土壤水分和氮素的交互作用对油松幼苗光合和生长的影响（英文）

【目的】了解土壤水分亏缺和氮沉降对油松生长和光合特性的影响,为造林和再造林树种选择提供依据。【方法】选取2年生油松幼苗,按照嵌套设计,设置4个土壤水分梯度(W1、W2、W3、W4)和4个施氮水平(N1、N2、N3、N4),调查土壤水分和施氮的交互作用对油松幼苗生长和光合特性的影响。【结果】土壤水分充足条件下(W3和W4),施氮能够显著促进油松幼苗的生长和生物量积累,但在水分亏缺条件下(W1和W2)却会加剧缺水,对幼苗生长产生负面影响;土壤水分充足条件下,施氮能够提高油松幼苗的光合能力,但在水分亏缺状态下却会降低幼苗的光合能力,这与光系统Ⅱ的实际量子效率和光化学猝灭系数的变化规律一致;W3N2处理对提高油松幼苗生长、生物量积累和光合作用能力最有利。【结论】在我国中部和东北部湿润地区,氮沉降对油松的光合作用和干物质生产是有利的,而在西北干旱半干旱地区氮沉降却是有害的,因此,在西北干旱半干旱地区实施生态恢复或水土保持工程时应该谨慎选择树种,尽量不再使用油松。     

菌剂与化肥对降香黄檀苗期生长、结瘤的影响

筛选出能促进降香黄檀苗期生长与结瘤的最佳施肥组合,探究菌剂在肥料中的作用。采用L9(34)正交设计,设立菌剂(根瘤菌+溶磷菌混合液,简称M)、N、P、K等施肥因素,以不施肥为对照,研究不同施肥处理对11个月生降香黄檀的生长与结瘤影响。结果表明:不同施肥处理间降香黄檀的生物量、根瘤数、瘤质量等指标差异极显著,施肥对降香黄檀的早期生长极为重要;降香黄檀的苗高、地上干质量、地下干质量、根瘤数和瘤质量在最佳施肥处理中,相关的指标分别是不施肥对照处理的1.98、4.86、4.34、78、400倍;影响降香黄檀生物量的4种因素从主到次排序为KM=PN,影响根瘤数的4种肥料因素从主到次的排序为KMPN,表明K是降香黄檀苗期生长与结瘤最为重要元素;按极差分析法,最佳肥料组合中,处理6(M2N3P1K2)适宜苗高生长,处理3(M1N3P3K3)适宜全株生长,处理2(M1N2P2K2)适宜单株结瘤个数,处理7(M3N1P3K2)适宜单株结瘤质量;菌剂与化肥在降香黄檀苗期的生长过程中尤为重要,且K在降香黄檀的生长与结瘤过程中影响最大,其次为菌剂;综合分析各施肥处理在促生能力、化肥的使用量少等条件,处理2的施肥组合有利于降香黄檀苗期的生长与结瘤,且减少化肥施用量,即每株降香黄檀幼苗施入10 m L菌剂、0.54 g尿素、11.56 g磷酸氢二钠以及1.91 g氯化钾。研究结果将进一步了解降香黄檀苗期对菌剂、化肥的真实需求,并促进降香黄檀微生物肥料的开发。     

供氮方式和水平对交趾黄檀幼苗生长和生理的影响

【目的】研究不同施肥方式和用量对交趾黄檀苗木生长和生理特性的影响。【方法】采取2种不同施肥方式（等量施肥和指数施肥），以不施肥为对照，分别设置3个处理（100、300和500 mg/株）开展交趾黄檀幼苗盆栽试验，施肥结束1个月后对植株各项生长和生理指标进行测定分析，并利用隶属函数法对不同施肥方式进行综合评价。【结果】施肥有效促进交趾黄檀苗木生长、生物量分配、养分和叶片叶绿素含量；不同施肥水平对交趾黄檀苗木生长影响不同，施肥水平处理显著促进交趾黄檀苗木的苗高，而对地径的粗生长影响不显著。但同等施肥水平内不同施肥方法间差异效应不显著。在合理氮肥供给时，指数施肥优于等量施肥方式。指数施肥方式更有利于交趾黄檀幼苗早期高生长，植株物质积累，N养分以及叶片中叶绿素含量的累积。N匮乏时，等量施肥促进交趾黄檀幼苗根系和叶片生长，提高根和茎中N、P养分含量。各施肥处理中，300 mg/株的指数施肥处理更有利于苗木生长。【结论】不同施肥方式和用量对交趾黄檀苗木生长、养分承载和生理影响存在一定差异，指数施肥更有利于交趾黄檀容器苗的生长。合理施肥方式，可以满足交趾黄檀苗木有效N供给，使树体营养元素保持适当的水平，实现苗木的快速生长。     

