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Dawn leaf water potential (dawnΨ), leaf water potential (leafΨ) and stem water potential (stemΨ) were measured on mature leaves to determine non-irrigated vine water status in vineyards during the growing season. StemΨ was the most discriminating indicator for both moderate and severe water deficits. The difference between stemΨ and leafΨ (ΔΨ) provided an indirect measurement of mean leaf transpiration which varied with soil moisture conditions and vapour pressure deficit in the atmosphere. The use of stemΨ as an indicator for grapevine management in both non-irrigated and irrigated vineyards is discussed.

Aims The growing demand from forest managers is to identify silvicultural practices to overcome projected water scarcity during the next decades. One solution is to mix tree species in the same stand, thereby increasing resource partitioning and minimizing competition for limited soil water. This study investigates the mixture approach for Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl. and Pinus sylvestris L. during an extreme summer drought event. Methods During the summer drought event in 2016, we analyzed the isotopic signatures of large- and small-tree xylem and soil water throughout the soil profile to assess the depth of water uptake for both tree species. We also measured predawn leaf water potentials (PLWP) to assess water availability for individual tree species. Results When grown in pure stands, both species primarily utilized soil water near the surface. In contrast, partial niche complementarity for limited water resources between the two species in mixed stands resulted in less water constraint (i.e., less negative PLWP) for oak trees compared to pure stands, especially for small trees. Conclusions Results from this study show that contrasting water use strategies can change water availability for trees and could help some species, though not all, to cope with the water scarcity predicted in a changing climate.

Background Accurate leaf water potential (Ψ w ) determination is crucial in studying plant responses to water deficit. After excision, water potential decreases, even under low evaporative demand conditions, which has been recently attributed to the equilibration of pre-excision Ψ w gradients across the leaf. We assessed the influence of potential re-equilibration on water potential determination by monitoring leaf Ψ w and relative water content decline after excision using different storage methods. Results Even though leaf Ψ w declined during storage under low evaporative demand conditions, this was strongly reduced when covering the leaf with a hydrophobic layer (vaseline) and explained by changes in relative water content. However, residual water loss was variable between species, possibly related to morpho-physiological leaf traits. Provided water loss was minimized during storage, pre-excision leaf transpiration rate did not affect to the magnitude of leaf Ψ w decline after excision, confirming that transpiration-driven Ψ w gradients have no effect on leaf Ψ w determination. Conclusions Disequilibrium in water potentials across a transpiring leaf upon excision is dissipated very quickly, well within the elapsed time between excision and pressurization, therefore, not resulting in overestimation of leaf Ψ w measured immediately after excision. When leaf storage is required, the effectiveness of a storage under low evaporative demand varied among species. Covering with a hydrophobic layer is an acceptable alternative.

Plant hydraulic architecture has been studied extensively, yet we know little about how hydraulic properties relate to species' life history strategies, such as drought and shade tolerance. The prevailing theories seem contradictory. We measured the sapwood (K s ) and leaf (K l ) hydraulic conductivities of 40 coexisting tree species in a Bolivian dry forest, and examined associations with functional stem and leaf traits and indices of species' drought (dry-season leaf water potential) and shade (juvenile crown exposure) tolerance. Hydraulic properties varied across species and between life-history groups (pioneers vs shade-tolerant, and deciduous vs evergreen species). In addition to the expected negative correlation of K l with drought tolerance, we found a strong, negative correlation between K l and species' shade tolerance. Across species, K s and K l were negatively correlated with wood density and positively with maximum vessel length. Consequently, drought and shade tolerance scaled similarly with hydraulic properties, wood density and leaf dry matter content. We found that deciduous species also had traits conferring efficient water transport relative to evergreen species. Hydraulic properties varied across species, corresponding to the classical trade-off between hydraulic efficiency and safety, which for these dry forest trees resulted in coordinated drought and shade tolerance across species rather than the frequently hypothesized trade-off.

