Drought/rewatering cycles on the vegetative growth of citrus seedlings

Authors

  • Mayra Alejandra Toro-Herrera University of Connecticut, Department of Plant Science and Landscape Architecture, 1390 Storrs Road, Room 202C, 06268 Storrs, CT, USA.
  • Daniel Amorim Vieira Universidade Federal de Lavras, Instituto de Ciências Naturais, Departamento de Biologia, Setor Fisiologia Vegetal, Laboratório de Ecofisiologia Vegetal e Funcionamiento de Ecossistemas, Campus Universitário, Caixa Postal 3037, CEP 37200-000 Lavras, MG.
  • Joyce Pereira Alvarenga Universidade Federal de Lavras, Instituto de Ciências Naturais, Departamento de Biologia, Setor Fisiologia Vegetal, Laboratório de Ecofisiologia Vegetal e Funcionamiento de Ecossistemas, Campus Universitário, Caixa Postal 3037, CEP 37200-000 Lavras, MG.
  • Layane Silva Universidade Federal de Lavras, Instituto de Ciências Naturais, Departamento de Biologia, Setor Fisiologia Vegetal, Laboratório de Ecofisiologia Vegetal e Funcionamiento de Ecossistemas, Campus Universitário, Caixa Postal 3037, CEP 37200-000 Lavras, MG.
  • Ane Marcela das Chagas Mendonça Universidade Federal de Sergipe, Avenida Marcelo Deda Chagas, s/no, Rosa Elze, CEP 49107-230 São Cristovão, SE.
  • Ester Alice Ferreira Empresa de Pesquisa Agropecuária de Minas Gerais, Campus Universitário da Universidade Federal de Lavras, CEP 37200-000 Lavras, MG.
  • João Paulo Rodrigues Alves Delfino Barbosa Universidade Federal de Lavras, Instituto de Ciências Naturais, Departamento de Biologia, Setor Fisiologia Vegetal, Laboratório de Ecofisiologia Vegetal e Funcionamiento de Ecossistemas, Campus Universitário, Caixa Postal 3037, CEP 37200-000 Lavras, MG.

Keywords:

Citrus reticulata, angle of leaf insertion, leaf area, relative water content, seedling growth, water regimes

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of three dehydration/rehydration cycles on the vegetative growth and shoot dry matter of citrus seedlings, as well as seedling acclimatization to this environmental stress. The five following water regimes were evaluated: WR1 (control), WR2, and WR3, with plants kept at 100, 75, and 50% of pot capacity during the three cycles, respectively; and WR4 and WR5, with plants kept at 75, 100, and 75% and 50, 100, and 50% of pot capacity during the first, second, and third cycles, respectively. Relative water content, plant height, length and diameter of the main and secondary branches, angle of leaf insertion in the branch, specific leaf area, leaf chlorophyll content, and dry matter were evaluated. Rehydration after a cycle with 50% of pot capacity did not improve plant growth or dry matter accumulation in relation to the well-hydrated plants of the control. However, after a cycle with 75% of pot capacity, rehydration restores water content, the diameter of the secondary branches, and the angle of leaf insertion. The exposure to successive events of dehydration/rehydration makes the citrus seedlings more resistant to future exposures to water stress.

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Published

2024-03-22

How to Cite

Toro-Herrera, M. A., Vieira, D. A., Alvarenga, J. P., Silva, L., Mendonça, A. M. das C., Ferreira, E. A., & Barbosa, J. P. R. A. D. (2024). Drought/rewatering cycles on the vegetative growth of citrus seedlings. Pesquisa Agropecuaria Brasileira, 58(AA), e03331. Retrieved from https://apct.sede.embrapa.br/pab/article/view/27524

Issue

V.58, Jan./Dec., 2023 :Continuos publication

Section

PLANT PHYSIOLOGY