Concurrent measurements of abaxial and adaxial stomatal resistance and leaf-water potentials of snap beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in the field and growth chamber show that the stomata on the 2 surfaces of the leaflet react differently to water deficit. The stomata on the abaxial surface, which are about 7 times more numerous than on the adaxial surface, are not significantly affected at leaf-w...

The daily (24 hour) changes in carbon balance, water loss, and leaf area of whole sorghum plants (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench, cv BTX616) were measured under controlled environment conditions typical of warm, humid, sunny days. Plants were either (a) irrigated frequently with nutrient solution (osmotic potential -0.08 kilojoules per kilogram = -0.8 bar), (b) not irrigated for 15 days, (c) irrigat...

The initiation of radicle growth during seed germination may be driven by solute accumulation and increased turgor pressure, by cell wall relaxation, or by weakening of tissues surrounding the embryo. To investigate these possibilities, imbibition kinetics, water contents, and water (Psi) and solute (psi(s)) potentials of intact muskmelon (Cucumis melo L.) seeds, decoated seeds (testa removed, ...

Experiments were conducted to determine whether the nitrate flux to the leaves or the nitrate content of the leaves regulated the nitrate reductase activity (NRA) in leaves of intact maize (Zea mays L.) seedlings having low water potentials (psi(w)) when other environmental and endogenous factors were constant. In seedlings that were desiccated slowly, the nitrate flux, leaf nitrate content, an...

In 1955 Osborne reported that petiole sections cut from senescent leaves of any one of many species could speed the abscission of excised and debladed bean petioles (5). The sections from senescent leaves speeded abscission if directly attached or if one attached an agar block on which they had stood for 24 hours. She "proposed that leaf abscissions may be controlled not only by endogenous auxi...

As part of an intensive study of crop response to CO 2 enrichment in a free-air CO2 enrichment (FACE) experiment in the field, we determined aspects of the water relations of a cotton crop on selected dates in 1991. The atmosphere was enriched from 370 #mol CO2 mo1-1 (control) to about 550 #mol mo1-1 in free air during daylight hours. Under full irrigation, CO2 enrichment decreased stomatal con...

Well nodulated, field-grown soybeans (Glycine max [L.] Merr. var Williams) were depodded just prior to seed development and near mid pod-fill. Both treatments caused a considerable increase in leaf dry weight, suggesting continued photosynthate production following pod removal. Moreover, depodding had a marked effect on leaf soluble protein without affecting total proteolytic activity. Early de...

soil water retention curve is one of the crucial input parameters in any modeling study on water flow and solute transport in soils. direct measurement of soil water retention curve is time-consuming and costly. alternatively, pedotransfer functions (ptfs) may be used to indirectly estimate the soil water retention curve from easily measured soil properties. many equations for the soil water re...

The purpose of this study was to investigate effects of N nutrition and water stress on stomatal behavior and CO(2) exchange rate in wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv Olaf). Wheat plants were grown hydroponically with high (100 milligrams per liter) and low (10 milligrams per liter) N. When plants were 38 days old, a 24-day water stress cycle was begun. A gradual increase in nutrient solution osmo...