Effect of FeEDDHA on the water relations of wheat

Water potentials, osmotic potentials and stomatal resistances were measured daily in a growth chamber during a two‐week period, in growing leaves of a drought‐sensitive and a drought‐resistant winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L. em. Thell.), which had the roots maintained in nutrient culture media with 0.001 or 0.01 M FeEDDHA. For both cultivars, the high level of FeEDDHA increased water potentials, turgor potentials, and stomatal resistances, and decreased osmotic potentials. Roots of plants grown with the high level of FeEDDHA had lower concentrations of Ca and K, and higher concentrations of Fe, than those grown with the low level. The results showed that the concentration of FeEDDHA used in plant‐water‐relation studies should be defined because the chelate affects the water balance of plants.