Seasonal variations of leaf water potential and growth in fertigated carob-trees (Ceratonia siliqua L.)

Abstract

Seasonal variations of leaf water potential and growth in fertigatedcarob-trees (Ceratonia siliqua L.) P.J. C o r r e i a and M . A . M a r t i n s -L o u q~o 1 AIDA, Apartado 302, 8100 LouiS, Portugal 1Departamento de Biologia Vegetal Faculdade de Ci6ncias de Lisboa, Campo Grande, Bloco C2, Piso 4, 1700 Lisboa, Portugal Received 9 August 1994. Accepted in revised form 24 November 1994 Key words: branch length, carob, Ceratonia siliqua, evaporation, fertilization, irrigation, leaf water potential, soil water content, yield AbstractVariations of predawn and midday leaf water potential and relative growth rates were studied in mature carob trees (Ceratonia siliqua L. cv "Mulata") submitted to a fertigation experiment. Three levels of irrigation were tested: 0%, 50% and 100%, based on daily standard evaporation values. For each irrigation level two nitrogen amounts were applied -21 and 63 kg N ha-1 year-l as ammonium nitrate. The experiment was run between July 91 and August 1993. Measurements of leaf water potential and absolute branch length increments were made at monthly intervals, during the entire experimental period or during seasonal growth, respectively. Leaf water potential was related to soil volumetric water content, maximum and minimum air temperature and daily evaporation. Predawn leaf water potentials were always higher than -1.1 MPa. Midday leaf water potential values presented very large seasonal variations and very low values independent of treatments. The low leaf water potentials observed for the fertigated trees during summer, suggest that this parameter may be related not only to the evaporative demand but also to growth investment. The amount of fertigation was positively correlated with vegetative growth increment and fruit production. Practical implications for irrigation schedules of leaf water potential patterns together with drought adaptation mechanisms of carob tree are discussed.

Nutritional Evaluation of Nitrogen and Potassium Fertilization of Carob Tree under Dry‐Farming Conditions

“…Nevertheless, the results showed that N fertilizer treatments present a slightly higher leaf N content compared to other treatments (Table 3; Figure 2), which is in accordance with previous studies on carob orchards (Correia and Martins-Loução 1997). Leaf N concentration was already found to be an indicator of seedling productivity (Cruz, MartinsLoução, and Lips 1993) and carob yield (Correia and Martins-Loução 1995). In Quercus, Citrus, and olive trees, crops that are distributed along the same edaphoclimatic conditions, similar increments of leaf N concentrations under water-stress conditions were observed (Carranca, Baeta, and Fragoso 1993;Marín Benlloch, and Fernandéz-Escobar 1995;Sabaté and Gracia 1994).…”

Quantification of Overnight Movement of Birch (Betula pendula) Branches and Foliage with Short Interval Terrestrial Laser Scanning

“…Methods to monitor plant water balance at a diurnal time scale include: (a) leaf or fruit sample collection and water content measurements (Klepper, 1968 ; Acevedo et al, 1979 ); (b) sap flow monitoring (Köstner et al, 1998 ); (c) leaf and stem conductance measurements (García-Orellana et al, 2013 ); (d) leaf and stem water potential, photosynthetic capability and hydraulic conductivity measurements (Andrews et al, 2012 ); (e) branch growth and xylem morphometry measurements (Correia and Martins-Loucao, 1995 ; Correia et al, 2001 ). Most of these are invasive processes that involve sampling and are difficult (but possible) to carry out regularly in intervals of a few hours (Chapotin et al, 2006 ).…”

Aspects of cell wall extensibility in Ceratonia siliqua L.

“…In this study, experiments were conducted with cell walls from developing roots and leaves of the slowly growing Ceratonia siliqua L. (Caesalpiniaceae). This species is a drought tolerant, deeply rooted evergreen, and widespread as a native plant in the Mediterranean Basin (Rhizopoulou & Mitrakos 1990;Mitrakos et al 1991;Correia & Martins-Loucao 1995). Also, it is considered a phylogenetically primitive species and an economically important plant, being a resource for afforestation in semi-arid regions (Catarino 1996), and due to the value of its beans (Ortiz et al 1995;Kalaitzakis & Mitrakos 2000) that have been used as a primary source for alternative products (e.g.…”