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1.
Effect of brassinosteroids on drought resistance and abscisic acid concentration in tomato under water stress 总被引:1,自引:0,他引:1
Gao-Feng Yuan Cheng-Guo Jia Zhen Li Bo Sun Li-Ping Zhang Na Liu Qiao-Mei Wang 《Scientia Horticulturae》2010
The effect of brassinosteroid (BR) on relative water content (RWC), stomatal conductance (gs), net photosynthetic rate (PN), intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci), lipid peroxidation level, activities of antioxidant enzymes and abscisic acid concentration (ABA) in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) seedlings under water stress was investigated. Two tomato genotypes, Mill. cv. Ailsa Craig (AC) and its ABA-deficient mutant notabilis (not), were used. Water stress was achieved by withholding water and both the AC and not plants were treated with 1 μM 24-epibrassinolide (EBR) or distilled water as a control. The RWC, gs, Ci and PN were significantly decreased under water stress. However, EBR treatment significantly alleviated water stress and increased the RWC and PN. EBR application also markedly increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes (catalase, ascorbate peroxidase and superoxide dismutase) while it decreased gs, Ci and the contents of H2O2 and malondialdehyde (MDA). Interestingly, ABA concentration in AC and not plants was markedly elevated after EBR treatment although the increasing rate and amplitude of ABA in not plants treated by EBR was significantly lower than those in AC plants. Our study suggested that amelioration of the drought stress of tomato seedlings may be caused by EBR-induced elevation of endogenous ABA concentration and/or the activities of antioxidant enzymes. 相似文献
2.
The Andean seed crop quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is traditionally grown under drought and other adverse conditions that constrain crop production in the Andes, and it is regarded as having considerable tolerance to soil drying. The objective of this research was to study how chemical and hydraulic signalling from the root system controlled gas exchange in a drying soil in quinoa. It was observed that during soil drying, relative gs and photosynthesis Amax (drought stressed/fully watered plants) equalled 1, until the fraction of transpirable soil water (FTSW) decreased to 0.82 ± 0.152 and 0.33 ± 0.061, respectively, at bud formation, indicating that photosynthesis was maintained after stomata closure. The relationship between relative gs and relative Amax at bud formation was represented by a logarithmic function (r2 = 0.79), which resulted in a photosynthetic water use efficiency WUEAmax/gs of 1 when FTSW > 0.8, and increased by 50% with soil drying to FTSW 0.7–0.4. Mild soil drying slightly increased ABA in the xylem. It is concluded that during soil drying, quinoa plants have a sensitive stomatal closure, by which the plants are able to maintain leaf water potential (ψl) and Amax, resulting in an increase of WUE. Root originated ABA plays a role in stomata performance during soil drying. ABA regulation seems to be one of the mechanisms utilised by quinoa when facing drought inducing decrease of turgor of stomata guard cells. 相似文献
3.
Exposure of Satsuma mandarin (Citrus unshiu Marc.) and Navel orange (Citrus sinensis Osbeck) plants to high temperature (38 °C) led to reductions of the net photosynthetic rate (Pn), the photorespiration rate (Pr), the quantum efficiency CO2 assimilation (ΦCO2), the maximal photochemical efficiency of PS2 (Fv/Fm), the photochemical quenching (qP) and the quantum efficiency of PS2 photochemistry (ΦPS2), whereas the minimal fluorescence yield (Fo) and the non-photochemical quenching (qN) increased. Increase in the value of Pr/Pn and ΦPS2/ΦCO2 was attributed to the greater decrease in Pn and ΦCO2 than Pr and ΦPS2. In addition, the superoxide radical (O2−) production, the H2O2 concentration and the activities of antioxidant enzymes such as the superoxide dismutase (SOD, EC 1.15.1.1), the ascorbate peroxidase (APX, EC 1.11.1.11), the dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR, EC 1.8.5.1) and the catalase (CAT, EC 1.11.1.6) were raised. On the other hand, the chlorophyll concentration in leaves decreased during high temperature stress. These results suggest that decline in Pn related to inactivation of PS2 reaction centers may be due to the enhanced number of active oxygen species in the citrus leaves. The water–water cycle may play a role in limiting the degree of photodamage caused by high temperature. Lower O2− production rate, the H2O2 concentration and the antioxidant enzymes activity were observed in high temperature tolerant species of citrus. The exogenous active oxygen scavenger ascorbic acid (Asc) enhanced the ability to clear the O2− in citrus plants, and quicken the recovery of photosynthetic apparatus. 相似文献
4.
