Articles
EFFECT OF SOIL MATRIC POTENTIAL ON GROWTH AND PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES OF GREENHOUSE GROWN ASPARAGUS.
Article number
271_65
Pages
467 – 476
Language
Abstract
Asparagus (Asparagus officinalis L. cv.
Jersey Giant) seedlings were studied to determine the effect of soil matric potential on plant growth and gas exchange parameters.
Seedlings were grown in the greenhouse for six months before initiating the water stress treatments.
Soils were allowed to dry to matric potentials of -0.05, -0.30 or -0.50 MPa before rewatering to pot capacity.
Plants were harvested at monthly intervals beginning one month after the initiation of the moisture deficit treatments.
Fern height and dry weight were not significantly affected by soil moisture treatment, although fern number generally decreased with decreasing soil matric potentials.
Total root dry weight, consisting of fleshy roots, fibrous roots and crowns, decreased with decreasing soil matric potentials.
Bud number and size were reduced by decreasing soil matric potentials for all harvest dates although size differences were not always significant.
Diurnal changes in net CO2 assimilation rate (A), stomatal conductance (gs), transpiration rate (E) and fern xylem potentials (
) were measured when soils dried to -0.05, -0.30 or -0.50 MPa.
Decreasing soil matric potentials decreased all measured parameters but did not alter the diurnal pattern.
A and gs increased to their maximum at 10 am and then decreased as the day progressed.
In all soil matric potentials, E increased to a maximum at 2 pm before declining.
Xylem potentials reached their minima at 10 am and 4 pm with a slight recovery at mid-day.
The implications of these data will be discussed.
Jersey Giant) seedlings were studied to determine the effect of soil matric potential on plant growth and gas exchange parameters.
Seedlings were grown in the greenhouse for six months before initiating the water stress treatments.
Soils were allowed to dry to matric potentials of -0.05, -0.30 or -0.50 MPa before rewatering to pot capacity.
Plants were harvested at monthly intervals beginning one month after the initiation of the moisture deficit treatments.
Fern height and dry weight were not significantly affected by soil moisture treatment, although fern number generally decreased with decreasing soil matric potentials.
Total root dry weight, consisting of fleshy roots, fibrous roots and crowns, decreased with decreasing soil matric potentials.
Bud number and size were reduced by decreasing soil matric potentials for all harvest dates although size differences were not always significant.
Diurnal changes in net CO2 assimilation rate (A), stomatal conductance (gs), transpiration rate (E) and fern xylem potentials (
) were measured when soils dried to -0.05, -0.30 or -0.50 MPa.Decreasing soil matric potentials decreased all measured parameters but did not alter the diurnal pattern.
A and gs increased to their maximum at 10 am and then decreased as the day progressed.
In all soil matric potentials, E increased to a maximum at 2 pm before declining.
Xylem potentials reached their minima at 10 am and 4 pm with a slight recovery at mid-day.
The implications of these data will be discussed.
Publication
Authors
Daniel T. Drost, D. Wilcox-Lee
Keywords
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