Relationship between dew presence and <I>Bassia dasyphylla</I> plant growth

Abstract

Dew has been recognized for its ecological significance and has also been identified as an additional source of water in arid zones. We used factorial control experiment, under dew presence in the field, to explore photosynthetic performance, water status and growth response of desert annual herbage. Bassia dasyphylla seedlings were grown in contrasting dew treatments (dew-absent and dew-present) and different watering regimes (normal and deficient). The effects of dew on the water status and photosynthetic performance of Bassia dasyphylla, grown in a desert area of the Hexi Corridor in Northwestern China, were evaluated. The results indicated the presence of dew significantly increased relative water content (RWC) of shoots and total biomass of plants in both water regimes, and enhanced the diurnal shoot water potential and stomatal conductance in the early morning, as well as photosynthetic rate, which reached its maximum only in the water-stressed regime. The presence of dew increased aboveground growth of plants and photosynthate accumulation in leaves, but decreased the root-to-shoot ratio in both water regimes. Dew may have an important role in improving plant water status and ameliorating the adverse effects of plants exposed to prolonged drought.

Dew formation and its long-term trend in a desert riparian forest ecosystem on the eastern edge of the Taklimakan Desert in China

“…Many studies have showed that dew condensation on plant leaves is highly important, enabling direct absorption through foliage (Boucher et al, 1995;Jacobs et al, 2000;Spalding, 1906;Vaadia and Waisel, 1963;Zheng et al, 2011;Zhuang and Ratcliffe, 2012). A recent study on Bassia dasyphylla in the desert habitat of northwest China showed that the presence of dew significantly increased the relative water content of shoots and the total biomass of plants, in addition to increasing the above-ground growth of plants and photosynthate accumulation in leaves (Zhuang and Ratcliffe, 2012).…”

“…A recent study on Bassia dasyphylla in the desert habitat of northwest China showed that the presence of dew significantly increased the relative water content of shoots and the total biomass of plants, in addition to increasing the above-ground growth of plants and photosynthate accumulation in leaves (Zhuang and Ratcliffe, 2012). Another important ecological effect of dewfall absorption through foliage is that the water condensed on leaf surfaces has lower salinity than that of the water absorbed by plant roots (Lekouch et al, 2011).…”

“…Dewfall can also moisten and promote the development of biological soil crust (Ninari Agam and Berliner, 2002;Zhang et al, 2009). Some plants can directly absorb dew that forms on the canopy surface through their leaves, thereby alleviating water deficit (Boucher et al, 1995;Jacobs et al, 2000;Munne-Bosch and Alegre, 1999;Spalding, 1906;Vaadia and Waisel, 1963;Zheng et al, 2011;Zhuang and Ratcliffe, 2012). Water absorption through leaves also extends plant life, improves flowering and fruit quantity, promotes plant growth, and increases ground or below-ground biomass (Breshears et al, 2008;Gouvra and Grammatikopoulos, 2003;Martin and Willert, 2000;Simonin et al, 2009;Yates and Hutley, 1995).…”

Dew observed on cars as a proxy for quantitative measurements

“…Its determination is of importance in different areas. In agriculture, dew can either bring moisture to plants (Duvdevani, 1957(Duvdevani, , 1964Zangvil, 1996;Malek, 1999;Ninari & Berliner 2002;Kidron et al 2002;Agam and Berliner, 2006;Berliner et al, 2006;del Campo et al, 2006;del Prado & Sancho 2007;Rao et al 2009;Limm and Dawson, 2010;Kidron et al, 2011;Zhuang et al, 2012;Kidron and Temina, 2013;Ucles et al, 2013) or favor the development of pathogenic germs (Goheen, 1988;Pitblado et al, 1988;Sriva et al, 1993;Franci et al, 1999;Luo et al, 2000). Dew can have a corrosive action on external structures and even on car paints (Schulz and Trubiroha, 1995).…”

Characteristics of dew events in an arid artificial oasis cropland and a sub-humid cropland in China

“…The presence of dew on leaves can increase the local humidity and reduce transpiration rate (Barradas and Glez-Medellín, 1999). It promotes photosynthesis and delays the wilting of leaves , promotes the absorption of nutrients (Xu et al, 2013) and increases aboveground growth of plants (Zhuang and Ratcliffe, 2012). Dew can also alter the predawn water potential of leaves (Kim and Lee, 2011) and the isotopic composition of leaf water .…”