Drought and salinity are two of the most important factors limiting the lemon yield in south-eastern Spain. The effects of drought and salt stress, applied independently, on water relations, osmotic adjustment and gas exchange in the highest evapotranspiration period were studied to compare the tolerance and adaptive mechanisms of 13-year-old ‘Fino 49’ lemon trees, in immature and mature leaves. The study was carried out in an experimental orchard located in Torre Pacheco (Murcia). Three treatments were applied: Control, well-irrigated; drought-stress (DS), non-irrigated from 15th May to 7th July and salinity, irrigated with 30 mM NaCl from 1st March to 7th July. At the end of the experiment, only DS trees showed a decreased leaf stem water potential (Ψmd). Under DS conditions, both types of leaf lost turgor and did not show any osmotic or elastic mechanism to maintain leaf turgor. Osmotic adjustment was the main tolerance mechanism for maintenance of turgor under salt stress, and was achieved by the uptake of Cl− ions. Gas-exchange parameters were reduced by DS but not by salinity, stomatal closure being the main adaptive mechanism for avoidance of water loss and maintenance of leaf turgor. Salinity gave rise to greater Cl− accumulation in mature than in immature leaves. The increase of proline in immature leaves due to DS indicates greater damage than in mature leaves. 相似文献
5.
There has been limited research on measuring potential differences in leaf gas exchange of Arracacha (Peruvian parsnip, Arracacia xanthorriza Bancroft) cultivars, as affected by different environments, as well as its relation to storage root-yield. The present paper reports field measurements of leaf CO2 assimilation rates (A) for five contrasting cultivars grown at two different high-altitude locations. Using a design of plots chosen at random with three repetitions, commercial root production was determined in the two locations at different altitude (1580 and 1930 m). Daily leaf gas exchange was repeatedly monitored with a portable open-mode infrared gas analyzer at different times in both locations during the growth cycle. Root-yield, leaf area and dry weight were measured. Significant differences in leaf photosynthetic rate and in specific leaf area (SLA) were observed among cultivars. Cultivars with high SLA, had high CO2 assimilation. Mean (An) and total (Atot) of CO2 assimilation and SLA were significantly correlated with storage root-yield across cultivars and locations. The three cultivars with the greatest commercial root production also had the highest maximum values for A and the highest specific leaf area, indicating that these two parameters can be used to select for highly productive cultivars of A. xanthorriza. 相似文献
6.
Callistemon is an Australian species used as ornamental plant in Mediterranean regions. The objective of this research was to analyse the ability of Callistemon to overcome water deficit in terms of adjusting its physiology and morphology. Potted Callistemon laevis Anon plants were grown in controlled environment and subjected to drought stress by reducing irrigation water by 40% compared to the control (irrigated to container capacity). The drought stress produced the smallest plants throughout the experiment. After three months of drought, the leaf area, number of leaves and root volume decreased, while root/shoot ratio and root density increased. The higher root hydraulic resistance in stressed plants caused decreases in leaf and stem water potentials resulting in lower stomatal conductance and indicating that water flow through the roots is a factor that strongly influences shoot water relations. The water stress affected transpiration (63% reduction compared with the control). The consistent decrease in gs suggested an adaptative efficient stomatal control of transpiration by this species, resulting in a higher intrinsic water use efficiency (Pn/gs) in drought conditions, increasing as the experimental time progressed. This was accompanied by an improvement in water use efficiency of production to maintain the leaf water status. In addition, water stress induced an active osmotic adjustment and led to decreases in leaf tissue elasticity in order to maintain turgor. Therefore, the water deficit produced changes in plant water relations, gas exchange and growth in an adaptation process which could promote the faster establishment of this species in gardens or landscaping projects in Mediterranean conditions. 相似文献
7.
