The role of abscisic acid and water relations in drought responses of subterranean clover

Socias, X; Correia, MJ; Chaves, M; Medrano, H

http://hdl.handle.net/10400.1/11594

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The role of water relations and abscisic acid (ABA) in the responses to drought were studied in a mediterranean forage crop, Trifolium subterraneum L. under field conditions. soil and plant water status, leaf gas exchange parameters, and xylem sap ABA content were determined at different times during a long-term soil drying episode in irrigated and droughted plants. The diurnal time-courses of these parameters were also measured at the end of a drought period. In response to soil drying stomatal conductance (g) was reduced early to 50% that of irrigated plants before any substantial change in water potential was detected. A close logarithmic regression between photosynthesis rate (A) and g was present. For the first weeks of drought the decline in A was less pronounced than in g, thus increasing water use efficiency. Stomatal conductance during diurnal time-courses showed no consistent relationships with respect to either ABA or leaf water potential. throughout the experimental period dependence of g on leaf water status was evident from the tight correlation (r(2) = 0.88, P < 0.01) achieved between stomatal conductance and midday water potential, but the correlation was also high when comparing g with respect to ABA content in xylem sap (r(2) = 0.83, P < 0.001). However, the stomata from drought acclimated plants were apparently more sensitive to xylem ABA content. For similar xylem ABA concentrations stomatal conductance was significantly higher in irrigated than in water-stressed plants.