施氮与pH处理对尾巨桉-降香黄檀间作体系幼苗生长的影响

探讨豆科树种降香黄檀与桉树间作体系下根瘤与幼苗生长生理对不同施氮处理与pH环境的响应,为探索高效生物固氮的桉树人工林可持续经营模式提供科学依据。采用盆栽可控实验模拟尾巨桉-降香黄檀间作体系;采用双因素完全随机区组设计,氮素及pH分别设置N1,N2,N3,N4及pH4.5,pH5.5,pH7.5,pH9.5各4个浓度梯度处理。结果表明：1)在N2与N3施氮处理下,降香黄檀的结瘤能力被显著抑制(P<0.05),而N1处理幼苗根系结瘤能力与对照组(CK)无显著差异,且均在pH7.5处理下根系结瘤能力最强;2)尾巨桉的生物量与光合指标随施氮量的增加而提高。除pH9.5处理外,降香黄檀的生物量与光合指标随施氮量的增加呈现出先增加后减少的趋势;3)施氮后降香黄檀与尾巨桉的叶片的超氧化物歧化酶(SOD)、过氧化氢酶(CAT)、过氧化物酶(POD)、硝酸还原酶(NR)含量均有提高,而丙二醛(MDA)含量表现相反趋势;4)除N3处理外,降香黄檀与尾巨桉幼苗在pH5.5处理下的生物量均大于pH4.5和pH9.5处理下的;5)冗余分析的结果表明,间作体系下,降香黄檀的结瘤能力会受到降香黄檀生理状况与尾...     

遮荫对降香黄檀幼苗生长和生理的影响

【目的】探究遮荫对降香黄檀容器育苗生长发育和形态生理的影响,为林木育苗的光环境控制条件提供一定的理论依据。【方法】以当年生降香黄檀幼苗为试验材料,设遮荫程度0(T_0)、40%(T_1)、60%(T_2)、80%(T_3)、95%(T_4)5个处理,用不同遮荫程度处理4个月后,每隔15天监测降香黄檀幼苗的地径、苗高、叶片数等生长指标,观察其生长进程;并于试验处理结束后测量降香黄檀幼苗的生物量、比叶质量、叶绿素含量(Chl)、净光合速率(Pn)、胞间二氧化碳浓度(Ci)、气孔导度(Gs)、蒸腾系数(Tr)等。【结果】随着遮荫程度的增加,处理时间的延长,降香黄檀幼苗的苗高、地径逐渐降低,生长越来越弱,且表现越来越明显,其中T_4的苗高和地径增量分别为7.7和1.0 mm,是T_0的39.2%和35.6%。随着遮荫程度的加强,降香黄檀幼苗的干物质积累、比叶质量以及质量指数(QI)、根冠比、存苗率显著降低,表明遮荫程度的增加使降香黄檀幼苗的生长发育受到抑制;随着遮荫程度加强,幼苗叶片的叶绿素b(Chlb)、叶绿素a(Chla)和植株各部分含水量显著增加,而叶绿素a与叶绿素b比值(Chla/Chlb)、Pn降低,表明遮荫程度的增加引起降香黄檀容器苗的光合利用效率下降,进而导致幼苗生长发育缓慢,存苗率下降。【结论】综合分析生长进程和生理形态指标,降香黄檀容器育苗幼苗期宜在全光照环境下进行,遮荫不利于其生长发育。     

降香黄檀在温州引种和造林中试

研究降香黄檀(Dalbergia odorifera T.Chen)在温州地区的引种栽培情况,结果表明:不同引种地的降香黄檀种苗在温州瓯海和苍南桥墩低海拨地区的保存率差异较大。引自广州的种苗在瓯海和苍南2个试验地的保存率分别为30%和60%,而引自广西凭祥、已在温州成活50年的大树下的萌生种苗的保存率为100%;不同立地条件对降香黄檀的生长影响较大,东南坡山坳内种植的降香黄檀种苗生长量明显高于南坡,东南山坳上苗年均生长量为0.76m,且东南坡山坳内降香黄檀已开始开花结果。     