V. Tavallali M. Rahemi M. Maftoun B. Panahi S. Karimi A. Ramezanian M. Vaezpour 《Scientia Horticulturae》2009
A greenhouse study was conducted to evaluate the ameliorative effects of zinc (0, 5, 10 and 20 mg Zn kg−1 soil) under saline (800, 1600, 2400 and 3200 mg NaCl kg−1 soil) conditions on pistachio (Pistacia vera L. cv. Badami) seedlings’ photosynthetic parameters, carbonic anhydrase activity, protein and chlorophyll contents, and water relations. Zn deficiency resulted in a reduction of net photosynthetic rate and stomatal conductance. The quantum yield of photosystem II was reduced at zinc deficiency and salt stress. Zinc improved plant growth under salt-affected soil conditions. Increasing salinity in soil under Zn-deficient conditions, generally decreased carbonic anhydrase activity, protein, chlorophyll a and b contents. However, these adverse effects of salinity alleviated by increasing Zn levels up to 10 mg kg−1 soil. Under increasing salinity, chlorophyll a/b ratio significantly increased. Zinc treatment influenced the relationship between relative water content and stomatal conductance, and between leaf water potential and stomatal conductance. It concluded that Zn may act as a scavenger of ROS for mitigating the injury on biomembranes under salt stress. Adequate Zn also prevents uptake and accumulation of Na in shoot, by increasing membrane integrity of root cells. 相似文献
8.
Three nectarine (Prunus persica var. Nectarina Maxim.) cultivars grown under solar-heated greenhouse and open-field in northwest China, were tested to evaluate their photosynthetic and chlorophyll fluorescence response to both growth conditions, and whether nectarine plants acclimate to the solar-heated greenhouse growth condition. Comparisons of light-saturated photosynthetic capacity (Amax) and CO2-saturated photosynthetic capacity (RuBPmax) indicated that each cultivar (Z, Zao-Hongzhu; H, Hua-Guang; Y, Yan-Guang) maintained similar rates of light-saturated and CO2-saturated carbon assimilation when grown in both conditions. The curve of diurnal variation of net photosynthetic (PN) rate showed double peaks in open-field but single when grown in greenhouse. Compared with open-field-grown plants, a significant increase of daily average PN was found in Z but decreased in Y in greenhouse. The diurnal variation of Fv/Fm indicate that plants grown in greenhouse experience less photoinhibition than in open-field condition. A reduction in chlorophyll (chl) a/b ratio in leaves of greenhouse grown plants with significant increase in chlorophyll (chl) b content were obtained. The results suggest that some nectarine cultivars have the ability to acclimate to the solar-heated greenhouse growth condition. 相似文献
9.
To investigate the responses of leaf photosynthesis and plant growth to a moving lighting system, potted gerberas (Gerbera jamesonii H. Bolus ex J.D. Hook “Festival”) were grown under supplemental lighting in a greenhouse with either a stationary or a moving lighting system positioned above the benches. The stationary system consisted of a fixed high pressure sodium (HPS) lighting system, while the moving lighting system consisted of a moving HPS fixture attached to a cable system to move the light fixture back and forth over the crop. In both cases, the supplemental lighting was applied from 6:00 to 24:00 h with the same supplemental daily light integral (4.9 mol m−2 day−1). Moving lamps significantly increased leaf photosynthetic capacity as represented by light saturated net CO2 exchange rate (NCER) (Asat), light- and CO2-saturated rate of NCER (Amax), maximum rate of Rubisco carboxylation (Vcmax), maximum rate of electron transport (Jmax) and rate of triose phosphate utilization. However, in situ leaf NCER and stomatal conductance, leaf chlorophyll content index, leaf area, leaf thickness, fresh weight of plants were significantly lower under moving lighting than under stationary lighting. It is suggested that the reduced growth of plants under moving lighting might be due to (1) the overall lower light use efficiency of leaves under moving lighting than those under stationary lighting; (2) the slower response time of the photosynthetic system compared to the rate of change in light intensity under moving lighting. 相似文献
10.
