Articles
SAP FLOW AND HYDRAULIC CONDUCTANCE OF OLIVE TREE (OLEA EUROPAEA L. CV. MESKI AND PICHOLINE) AS AFFECTED BY IRRIGATION REGIME
Article number
846_28
Pages
255 – 262
Language
English
Abstract
Drought is a major environmental constraint affecting photosynthesis and production of olive trees in Tunisia.
Transpiration and leaf water relations of mature olive trees (Olea europaea L. cv.
Meski and Picholine) in relation to long-term water deficit (from March to October) were investigated in a research field in Kairouan, Tunisia. Olive trees were subjected to two irrigation regimes: T1 and T2 that received 100% and 50%, respectively of crop evapotranspiration via a drip irrigation system.
Measurements were taken during a 3-week period in the summer at the end of the irrigation cycle (August). Prolonged drought significantly affected soil water content, sap flow, leaf water status, but the response differed between cultivars.
In the stressed treatment (T2), midday leaf and xylem water potential dropped from -2.1 to -2.8 MPa and from -1.4 to -2.2 MPa respectively.
Sap flow measurements show that for the Meski, water stress decreased sap flow by about 50%, but the Picholine reduced by only 25%. Hydraulic conductances in plant and soil-root-leaf pathway were more sensitive to water stress in Meski than in Picholine.
We infer from these results that deficit irrigation (50% ETc) in Picholine cultivar reduced the consumption of water, while maintaining the good physiological activities of plant.
Transpiration and leaf water relations of mature olive trees (Olea europaea L. cv.
Meski and Picholine) in relation to long-term water deficit (from March to October) were investigated in a research field in Kairouan, Tunisia. Olive trees were subjected to two irrigation regimes: T1 and T2 that received 100% and 50%, respectively of crop evapotranspiration via a drip irrigation system.
Measurements were taken during a 3-week period in the summer at the end of the irrigation cycle (August). Prolonged drought significantly affected soil water content, sap flow, leaf water status, but the response differed between cultivars.
In the stressed treatment (T2), midday leaf and xylem water potential dropped from -2.1 to -2.8 MPa and from -1.4 to -2.2 MPa respectively.
Sap flow measurements show that for the Meski, water stress decreased sap flow by about 50%, but the Picholine reduced by only 25%. Hydraulic conductances in plant and soil-root-leaf pathway were more sensitive to water stress in Meski than in Picholine.
We infer from these results that deficit irrigation (50% ETc) in Picholine cultivar reduced the consumption of water, while maintaining the good physiological activities of plant.
Publication
Authors
H. Chehab, F.B. Mariem, M. Braham, S.B. Elhadj
Keywords
olive trees, sap flow, hydraulic conductance, water potential
Online Articles (44)