光照强度对草珊瑚光合特性的影响

以林下种植的中药材草珊瑚（Sarcandra glabra）作为试验材料，利用遮阴网设置 40%、60%、 80% 3 个饱和光强梯度，进行 4 个月的光照处理，每月测定各处理草珊瑚的生长和光合生理指标，试验结 束毁苗测定其生物量。结果表明：整个光照过程中，L2（60% 饱和光强）光照处理下草珊瑚生长量和光 合特性明显优于其他两个处理，L3（40% 饱和光强）处理时草珊瑚生物量积累最佳。通过隶属函数综合 分析，L2（60% 饱和光强）光照处理下草珊瑚生长最佳。     

雨豆树播种前预处理对种子发芽和种苗发育的影响

播种前对雨豆树(Albizia saman (Jacq.) F. Muell.)的种子进行了5 种预先处理,研究种子预先处理对种子发芽和苗圃种苗发育的影响。实验是在孟加拉吉大港大学林业与环境研究所的苗圃进行。研究结果表明,在种子末端修剪(处理4)提高种子发芽率50%,在冷水中浸泡24 小时(处理1)提高种子发芽率42%,在开水中浸30 秒后再在冷水中浸泡24 小时(处理2),种子发芽完全被抑制。处理4 和处理1 的种子发芽率、种苗初期形态生长和生物量都明显高于对照组。因此,这2 种播种前的种子预处理方法,可用于提高雨豆树种子发芽率和促进早期壮苗生长。图2 表3 参30。     

干旱胁迫对降香黄檀幼苗生理特性及根系形态特征的影响

采用盆栽控制土壤水分法,研究了1年生降香黄檀幼苗在不同干旱梯度胁迫条件下相对电导率、游离脯氨酸含量、光合特性等生理指标以及根系形态参数的变化.结果表明:随着干旱胁迫的加强,降香黄檀幼苗叶片电导率和脯氨酸含量变化整体呈上升的趋势;净光合速率Pn、蒸腾速率Tr、气孔导度Gs均下降,胞间CO2浓度Ci先降后升;与正常供水(W1)相比,在轻度干旱胁迫(W2)条件下,降香黄檀叶片Pn的降低主要是由气孔限制引起的,而在中度干旱胁迫(W3)和重度干旱胁迫(W4)条件下则主要由非气孔因素引起的.在重度干旱胁迫下,降香黄檀总根长、总根尖数和平均根系直径均显著降低,说明降香黄檀幼苗的耐旱能力有限.     

盐分和水分胁迫对落羽杉幼苗的生长量及营养元素含量的影响

采用温室盆栽试验方法 ,研究了不同土壤水分下盐胁迫对 1年生落羽杉实生苗的生长及营养吸收的影响。试验共 12种处理 ,3种水分水平 (W1 ,淹水 ;W2 、W3,土壤含水量分别为田间持水量的 75 %和 2 5 % ) ,每种水分下设 4种盐分处理 (NaCl含量为土壤干重的 0、0 15 %、0 3%和 0 4 5 % ) ,处理时间为 130d。结果表明 :土壤盐分胁迫下落羽杉幼苗的生长及对营养的吸收发生了显著的变化 ,这种变化又因土壤含水量的不同而不同。落羽杉相对高生长、相对地径生长和生物量增量随着土壤盐分浓度的增加和土壤水分含量的减少而减少。在淹水条件下 ,随着土壤盐分浓度的增加 ,落羽杉幼苗根、茎、叶中全N、全P、全Na,以及叶片中的全Ca、全Fe的含量均随着升高 ,而根、茎中的全Fe、全Ca、全Mg含量差异较小。在W2 水分条件下 ,各种盐分处理都在不同程度上增加了根、茎、叶中全N、全Na、全Ca和全Fe含量 ,茎和叶中全P、全K和全Mg含量 ,而根系中的全P、全K和全Mg含量在盐分浓度较高时有所下降。在W3水分条件下 ,各种土壤盐分不同程度地增加了叶片全N、全P和全K含量 ,茎和叶中全Mg和全Ca含量 ,以及根、茎、叶中全Na含量 ,而茎和根中全N、全P和全K含量 ,根、茎和叶中全Fe含量均随着土壤盐分浓度的增加而下降。     

Effect of salt stress on germination and seedling growth of Prosopis juliflora (Sw.)