In the daytime, a CO2 depletion of 10–15% and air circulation of less than 0.5 m s−1 often occur in a naturally ventilated greenhouse during a sunny day with high wind speed (3–5 m s−1). We, therefore, investigated the effects of moderate increase of the CO2 concentration above the atmospheric level (500–600 μmol mol−1) and air circulation up to 1.0 m s−1 in a growth chamber on the net photosynthetic and transpiration rates of tomato seedlings as the first step. The average net photosynthetic rates were 2.1, 1.8, and 1.6 times higher in the growth chambers with increased CO2 concentration (500–600 μmol mol−1) and air circulation (1.0 m s−1), increased CO2 concentration, and increased air circulation, respectively, compared with those in the control (no increase in CO2 concentration (200–300 μmol mol−1) or air circulation (0.3 m s−1). The transpiration rate increased with increased air circulation, while it decreased with increased CO2 concentration regardless of air circulation. From the results, we consider that increasing the CO2 concentration and/or air circulation in ventilated greenhouses up to the outside concentration (350–450 μmol mol−1) and 1.0 m s−1, respectively, can significantly increase the net photosynthetic rate of greenhouse plants. 相似文献
11.
Since the response of cuttings to raised CO2 concentration is not documented, controlled atmosphere (CA) storage of kalanchoe cuttings at combinations of high carbon dioxide and low oxygen levels was investigated to study the feasibility of using CA to sustain quality of cuttings prior to planting. During storage, stomata opening and plant fresh weight (FW) were measured, and root formation (RF) was recorded post storage. Storage atmosphere composition (10/2, 15/2, or 15/5; kPa CO2/kPa O2), storage duration (9 or 19 days), and cutting type (rooted or un-rooted) affected stomata conductance (Gs), and influenced FW and subsequent RF in cuttings of kalanchoe ‘Yellow Josefine’. In CA stored plants, Gs was high, 60–160 mmol m−2 s−1, indicating open stomata, whereas in control plants Gs was low, 5–14 mmol m−2 s−1, indicating closed stomata. Generally Gs values were higher for un-rooted than for rooted cuttings. Overall, cutting FW was reduced by CA storage with no significant differences in FW reduction between the CA treatments. RF of un-rooted CA stored cuttings was comparable to that of controls, whereas for rooted cuttings controls grew better than CA stored cuttings. CA at 10 kPa CO2 and 2 kPa O2 for 2–3 weeks could sustain un-rooted cuttings, in a pests-free state whilst retaining the ability of the cuttings RF. The results showed that stomata aperture may be altered by high CO2 concentration combined with low O2, and results indicated that this effect was not only caused by high CO2 but also by low O2 concentration. In addition, the results indicated that CA storage, stomata conductance, and water stress of kalanchoe cuttings may be correlated. Monitoring Gs of leaves of cuttings could be used as a non-destructive indicator of storability and quality status. Based on the novel positive preliminary results reported here, a protocol that focuses on minimising water loss should be developed and optimised for kalanchoe. 相似文献
12.
