drought stress influences leaf water content, photosynthesis,.pdfVIP

PHOTOSYNTHETICA 43 (1): 135-140, 2005 Drought stress influences leaf water content, photosynthesis, and water-use efficiency of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis at three potassium concentrations * ** *** J.N. EGILLA , F.T. DAVIES, Jr. , and T.W. BOUTTON Cooperative Research Program, Lincoln University, Jefferson City, MO 65102, U.S.A.* ** *** Department of Horticultural Sciences , and Department of Rangeland Ecology and Management , Texas AM University, College Station, Texas 77843, U.S.A. Abstract The influence of drought stress (DS) upon whole-plant water content, water relations, photosynthesis, and water-use ef- ficiency of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis cv. Leprechaun (Hibiscus) plants at three levels of potassium (K) nutritional status were determined after a 21-d gradually imposed DS treatment. Compared to K-deficient plants, adequate K supply im- proved the leaf water content (LWC) and leaf water relations of Hibiscus by decreasing the Ψπ, and generally sustained rates of net photosynthesis (P ) and transpiration (E), and stomatal conductance (g ), both in DS and non-DS plants. In N s K-deficient Hibiscus, LWC, turgor potential (Ψ ), and P , E, and g as well as instantaneous water-use efficiency, WUE P N s (PN/E) were consistently lower, compared to K-sufficient plants. Carbon isotope discrimination (∆) was lower (i.e. long- term WUE was greatest) in DS than non-DS plants, but K had no effect on ∆ during the 21-d drought treatment period under