Summary
Young seedlings of English Oak, Quercus robur L., and Silver Birch, Betula verrucosa Ehrl., were subjected to a number of consecutive periods during which water was withheld. During one 14-day period leaf-and soil-water potentials and leaf- and root-solute potentials of two groups of plants were sampled at noon of each day. One group of plants was watered every day while water was withheld from the other group. Solute accumulation in roots and leaves of oak seedlings subjected to water stress resulted in maintenance of turgor and high leaf conductance as the soil dried. In birch seedlings turgor was only maintained by stomatal closure at high soil water potential.
Fourteen consecutive water stress cycles greatly reduced the growth of birch seedlings but had little effect on oak seedlings other than to alter root morphology. Water stress treatment resulted in the production of long thin roots in this plant. Stomatal behaviour in oak and birch seedlings during the 14-week stress period was consistent with observed changes in leaf water and solute potentials. Daily solute accumulation in oak leaves was presumably responsible for the maintenance of plant growth as water potentials fell.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Allaway, W.G., Mansfield, T.A.: Experiment and observation on the aftereffect of wilting on stomata of Rumex sanguineus. Canad. J. Bot. 48, 513–521 (1970)
Acevedo, E., Hsiao, T.C., Henderson, D.W.: Immediate and subsequent growth responses of maize leaves to changes in water status. Pl. Physiol. 48, 631–636 (1971)
Biscoe, P.V.: The diffusive resistance and water status of leaves of Beta vulgaris. J. Exptl. Bot. 23, 930–940 (1972)
Boyer, J.S.: Relationship of water potential to growth of leaves. Pl. Physiol. 43, 1056–1062 (1968)
Boyer, J.S.: Leaf enlargement and metabolic rates in corn, soybean and sunflower at various leaf water potentials. Pl. Physiol. 46, 233–235 (1970)
Brown, K.W., Jordan, W.R., Thomas, J.C.: Water stress induced alteration of the stomatal response to decreases in leaf water potential. Physiol. Pl. 37, 1–5 (1976)
Davies, W.J.: Stomatal responses to water stress and light in plants grown in controlled environments and in the field. Crop Sci. (in press, 1977)
Davies, W.J., Kozlowski, T.T.: Variations among woody plants in stomatal conductance and photosynthesis during and after drought. Plant and Soil 46, 435–444 (1977)
El Nadi, A.H., Brouwer, R., Locher, J.Th.: Some responses of the root and the shoot of Vicia faba plants to water stress. Neth. J. Agric. Sci. 17, 133–142 (1969)
Goode, J.E., Higgs, K.H.: Water, osmotic and pressure potential relationships in apple leaves. J. Hort. Sci. 48, 203–215 (1973)
Greacen, E.L., Oh, J.S.: Physics of root growth. Nature New Biol. 235, 24–25 (1972)
Heath, O.V.S., Mansfield, T.A.: A recording porometer with detachable cups operating on four separate leaves. Proc. Roy. Soc. 156, 1–13 (1962)
Hoffman, G.J., Rawlins, S.L., Garber, M.J., Cullen, E.M.: Water relations and growth of cotton as influenced by salinity and relative humidity. Agron. J. 63, 822–826 (1971)
Hsiao, T.C.: Plant responses to water stress. Ann. Rev. Pl. Physiol. 24, 519–570 (1973)
Hsiao, T.C., Acevedo, E.: Plant responses to water deficits, water use efficiency and drought resistance. Agric. Meteorol. 14, 59–84 (1974)
Hsiao, T.C., Acevedo, E., Fereres, E., Henderson, D.W.: Stress metabolism: water stress, growth and osmotic adjustment. Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. Lond. B. 273, 479–500 (1976)
McKree, K.J.: Changes in stomatal response characteristics of grain sorghum produced by water stress during growth. Crop Sci. 14, 273–278 (1974)
Meyer, R.F., Boyer, J.S.: Sensitivity of cell division and cell elongation to low water potentials in soybean hypocotyls. Planta (Berl.) 108, 77–87 (1972)
Neales, T.F., Incoll, L.D.: The control of leaf photosynthesis rate by the level of assimilate concentration in the leaf: a review of the hypothesis. Bot. Rev. 34, 107–125 (1968)
Pearson, R.W.: Soil environment and root development. In: Plant, environment and efficient water use (W.H. Pierre et al., eds.), pp 95–126, Madison, Wisc.: Am. Soc. Agron., Soil Sci. Soc. Am. 1966
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Osonubi, O., Davies, W.J. Solute accumulation in leaves and roots of woody plants subjected to water stress. Oecologia 32, 323–332 (1978). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00345110
Received:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00345110