Yongqiang Zheng Lie Deng Shaolan He Zhiqin Zhou Shilai Yi Xuyang Zhao Liang Wang 《Scientia Horticulturae》2011
Oil spotting or oleocellosis, is a major problem in citrus crops. As the rootstock and fertilization play important roles in citrus growth and fruit development, we investigated the influence of different rootstocks on the growth, mineral nutrition metabolism, water relations, and fruit oleocellosis of eight-year-old field ‘Hamlin’ sweet orange trees. Trees grafted onto Lichi16-6 trifoliata (Poncircus trifoliate) had the greatest rate of oleocellosis (RO), and trees grafted onto Goutou orange (Citrus aurantium) had the greatest degree of oleocellosis (DO). In contrast, trees grafted onto Rangpur lime (Citrus limonia Osbeck) had the lowest RO and DO. Trees were the most vigorous on Rangpur lime rootstocks, followed by Lichi16-6 trifoliata, and then Goutou orange. In addition, because the scion/stock girth ratio showed significant correlations with the RO and DO, oleocellosis parameters can be a good indicator of scion/stock affinity. The total N, total P, Ca2+, and Mg2+ in leaves from trees on Rangpur lime were significantly lower than in leaves from trees on Goutou orange or Lichi16-6 trifoliata. In addition, the RO showed a significant correlation with the leaf Ca2+ and S concentrations and with the peel Mg2+ concentration. The DO was significantly correlated with the total peel N and S concentrations. In addition, the RO showed a significant correlation with the net assimilation of CO2 (ACO2), stomatal conductance (GS), transpiration rate (ET), and water-use efficiency (WUE). However, the DO showed a significant correlation with the GS, ACO2, and WUE. Taken together, these results indicate that rootstocks affect the development of oleocellosis in ‘Hamlin’ sweet orange due to their effects on the mineral nutrition balance and water relations. 相似文献
13.
Our study focuses on the physiological response and yield-quality performance of split-root potted Sangiovese grapevines under a partial root-zone drying (PRD) regime from pre-veraison to harvest by withholding water from one of the two pots and comparing the results to a well-watered control (WW). While predawn water potential (ψpd) tended to equilibrate in PRD with the soil moisture level of the wet pot, both stem (ψst) and mid-day leaf-water potential (ψl) were markedly lower in PRD as compared to WW vines, indicating that Sangiovese shows anisohydric response. On the other hand, the seasonal reduction of leaf assimilation rate (A) in PRD over the 6-week stress period versus WW was 16% as compared to a 41 and 25% for leaf stomatal conductance (gs) and transpiration (E), respectively. As a consequence, intrinsic WUE (A/gs) was markedly increased in the half-stressed vines, suggesting a response more typical of an isohydric strategy. Shoot growth was promptly checked in PRD vines, which had no limitation in yield and better grape composition as per soluble solids and total anthocyanins. These responses occurred in spite of sub-optimal leaf photosynthesis rates and lowered leaf-to-fruit ratio and qualify Sangiovese as a good candidate for adapting to regulated deficit irrigation strategies. 相似文献
14.
Pot culture experiments were conducted to assess the extent of growth, photosynthetic capacity, sennoside concentration and yield attributes of Senna plant under the individual as well as combined influence of NaCl and CaCl2. Six treatments, i.e. NaCl (80 and 160 mM), CaCl2 (5 and 10 mM) alone and a combination of NaCl + CaCl2 (80 + 10 and 160 + 10 mM) were given to the growing Senna plants at pre-flowering (45 DAS), flowering (75 DAS) and post-flowering (90 DAS) stages. Significant reductions were observed in pod biomass, leaf area, stomatal conductance, photosynthetic rate and sennoside concentration and yield, with each NaCl treatment. On the contrary, individual CaCl2 treatments had a favourable effect. Under the effect of combination treatments, although these parameters were reduced, the extent of reduction was much less than one caused by NaCl treatments. The combined treatments thus mitigated the adverse effects caused by NaCl. 相似文献
15.
Lobna Zribi Gharbi Fatma Rezgui Fatma Rejeb Salwa Nahdi Hassan Rejeb Mohamed Néjib 《Scientia Horticulturae》2009
To study the response of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum cv. Rio Grande) to salinity, the effect on plant growth, water relations, stomatal conductance and Chlorophyll fluorescence was investigated. Tomato plants were grown in peat culture under controlled conditions and submitted during 28 days to saline stress ranging from 0 to 25, 50, 100, 150 and 200 mM of NaCl. At the end of the experiment period, plant growth was significantly decreased with increasing salinity. 相似文献
16.