The present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of different concentrations of salts on seed germination and seedling growth of Prosopis juliflora. The experiment was carried out in Forestry Laboratory at Sari Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University, Iran. The collected seeds were treated with boiling water and H₂SO₄ then left to germinate in controlled growth chamber. Seed were grown under salinity levels 100, 200 and 300 mM of CaCl₂, NaH₂PO₄, KNO₃ and KH₂PO₄. Germination parameters and various seedling growth variables such as root and stem length, seedlings fresh and dry weight were measured after 56 days. Results showed that germination percentage significantly decreased as the salinity level of medium increased. Salinity treatments at 100 mM enhanced the percentage of seeds germination and significantly improved the germination index and seeds stamina. In this study, the best treatment was 100 mM salinity for biomass production of seedlings. For Prosopis juliflora, 100 mM salinity significantly enhanced both germination and biomass production.     

Enhancing growth and biomass production of plantation and associated vegetation through rainwater harvesting in degraded hills in southern Rajasthan,India

Natural resource conservation and rehabilitation are the best options to control land degradation and enhance biomass for fodder and fuelwood. Rainwater harvesting structures viz. Contour trench (CT), gradonie (G), box trench (BT) and V-ditch (VD) with a control were prepared in <10%, 10–20% and >20% slopes and Acacia catechu L. seedlings were planted in August 2005 to enhance soil water, nutrient and biomass and to rehabilitate degraded hill. Soil pH, SOC and NH₄-N decreased while EC, NO₃-N and PO₄-P increased in June 2009. Soil water, nutrients, plant growth and biomass were highest (P < 0.05) in <10% and lowest in 10–20% slopes. Soil waters were 13 and 52% greater in >20 and <10% than in soil at 10–20% slope. The soil waters were 18, 16, 24 and 14% greater in CT, G, BT and VD treatments, respectively over control, which enhanced plant height and collar diameter in December 2009 over 2005. The highest growth and biomass were in CT and VD plots, respectively. Herbage biomass was highest (P < 0.05) in <10% slope in 2005, 10–20% slope in 2006/2008 and >20% slope in 2007/2009. Harvesting of rainwater increased herbage biomass by 24–71%, and was highest in VD plots. Conclusively, rainwater harvesting enhanced soil water, nutrients, vegetation covers and plant growth and biomass during restoration of degraded hills. Gradonie and CT/BT facilitated herbage and plant growth, respectively, whereas V-ditch was effective for both.     

Dry matter production and allocation in Eucalyptus cloeziana and Eucalyptus argophloia seedlings in response to soil water deficits

Effects of soil water availability on seedling growth, dry matter production and allocation were determined for Gympie (humid coastal) and Hungry Hills (dry inland) provenances of Eucalyptus cloeziana F. Muell. and for E. argophloia Blakely (dry inland) species. Seven-month-old seedlings were subjected to well-watered (100% field capacity, FC), moderate (70% FC) and severe (50% FC) soil water regimes in a glasshouse environment for 14 wk. There were significant differences in seedling growth, biomass production and allocation patterns between species. E. argophloia produced twice as much biomass at 100% FC, and more than three times as much at 70% and 50% FC than did either E. cloeziana provenance. Although the humid provenance of E. cloeziana had a greater leaf area at 100% FC conditions than did the dry provenance, total biomass production did not differ significantly. Both E. cloeziana provenances were highly sensitive to water deficits. E. argophloia allocated 10% more biomass to roots than did E. cloeziana. Allometric analyses indicated that relative biomass allocation patterns were significantly affected by genotype but not by soil water availability. These results have implications for taxon selection for cultivation in humid and subhumid regions.     

Phosphorus Enhanced Establishment,Growth, Nutrient Uptake,and Productivity of Dalbergia sissoo Seedlings Maintained at Varying Soil Water Stress Levels in an Indian Arid Zone

We assessed interactive effects of varying levels of applied phosphorus fertilizer and water stress on growth, productivity, and mineral accumulation in container-grown Dalbergia sissoo L. seedlings. Height, collar diameter, leaf size and area, root volume and total biomass were reduced, and dry matter allocation to root was increased with increasing levels of soil water stress. The reduction was >32% in growth, >50% in leaf, and >77% in biomass when seedlings were grown with <50% of soil field capacity. Phosphorus application at the level of 10 mg kg^?1 soil enhanced stems and leaf biomass and nutrient accumulation at all irrigation levels, and thus tolerance to drought. Phosphorus responses to growth and biomass production increased with irrigation levels. Thus, 20 mg P kg^?1 soil is beneficial at sufficient soil water availability and a lower dose (i.e., 10 mg P kg^?1) is recommended under high soil water stress conditions to benefit growth and productivity of D. sissoo.     