Aims Soil salinity varies greatly in the plant rhizosphere. The effect of nonuniform salinity on the growth and physiology response of alfalfa plants was determined to improve understanding of salt stress tolerance mechanisms of alfalfa. Methods Plant growth, predawn leaf water potential, water uptake, and tissue ionic content were studied in alfalfa plants grown hydroponically for 9 days using a split-root system, with uniform salinity or horizontally nonuniform salinity treatments (0/S, 75/S, and 150/S corresponding to 0, 75, and 150 mM NaCl on the low salt side, respectively). Results Compared with uniform high salinity, 0/S and 75/S treatments significantly increased the alfalfa shoot dry mass and stem extension rate. Compensatory water uptake by low salt roots of 0/S and 75/S treatments was observed. However, decreased leaf Na⁺ concentration, increased leaf K⁺/Na⁺, and compensatory growth of roots on the low salt side were observed only following the 0/S treatment. Conclusions Nonuniform salinity dose not enhance plant growth once a threshold NaCl concentration in low salinity growth medium has been reached. Compensation of water uptake from the low-salt root zone and regulation of K⁺/Na⁺ homeostasis in low salt root play more important role than regulation of leaf ions in enhancing alfalfa growth under nonuniform salinity.

The present work evaluates the main adaptive mechanisms developed by young sweet cherry trees (Prunus avium L.) to cope with drought. For this purpose, the young trees were subjected to two drought cycles with different water stress intensities followed by a recovery period. Three irrigation treatments were applied: control treatment (CTL) irrigated to ensure non-limiting soil water conditions; moderate water stress (MS) subjected to two drying cycles whose duration was dependent on the time elapsed until the trees reached values of midday stem water potential (Ψstem) of −1.3 and −1.7 MPa for the first and second cycle, respectively; and severe water stress (SS) similar to MS, but with reference values of −1.6 and −2.5 MPa. In-between drought cycles, MS and SS trees were irrigated daily as the CTL trees until reaching Ψstem values similar to those of CTL trees. The MS and SS trees showed an important stomatal regulation and lower vegetative growth. The decreasing leaf turgor potential (Ψturgor) during the drought periods accounted for 40–100% of the reduction in leaf water potential at midday (Ψmd). The minimum osmotic potential for mature leaves was about 0.35 MPa lower than in well-irrigated trees. The occasional osmotic adjustment observed in MS and SS trees was not sufficient to maintain Ψturgor values similar to the CTL trees or to increase the specific leaf weight (SLW). The leaf insertion angle increased as the water stress level increased. Severe water stress (Ψstem < −2.0 MPa) resulted in clear early defoliation as a further step in water conservation.

Climate change is affecting global viticulture, increasing heatwaves and drought. Precision irrigation, supported by robust water status indicators (WSIs), is inevitable in most of the Mediterranean basin. One of the most reliable WSIs is the leaf water potential (Ψleaf), which is determined via an intrusive and time-consuming method. The aim of this work is to discern the most effective variables that are correlated with plants’ water status and identify the variables that better predict Ψleaf. Five grapevine varieties grown in the Alentejo region (Portugal) were selected and subjected to three irrigation treatments, starting in 2018: full irrigation (FI), deficit irrigation (DI), and no irrigation (NI). Plant monitoring was performed in 2023. Measurements included stomatal conductance (gs), predawn water potential Ψpd, stem water potential (Ψstem), thermal imaging, and meteorological data. The WSIs, namely Ψpd and gs, responded differently according to the irrigation treatment. Ψstem measured at mid-morning (MM) and mid-day (MD) proved unable to discern between treatments. MM measurements presented the best correlations between WSIs. gs showed the best correlations between the other WSIs, and consequently the best predictive capability to estimate Ψpd. Machine learning regression models were trained on meteorological, thermal, and gs data to predict Ψpd, with ensemble models showing a great performance (ExtraTrees: R2=0.833, MAE=0.072; Gradient Boosting: R2=0.830; MAE=0.073).