Ryo Matsuda Katsumi Suzuki Akimasa NakanoTadahisa Higashide Masuyuki Takaichi 《Scientia Horticulturae》2011
We investigated the effects of altered source/sink ratio by leaf or fruit pruning on leaf photosynthetic characteristics and whole-plant growth of ‘Momotaro York’, a Japanese cultivar, and ‘Dundee’, a Dutch cultivar and verified a hypothesis for sink-limitation of plant growth proposed by Tanaka and Fujita (1974). Plants were grown hydroponically with a high-wire system in a greenhouse for 11 weeks. Light-saturated photosynthesis of young, fully expanded leaves measured at atmospheric CO2 partial pressure of 37 Pa and at an intercellular CO2 partial pressure of 20 Pa was not influenced by alteration of source/sink ratio for either cultivar. Although soluble sugars were accumulated in leaves under high source/sink conditions, the amount of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase, a rate-limiting factor for CO2-limited photosynthesis, was not affected by the altered source–sink balance. Net assimilation rate of a whole plant increased with decreasing source/sink ratio, but this can be accounted for by the changes in light interception per unit leaf area, without taking the source–sink relationship into consideration. It was concluded that the altered source/sink ratio did not change leaf photosynthetic capacity and the sink-limitation hypothesis cannot be applied to either cultivar under the conditions of the present study. 相似文献
17.
Tianyi Yang Lina Zhu Shiping Wang Weijun Gu Danfeng Huang Wenping Xu Aili Jiang Shicheng Li 《Scientia Horticulturae》2007
To examine the effect of root restriction on the nitrate uptake and the nitrate transport system activity, 2-year old “Fenghou” grapevines (Vitis Vinifera × V. Labrasca) were planted in pots with volume 2 L and 12 L served as root restriction and the control, respectively. The pots were filled with perlite and watered with rainwater and nutrient solution. Vine growth and kinetics of nitrate uptake in vine roots were evaluated. The results showed that root restriction significantly inhibited the shoots and roots growth, enhanced the nitrate uptake rate, decreased the kinetics parameter Km value and increased Vmax value, that is to say, root restriction depressed the affinity of nitrate high-affinity transport system (HATS) and improved the nitrate uptake rates of both high (HATS) and low-affinity transport system (LATS). However, root restriction significantly decreased the amount of net nitrate uptake, which led to the low nitrate concentration in leaves and roots. 相似文献
18.
Physiological and growth responses of ‘Pantin’ and ‘Magana’ mamey sapote (Pouteria sapota) trees to continuous and cyclical flooding were studied in a series of experiments. Trees were grown in containers in a very gravelly loam soil and were subjected to continuous flooding of the root zone for 30–66 days (Experiments 1 and 2) or alternating flooding–unflooding cycles for 50 days (Experiments 3–5). For all experiments, the control treatment consisted of nonflooded trees. Net CO2 assimilation (A) and stomatal conductance (gs) decreased within 3 days of continuous flooding and internal CO2 concentration was significantly higher in leaves of flooded than nonflooded plants. In the cyclic flooding experiments, trees were flooded in 3- to 6-day cycles and then unflooded for the same time periods. Stomatal conductance and A decreased within 3 days of flooding, leaf epinasty occurred between days 5 and 10, leaf senescence and abscission occurred between days 15 and 30, and branch dieback and tree death occurred between days 30 and 60. Three cycles of 3-day flooding and 3-day recovery of trees had little effect on leaf gas exchange of ‘Magaña’ trees. Similarly, ‘Pantin’ trees survived 3 cycles of 6 days of flooding interspersed with 3–6 days of recovery despite consistent decreases in gs and A during flooding. Stomatal conductance and A of both mamey sapote cultivars decreased within a few days of flooding and this species appears to have intermediate flooding tolerance compared with other tropical fruit crops based on tree survival. 相似文献
19.
