PRELIMINARY ASSESSMENT OF ABA CONCENTRATION IN ROOTS OF DRIP IRRIGATED PEACH TREES

Abscisic acid (ABA) is a phytohormone able to regulate the stomatal behaviour, transpiration and photosynthesis.
ABA synthesis is usually associated to drought conditions.
Based on the evidence that drip irrigation wets only 15-20% of soil surface and that ~80% is dry during summer, this study tests the hypothesis that in a well drip irrigated tree the ABA concentration in roots located in the inter-row (non-irrigated) is higher than that measured in roots under the emitter line (irrigated row).
Abscisic acid was determined by a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in roots collected from a well irrigated tree (x 3) in summer at row and inter-row positions in a nectarine orchard grown in Southern Italy.
Results show that leaf water potential was optimal (~0.3 MPa at pre-dawn). However, ABA concentration was 3.74 pmol g^-1 FW in roots from inter-row while it was 2.58 pmol g^-1 FW in that growing along the row.
Possible effects of the increased ABA levels at a part of the root-zone on leaf gas exchanges are discussed.

VIII International Peach Symposium

E. Xylogiannis, A. Sofo, G. Montanaro, A.N. Mininni, B. Dichio

nectarine, sustainable water management, water use efficiency, chemical signal, leaf gas exchange, dry soil

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2015.1084.75