Midday leaf water potential (Ψmd) was monitored for 3 years at a commercial vineyard (cv. Pinot Noir) under four irrigation strategies. Three treatments were established based on irrigating vines with 4-6 mm/day, when daily measured Ψmd was more negative than the pre-defined threshold. After the first experimental year, thresholds were adjusted for each treatment as: (1) Control (C), irrigated when Ψmd was less than -0.6 MPa at the beginning of the season and gradually fell to -0.8 MPa at about mid-June, after which the threshold was maintained at -0.8 MPa until harvest. (2) Control-Deficit (CD), irrigated as C from bud-break to mid-June (around the middle of Stage II of fruit growth), and from then until harvest when Ψmd decreased below -1.2 MPa. (3) Deficit-Deficit (DD), irrigated when Ψmd was less than -1.0 from bud break to mid-May (about the middle of fruit growth Stage I), and after that time the Ψmd threshold became -1.2 MPa until harvest. A fourth treatment was applied following a soil water budget approach (WB). All treatments were replicated five times but irrigation in the Ψmd-based treatments were independently applied to each of the replicate plots, whereas irrigation for WB was applied equally to all replications. The more site-specific information obtained from Ψmd thresholds in C provided substantial advantages for yield homogeneity and repeatability of results with respect to WB, thus demonstrating the method's greater ability to account for spatial variability. Average applied water for the 3 years in C, CD, and DD was 374, 250, and 178 mm, respectively, while the yields were 11.8, 9.2, and 6.1 kg/vine, respectively. The CD treatment produced better juice quality than C, and was superior in other quality parameters to both C and DD. However, over the study period, an important carryover effect was observed in the yields and the grape size of CD, which tended to diminish from year to year relative to C.

Soil water status and its effect on plant water status are commonly evaluated for water stress diagnosis in annual crops. We investigated the application of this method to vineyards, using the fraction of transpirable soil water (FTSW) to characterise the soil water deficit experienced by the plant. The stability of the relationship between FTSW and predawn leaf water potential (Ψp) was analysed over two years (2000-2001), in two contrasted soils in vineyards in south eastern France, both planted with the cultivar Syrah, but grafted on different rootstocks (SO4 and 140Ru). FTSW was determined from soil moisture measurements performed with a neutron probe down to 2.5 m, under the rows and between the rows (3 replicates in each case). Vertical and horizontal variations in soil water content were analysed and the upper and lower limits of total vine's transpirable soil water (TTSW) were calculated for each soil. The lower limit was also compared with the value of soil moisture content determined at — 1.5 MPa in the laboratory. FTSW could be calculated for the soil depth analysed, without distinguishing horizontal position (row or inter-row). The lower limit of TTSW for vine was higher than the soil water content at — 1.5 MPa, except in the upper horizons (0-0.2 m) which are prone to soil evaporation. A single relationship between Ψp and FTSW was obtained for the two vineyards and for the two years of measurement. This relationship was similar to that established by Lebon et al. (2003) on Gewürztraminer/SO4 in a vineyard in northern France. FTSW can therefore be used as an indicator of the water deficit experienced in vineyards, provided that TTSW is correctly estimated.

• Root access to bedrock water storage or groundwater is an important trait allowing plant survival in seasonally dry environments. However, the degree of coordination between water uptake depth, leaf-level water-use efficiency (WUEi) and water potential in drought-prone plant communities is not well understood. • We conducted a 135-d rainfall exclusion experiment in a subtropical karst ecosystem with thin skeletal soils to evaluate the responses of 11 co-occurring woody species of contrasting life forms and leaf habits to a severe drought during the wet growing season. • Marked differences in xylem water isotopic composition during drought revealed distinct ecohydrological niche separation among species. The contrasting behaviour of leaf water potential in coexisting species during drought was largely explained by differences in root access to deeper, temporally stable water sources. Smaller-diameter species with shallower water uptake, more negative water potentials and lower WUEi showed extensive drought-induced canopy defoliation and/or mortality. By contrast, larger-diameter species with deeper water uptake, higher leaf-level WUEi and more isohydric behaviour survived drought with only moderate canopy defoliation. • Severe water limitation imposes strong environmental filtering and/or selective pressures resulting in tight coordination between tree diameter, water uptake depth, iso/anisohydric behaviour, WUEi and drought vulnerability in karst plant communities