Pilar Baeza Patricia Sánchez-de-MiguelAna Centeno Pedro JunqueraRubén Linares José Ramón Lissarrague 《Scientia Horticulturae》2007
During the last few years, leaf water potential has been a useful tool in controlling vine water status. However, the time of measurement that could best explain short- and long-term vine responses remains a matter of discussion. The objectives of this work were to study the relationship between vine water status and vine performance and to determine what time of day leaf water potential is best correlated to physiological performance and agronomic vine response. The assay was conducted in Madrid, Spain. Plant material was Cabernet-Sauvignon (Vitis vinifera L.) grafted onto SO4. Three irrigation treatments were established: T1 was non-irrigated, and T2 and T3 were irrigated with a constant fraction of the ETo, k = 0.45 and 0.2, respectively. Vine water status was monitored through predawn, midmorning and noon leaf water potential. Their relationships with net CO2 assimilation rate, vegetative growth rate, yield components and must composition at harvest were studied for 3 consecutive years. Shoot growth rate and net CO2 assimilation rate were better correlated with midmorning and noon leaf water potentials – Ψm and Ψn – than predawn leaf water potential – Ψpd – but all of them were significant. Shoot growth rate was zero for Ψpd = −0.48, Ψm = −1.12 and Ψn = −1.18 MPa. Berry size was better correlated with the water stress integral for predawn (SΨpd) although the water stress integral for midmorning (SΨm) and noon (SΨn) performed quite well. No relationship was found between the water stress integral and TSS, total acidity or pH. Leaf water potential performed as a good parameter for determining both vine water status and agronomic response, but not for evaluating must composition. 相似文献
20.
In order to screen almond genotypes for drought tolerance, three different irrigation levels including moderate and severe stress (Ψs = −1.2 and −1.8 MPa respectively) and a control treatment (Ψs = −0.33 MPa) were applied for five weeks to six different cultivated almond seedlings. A factorial experiment was conducted with a RCBD which included 3 irrigations factors, 6 genotype factors and 3 replications. Seeds were prepared from controlled pollination of the bagged trees (after emasculation and flower isolation using isolator packets in the previous year). Genotypes included: homozygote sweet (Butte), heterozygote sweet (SH12, SH18, SH21 and White) and homozygote Bitter (Bitter Genotype). Leaf and root morphological and physiological traits including; midday relative water content, midday leaf (xylem) water potential, shoot dry weight and growth, total leaf area, leaf size, total leaf dry weight, specific leaf area, leaf greenness (SPAD), stomatal size and density, root and leaf nitrogen content and chlorophyll fluorescence were measured throughout the study. Results showed the six genotypes had different reactions to water stress but all genotypes showed an ability to tolerate the moderate and severe stresses and they showed different degrees of response time to drought stress. Almond seedling leaves could tolerate Ψw between −3 and −4 MPa in short periods. Water availability did not significantly affect stomatal density and size of young almond plants. The analysis of leaf anatomical traits and water relations showed the different strategies for almond genotypes under water stress conditions. Although almond seedlings even in severe stress kept their leaves, they showed a reduction in size to compensate for the stress effects. All genotypes managed to recover from moderate stress so Ψw = −1.2 could be tolerated well by almond seedlings but Ψw = −1.8 limited young plant growth. Leaf greenness, leaf size, shoot growth, shoot DW, TLDW and stomatal density were not good markers for drought resistance in almond seedlings. Root DW/LA, lower stomatal size and lower SLA might be related to drought resistance in cultivated almonds. Butte had the least resistance and White showed better performance during water stress while other genotypes were intermediate. Bitter seedlings showed no superiority in comparison with other genotypes under water stress conditions except for better germination and greater root DW which might make them suitable as rootstocks under irrigation conditions. 相似文献