Todd C. Einhorn

Total soil water content accounts for augmented ABA leaf concentration and stomatal regulation of split-rooted apple trees during heterogeneous soil drying

A split-rooted containerized system was developed by approach grafting two, 1-year-old apple (Malus×domestica Borkh. cv ‘Gala’) trees to investigate the effect of soil moisture heterogeneity and total soil moisture content (θv) on tree water relations, gas exchange, and leaf abscisic acid (ABA) concentration [ABAleaf]. Four irrigation treatments comprising a 2×2 factorial experiment of irrigation volume and placement were imposed over a 30-day period: control (C) [>100% of crop evapotranspiration (ETc)] applied to both containers; PRD100 (>100% ETc) applied to one container only; and two treatments receiving 50% ETc applied to either one (PRD50) or both containers (DI50). Irrigation between PRD (partial rootzone drying) root compartments was alternated when θv reached ~35% of field capacity. Maximum daily sap flow of the irrigated roots of PRD100 exceeded that of C roots throughout the experimental period. Pre-dawn water potential (Ψpd) was similar between C and PRD100; however, daily water use and mid-day gas exchange of PRD100 was 30% lower. Slightly higher [ABAleaf] was observed in PRD100, but the effect was not significant and could not explain the observed reductions in leaf gas exchange. Both 50% ETc treatments had similar, but lower θv, Ψpd, and gas exchange, and higher [ABAleaf] than C and PRD100. Regardless of treatment, the container having the lower θv of a split-rooted system correlated poorly with [ABAleaf], but when θv of both containers or θv of the container possessing the higher soil moisture was used, the relationship markedly improved. These results imply that apple canopy gas exchange and [ABAleaf] are responsive to the total soil water environment. Abbreviations:A assimilation[ABAleaf] leaf ABA concentrationBd bulk densityDI deficit irrigationDOY day of yeardw dry weightE transpirationETc crop evapotranspirationFC field capacitygs stomatal conductanceLA leaf areaPAR photosynthetic active radiationPRD partial rootzone dryingΨpd pre-dawn leaf water potentialθv volumetric soil moisture contentθw , gravimetric soil moisture contentTCA trunk cross-sectional areaTDR time-domain reflectometryWUE water use efficiency. ©2012 The Author(s).

Time indices of multiphasic development in genotypes of sweet cherry are similar from dormancy to cessation of pit growth

Background and Aims The archetypical double sigmoid-shaped growth curve of the sweet cherry drupe (Prunus avium) does not address critical development from eco-dormancy to anthesis and has not been correlated to reproductive bud development. Accurate representation of the growth and development of post-anthesis ovaries is confounded by anthesis timing, fruiting-density and the presence of unfertilized and defective ovaries whose growth differs from those that persist to maturation. These factors were addressed to assess pre-anthesis and full-season growth and development of three sweet cherry cultivars, ‘Chelan’, ‘Bing’ and ‘Sweetheart’, differing primarily in seasonal duration and fruit size. Methods Volume was calculated from photographic measurements of reproductive buds, ovaries and pits at all phases of development. A population of unfertilized ovaries was produced using bee-exclusion netting to enable a statistical comparison with an open pollinated population to detect differences in size and shape between successful and failing fruit growth. Anthesis timing and fruiting-density were manipulated by floral extinction at the spur and whole-tree scales. Developmental time indices were analysed using polynomial curve fitting of log-transformed data supported by Richards and logistic functions of asymptotic growth of the pit and maturing fruit, respectively. Key Results Pre-anthesis growth began at the completion of eco-dormancy. A slight decline in relative growth rate (RGR) was observed during bud scale separation approx. −16 d from anthesis (DFA) before resumption of exponential growth to a maximum about 14 DFA. After anthesis, reduced growth of unfertilized or defective ovaries was partly discriminated from successful fruit at 5 DFA and completely at 25 DFA. Time indices of RGR inflections were similar among cultivars when adjusted for anthesis date alone, until the end of pit growth. Asymptotic growth of the pit underpinned the declining growth rate of fruit at the end of the first exponential growth phase. Duration of the subsequent expansive growth phase accounted for genotypic differences in seasonal duration and final size. Pit size and final fruit size were inversely related to fruiting-density. Conclusions Developmental differences among early, mid and late maturing cultivars were not detected until the final growth period.