Session 5.4 Effects of diverse microclimates and soil water contents on water-use efficiency and carbon isotope discrimination for bush bean

Wednesday, 25 August 2004: 9:15 AM
Mahmoud Raeini Sarjaz, Mazandaran University, Sari, Mazandaran, Iran; and V. Chalavi

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Environmental variables including soil water contents (SWC) act as constraints to crop growth and productivity. Therefore, open air (E0), and perforated (E1) and non-perforated (E2) plastic housing environments were used with well-watered (W0), moderately-watered (W1), and water-stressed (W2) bush bean plants to explore relationships between water-use efficiency (WUE), carbon isotope discrimination (Δ) and composition (dp), leaf assimilation rate (A) and leaf Kjeldahl nitrogen (N).   CO2 concentration and the air carbon isotope composition (da) varied with the environment. The da values were reduced by about 0.8 x 10-3 and 3.8 x 10-3 in E1 and E2, respectively, compared with that in E0.  SWC significantly affected WUE, dp and Δ in E0 and E1 but not in E2. Decoupling of plants from the outside atmosphere might have contributed in maintaining the above quantities almost constant in E2. The Δ-value increased by about 2.2 x 10-3 in E0 and 1.7 x 10-3 in E1 compared with E2. Water stress reduced Δ-value by about 1.1 x 10-3in both E0 and E1. WUE and Δ were significantly correlated in E0 and E1 (r = - 0.72, and - 0.75, respectively) whereas there was no definite relationship between WUE and Δ in E2 indicating that here stomatal conductance was almost independent of SWC. The N-content had little effect on Δ. Leaf N significantly increased in water-stressed plants depending upon the time of harvest and the environment. The mean leaf assimilation rate was significantly higher in E0 than in either E1 or E2 environment.

 

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