Final published version
Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Applying 'drought' to potted plants by maintaining suboptimal soil moisture improves plant water relations. / Puertolas Simon, Jaime; Larsen, Elisabeth K.; Davies, William J. et al.
In: Journal of Experimental Botany, Vol. 68, No. 9, 01.04.2017, p. 2413-2424.Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Applying 'drought' to potted plants by maintaining suboptimal soil moisture improves plant water relations
AU - Puertolas Simon, Jaime
AU - Larsen, Elisabeth K.
AU - Davies, William J.
AU - Dodd, Ian C.
PY - 2017/4/1
Y1 - 2017/4/1
N2 - Pot-based phenotyping of drought response sometimes maintains suboptimal soil water content by applying high-frequency deficit irrigation (HFDI). We examined the effect of this treatment on water and abscisic acid (ABA) relations of two species (Helianthus annuus and Populus nigra). Suboptimal soil water content was maintained by frequent irrigation, and compared with the effects of withholding water and with adequate irrigation. At the same average whole-pot soil moisture, frequent irrigation resulted in larger soil water content gradients, lower root and xylem ABA concentrations ([X-ABA]), along with higher transpiration rates or stomatal conductance, compared with plants from which water was withheld. [X-ABA] was not uniquely related to transpiration rate or stomatal conductance, as frequently irrigated plants showed partial stomatal closure compared with well-watered controls, without differing in [X-ABA] and, in H. annuus, [ABA] leaf. In two P. nigra genotypes differing in leaf area, the ratio between leaf area and root weight in the upper soil layer influenced the soil water content of this layer. Maintaining suboptimal soil water content alters water relations, which might become dependent on root distribution and leaf area, which influences soil water content gradients. Thus genotypic variation in 'drought tolerance' derived from phenotyping platforms must be carefully interpreted.
AB - Pot-based phenotyping of drought response sometimes maintains suboptimal soil water content by applying high-frequency deficit irrigation (HFDI). We examined the effect of this treatment on water and abscisic acid (ABA) relations of two species (Helianthus annuus and Populus nigra). Suboptimal soil water content was maintained by frequent irrigation, and compared with the effects of withholding water and with adequate irrigation. At the same average whole-pot soil moisture, frequent irrigation resulted in larger soil water content gradients, lower root and xylem ABA concentrations ([X-ABA]), along with higher transpiration rates or stomatal conductance, compared with plants from which water was withheld. [X-ABA] was not uniquely related to transpiration rate or stomatal conductance, as frequently irrigated plants showed partial stomatal closure compared with well-watered controls, without differing in [X-ABA] and, in H. annuus, [ABA] leaf. In two P. nigra genotypes differing in leaf area, the ratio between leaf area and root weight in the upper soil layer influenced the soil water content of this layer. Maintaining suboptimal soil water content alters water relations, which might become dependent on root distribution and leaf area, which influences soil water content gradients. Thus genotypic variation in 'drought tolerance' derived from phenotyping platforms must be carefully interpreted.
KW - ABA
KW - drought
KW - frequent irrigation
KW - genotype screening
KW - Helianthus annuus
KW - phenotyping platform
KW - Populus nigra
KW - soil moisture heterogeneity
KW - PELARGONIUM X HORTORUM
KW - ABSCISIC-ACID
KW - STOMATAL CONTROL
KW - USE EFFICIENCY
KW - SAP FLOW
KW - TOLERANCE
KW - ROOTS
KW - STRESS
KW - GROWTH
U2 - 10.1093/jxb/erx116
DO - 10.1093/jxb/erx116
M3 - Journal article
VL - 68
SP - 2413
EP - 2424
JO - Journal of Experimental Botany
JF - Journal of Experimental Botany
SN - 0022-0957
IS - 9
ER -