Effects of light availability and soil flooding on growth and photosynthetic characteristics of Genipa americana L. seedlings

Genipa americana L. (Rubiaceae) is a late successional neotropical fruit tree used in riparian forest restoration programs. We analyze the effects of light availability and soil flooding on the growth and photosynthetic characteristics of G. americana seedlings under nursery and natural light conditions. Two light levels (full sunlight and shade), and two levels of soil water (flooded and control) were used in the experiment. Flooding induced significant changes in the total seedling biomass (P < 0.01). The differences among water treatments were 70 and 10% at full sunlight and shade, respectively. These changes were explained by alterations in the maximum quantum efficiency of the photosystem 2 (Fv/Fm), light-saturated net photosynthetic rates (A _sat) and intrinsic water use efficiency (WUE). G. americana has high physiological plasticity in relation to the light availability and flooding, although significant interactive effects between high light exposure and soil flooding were observed in several photosynthetic and growth variables. The results highlight the importance of the synergistic effects between physical environmental variables on the establishment and growth of G. americana seedlings. In the practical point of view we can indicate that, in degraded riparian forests subjected to soil flooding, seedlings of this species should be planted under partially shaded environments.     

Effects of different culture media on the growth of Indian sandalwood (Santalum album L.) seedlings in Zhanjiang, Guangdong, southern China

We studied the effects of different culture media on the growth of India sandalwood (Santalum album L.) seedlings in Zhanjiang, Guangdong Province in southern China. Five different growth substrates, lateritic subsoil, burnt soil, agricultural soil, peaty soil and coconut dust, were used as the basic culture materials and seven different treatments of composition were used as potting media. Kuhnia rosmarinifolia Vent. was used as a primary host plant for all treatments. Statistically significant differences were found between treatments in respects of survival rate (p < 0.001), height (p < 0.001), ground diameter (p < 0.001) and biomass (p = 0.002), as well as for quality index (p = 0.001) of S. album seedlings after 6-month growth in containers with different culture media. Among all treatments, the treatment combining burnt soil, peat and coconut dust in a weight ratio of 1:1:1 plus 2% calcium super-phosphate as basal manure achieved the best performance for most of the seedling growth parameters, including survival rate (98%), height (35.81 cm), ground diameter (0.56 cm), biomass (4.46 g) and quality index (0.65), followed by the treatment using only burnt soil plus 2% calcium super-phosphate as the culture medium (survival rate 86%, height 29.23 cm, ground diameter 0.48 cm, biomass 3.36 g and quality index 0.52), while the treatment using only lateritic subsoil plus the basal manure as the medium obtained the poorest results in survival rate (38%), height (12.04 cm), ground diameter (0.19 cm), biomass (0.26 g) and quality index (0.043). Increasing the proportion of lateritic subsoil in the medium when mixed with peat and coconut dust did not show statistically significant differences in survival, height, ground diameter, biomass nor in quality index. In consideration of cost, using burnt soil plus 2% calcium super-phosphate as basal manure may be the optimum culture medium for large-scale production of Indian sandalwood seedlings in Guangdong, southern China.     

Growth,biomass partitioning,and water-use efficiency of a leguminous shrub (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Bauhinia faberi</Emphasis> var. <Emphasis Type="Italic">microphylla</Emphasis>) in response to various water availabilities

Responses of the endemic leguminous shrub Bauhinia faberi var. microphylla, to various soil water supply regimes were studied in order to assess water stress tolerance of seedlings. Two-month-old seedlings were grown under water supply regimes of 100, 80, 60, 40, and 20% water field capacity (FC), respectively, in a temperature and light-controlled greenhouse. Plant height and leaf number were measured monthly over a 4-month period, while water use (WU), water-use efficiency (WUE), leaf relative water content (RWC), biomass production and its partitioning were recorded at the end of the experiment. Seedlings exhibited the greatest biomass production, height, basal diameter, branch number, leaf number, and leaf area when soil content was at 100% FC, and slightly declined at 80% FC. These parameters declined significantly under 60% FC water supply, and severely reduced under 40 and 20% FC. RWC, WU and WUE decreased, while the ratio of root mass to stem mass (R:S) increased in response to decreasing water supply. Water stress caused leaf shedding, but not plant death. The results demonstrated that B. faberi var. microphylla seedlings could tolerate drought by reducing branching and leaf area while maintaining a high R:S ratio. However, low dry mass and WUE at 40 and 20% FC suggested that the seedlings did not produce significant biomass under prolonged severe water deficit. Therefore, before introducing B. faberi var. microphylla in vegetation restoration efforts, water supply above 40% FC is recommended for seedlings to maintain growth.     

