Comparative growth, hydraulic conductivity, and sap flow responses of seedlings of two pyrus species to drought stress

Drought is one of the major abiotic stresses limiting advancement pear industry in arid and semiarid regions China. Currently, production seedlings mainly depends on grafting propagation rootstocks from Pyrus betulaefolia Bunge calleryana Decne. However, limited information available drought stress potential these rootstocks. Here, we conducted pot experiments with controlled watering conditions both rootstocks' compared their growth, plant hydraulic conductivity, stem sap flow velocity. Both were challenged three regimes i.e. light (LD), moderate (MD), heavy (HD) stress. The results indicated that P. performed better growth than under same regimes. Under LD, MD, HD relative new shoots, leaf-specific canopy leaf, stem, root velocity exhibited reduction as to control (CK). Similar trends noted for calleryana, slight variations case stem-specific conductivity.