Leaf and stem hydraulic traits in relation to growth, water use and fruit yield in Prunus avium L. cultivars

PESCHIUTTA, MARÍA LAURA; BUCCI, SANDRA J.; SCHOLZ, FABIÁN G.; FIEDOROWICZ KOWAL RUTH; GOLDSTEIN, GUILLERMO

TREES-STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION

SPRINGER

Lugar: Berlin; Año: 2013 vol. 27 p. 1559 - 1569

0931-1890

Physio-anatomical traits of rootstock have beenconsidered as determinants of vigor in grafted plants. Weevaluated how hydraulic traits of three Prunus avium cultivarsgrown on the same rootstock are related to treegrowth and patterns of biomass allocation between vegetativeand reproductive parts as well as total water consumptionto determine how water, as a limiting resourcefor agriculture, might be optimized by choosing appropriatecultivars that are at the same time the most successfulfrom the point of view of fruit production. Bing, Lapinsand Van cultivars growing under field- and well-irrigatedconditions were selected. Leaf and stem hydraulic conductance(KLeaf and kS), leaf vulnerability to cavitation,water relations traits, water use and assimilation andgrowth rates as well as fruit yield were measured. Thecultivar with high leaf vulnerability to cavitation and lowkS and sap flow (Lapins) had low vegetative growth, butlarger fruit production compared to the cultivars withhigher kS, resistance to cavitation and water use (Bing and Van). As leaf water potential and kS were lower and leaves appeared to be embolized in the cultivar that had lowercarbon allocation to vegetative organs during the reproductiveperiod (Lapins), we hypothesize that water insteadof moving into the leaves is delivered to the fruits, representingthe main sink for water transport. It is possible thatincreases in the dysfunction of the hydraulic system in themost vulnerable cultivars to cavitation during the reproductionstage (Lapins) may represent a signal for enhancingthe delivery of water to fruits. This information relatedto optimization of crop water use in relation to yield can beuseful for selecting cultivars with high yield and low wateruse. This study also shows that physiological traits of thescions substantially affect growth patterns, fruit productionand water relation of the plants.