurnal changes in environmental factors such as radiation, temperature, vpd, and evaporation were measured. It was observed that the diurnal variation in leaf water potential followed that of transpiration. Changes in the whole plant transpiration were not necessarily accounted for by the rs values measured on single leaves. Multiple regression relationships were obtained for plant water potentials on radiation and temperature and suggestions were made to their use in timing of irrigation. In a constant environmental condition, all species showed maximum rates of transpiration and photosynthesis during the first hour of the photoperiod. The rates steadily declined thereafter, and the decline was more pronounced in stressed plants. A decrease in leaf water potential could not account for these diurnal phenomena, and other internal control mechanisms were thought to be involved. It has been suggested that photorespiration increased under the high irradiance employed. Internal CO 2 levels then increased, causing stomatal closure, leading to a decline in transpiration. Photosynthesis also decreased through both stomatal closure and a decrease in the CO 2 gradient. Increases in mesophyll. resistance in the case of cucumber and pepper also occurred.<p/

Response of eggplant to drought. I. Plant water balance

Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) is known to have a higher resistance to drought than have other vegetables. Studies were made to see whether this property can be explained by its physiological responses. Water was withheld from plants and measurements were made of sap osmotic potential (ψos), leaf pressure potential (ψp), stomatal diffusive resistance to water vapour (rs), relative water content of leaf (RWC), whole plant transpiration, leaf water potential (ψleaf), and soil water potential (ψsoil). The first 4 parameters varied linearly with ψleaf and transpiration varied exponentially. There was a parabolic relation between ψleaf and ψsoil. The severely stressed plants were rewatered and underwent the same measurements 1 day later (“recovery treatment”). Compared with some other vegetables reported in the literature, ψp and RWC remained higher in droughted eggplant. This species has also a better stomatal control on transpiration. There was an after-effect of drought on the stomates. In recovery treatment, ψp values exceeded those of the control. This may have functional significance in resumption of growth after stress is alleviated

Gas exchange by pods and subtending leaves and internal recycling of CO(2) by pods of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) subjected to water deficits

Terminal drought markedly reduces leaf photosynthesis of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) during seed filling. A study was initiated to determine whether photosynthesis and internal recycling of CO(2) by the pods can compensate for the low rate of photosynthesis in leaves under water deficits. The influence of water deficits on the rates of photosynthesis and transpiration of pods and subtending leaves in chickpea (cv. Sona) was investigated in two naturally-lit, temperature-controlled glasshouses. At values of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) of 900 micromol m(-2) s(-1) and higher, the rate of net photosynthesis of subtending leaves of 10-d-old pods was 24 and 6 micromol m(-2) s(-1) in the well-watered (WW) and water-stressed (WS) plants when the covered-leaf water potential (Psi) was -0.6 and -1.4 MPa, respectively. Leaf photosynthesis further decreased to 4.5 and 0.5 micromol m(-2) s(-1) as Psi decreased to -2.3 and -3.3 MPa, respectively. At 900--1500 micromol m(-2) s(-1) PAR, the net photosynthetic rate of 10-d-old pods was 0.9-1.0 micromol m(-2) s(-1) in the WW plants and was -0.1 to -0.8 micromol m(-2) s(-1) in the WS plants. The photosynthetic rates of both pods and subtending leaves decreased with age, but the rate of transpiration of the pods increased with age. The rates of respiration and net photosynthesis inside the pods were estimated by measuring the changes in the internal concentration of CO(2) of covered and uncovered pods during the day. Both the WW and WS pods had similar values of internal net photosynthesis, but the WS pods showed significantly higher rates of respiration suggesting that the WS pods had higher gross photosynthetic rates than the WW pods, particularly in the late afternoon. When (13)CO(2) was injected into the gas space inside the pod, nearly 80% of the labelled carbon 24 h after injection was observed in the pod wall in both the WW and WS plants. After 144 h the proportion of (13)C in the seed had increased from 19% to 32% in both treatments. The results suggest that internal recycling of CO(2) inside the pod may assist in maintaining seed filling in water-stressed chickpea

Discrimination Against 13CO2 in Leaves, Pod Walls, and Seeds of Water-stressed Chickpea

The rate of photosynthesis (PN) in leaves and pods as well as carbon isotope content in leaves, pod walls, and seeds was measured in well-watered (WW) and water-stressed (WS) chickpea plants. The PN, on an area basis, was negligible in pods compared to leaves and was reduced by water stress (by 26%) only in leaves. WS pod walls and seeds discriminated less against 13CO2 than did the controls. This response was not observed for leaves as is usually the case. Pod walls and seeds discriminated less against 13CO2 than did leaves in both WW and WS plants. Measurement of carbon isotope composition in pods may be a more sensitive tool for assessing the impact of water stress on long-term assimilation than is the instantaneous measurement of gas exchange rates