Open-pit sunken planting: a tree establishment technique for dry environments

The commonly practiced ground-level planting was compared with a moisture-conserving open-pit sunken planting technique in an attempt to test the success of modified planting techniques that enhance tree survival and early growth in arid environments. An indigenous species, Acacia mellifera (Vahl.) Benth., which is well adapted to the environmental conditions of the trial site, was used for the comparative study. Trial results showed that, after 21 months, height growth of seedlings planted in open pits was almost three times faster than that of seedlings planted at ground level. Total biomass production of open pit planted seedlings exceeded that of those planted at ground level by 78%. Shoot ÷ root ratios of biomass produced were 1 ÷ 1.07 in sunken plantings and 1 ÷ 1.43 in level planting, suggesting that roots of sunken planted seedlings support a higher above-ground biomass production. No mortalities occured in either of the two treatments because of the natural drought tolerance of A. mellifera. The highly significant differences in height growth performance suggested that this planting technique should be tested on other tree species on a larger scale. Accordingly, Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit was used for a second, larger experiment. The results of this trial largely confirmed those of the preceding one. After 31 months, the increase in shoot length of seedlings planted in open pits was 50% higher than that of seedlings planted at ground level. However, total biomass production was only 13% higher for seedlings planted in open pits and no significant differences between the two treatments could be established. Nevertheless, there was a significant difference between the species' shoot-to-root ratios. This ratio was 1 ÷ 1.04, for the sunken planting treatment, compared to 1 ÷ 1.60 for level planting. Mortality among seedlings in the open pits was half that of the seedlings planted at ground level.     

Effect of pre-sowing treatments on germination and initial seedling development of Albizia saman in the nursery

Albizia saman （Jacq.） F. Muell. commonly known as rain tree seeds were treated with five pre-sowing treatments to study the effect of pre-sowing treatments on germination and initial seedling development in the nursery.The experiment was established in the nursery of the Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciences.University of Chittagong, Chittagong, Bangladesh. Results revealed that Nail clipping in one side of the seed （at the distal end of the seed） （T4） provides the highest （50%） seed germination. The second highest germination （42%） was obtained for the seeds treated with immersion in cold water for 24 h （T1）. Germination was completely inhibited when the seeds immersed in boiled water for 30 s followed in cold water soaking for 24 h. Other germination parameter and initial morphological growth and biomass production of the seedlings was also higher for the treatments T4and Ti in comparison to the control （Ta）treatment. Pre-sowing treatments of T4 e.g. Nail clipping in one side of the seed （at the distal end of the seed） and T1 （Seeds immersed in cold water for 24 h） may be recommended for maximum germination and initial vigorous seedlings growth of Albizia sarnan in the nursery.     

Seedling growth and water relations of three Cedrela species sourced from five provenances: response to simulated rainfall reductions

The effects of different simulated rainfall regimes on water relations, growth, and biomass production and allocation of five provenances of Cedrela fissilis, C. saltensis and C. balansae were assessed in a pot-grown seedling experiment in greenhouse under uncontrolled conditions. Four simulated rainfall regimes were applied: 600 mm year^?1 (severe water deficit), 800 mm year^?1 (mild water deficit), 1,000 mm year^?1 (mild wet), and 1,200 mm year^?1 (well-watered) used as control. Provenances were compared in terms of water relations (midday leaf water potential, Ψ _md and relative water content, RWC), growth (root, shoot and leaf length, neck diameter), growth rate (shoot- and neck growth rate, SGR and NGR), biomass production (root, shoot and leaf dry weight), and biomass allocation (root:shoot ratio, RSR). Multivariate analyses revealed that water relations differed significantly under all simulated rainfall treatments by means of several variables throughout time. Effects of species × treatment, and provenance nested within species × treatment interactions significantly were important. SGR and RSR also were important to explain differences in Ψ _md and RWC between treatments and provenances. Broadly C. balansae and C. saltensis provenances seem to display a better performance than C. fissilis provenances under severe water deficit only. However, despite differences between provenances, it was not possible to clearly separate them according to their origin, based on water relations and growth performance. Even though the results of this study performed on pot-grown seedlings are based on relatively few observations and require additional confirmation, they allow an opportunity for speculation on the factors that are related to intraspecific variations that are likely to occur during the growth of seedlings from different geographical sites in field condition.