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Biomass accumulation, allocation, and water-use efficiency in 10 Malus rootstocks under two watering regimes

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Abstract

Variations in biomass productivity, plant water-use efficiency (WUEp), and carbon isotope composition (δ13C) were investigated among 10 Malus rootstocks. In the semi-controlled environmental of a greenhouse, plants were watered to either 75% or 50% of field capacity. For each treatment, significant differences were found in dry matter accumulation and allocation, δ13C, and WUEp. Relative growth rate (RGR) was correlated with WUEp but not with allocation pattern. Variations in whole-plant transpiration were a result of fluctuations in the rate of transpiration per unit leaf area rather than from differences in leaf area or root weight per plant. Values for transpiration per unit leaf area or root weight were lower when the proportion of either leaf area or root weight per unit plant weight was larger. Rootstock differences in δ13C were related to changes in stomatal conductance rather than in net photosynthesis. Finally, δ13C was significantly correlated with WUEp and rootstock rankings based on both of those parameters were maintained regardless of watering treatment.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported in part by the Agriculture Ministry of China, and the Talent Support Program of Northwest A&F University. The authors are grateful to Priscilla Licht for help in revising our English composition, and to Mr. Xuanchang Fu for field management.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Horticulture, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, 712100, China

    Xiaowei Ma, Fengwang Ma, Cuiying Li, Yinfa Mi & Tuanhui Bai

  2. College of Horticulture Science and Engineering, Shandong Agriculture University, Taian, Shandong, 271018, China

    Huairui Shu

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  1. Xiaowei Ma
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  2. Fengwang Ma
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Correspondence to Fengwang Ma.

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Ma, X., Ma, F., Li, C. et al. Biomass accumulation, allocation, and water-use efficiency in 10 Malus rootstocks under two watering regimes. Agroforest Syst 80, 283–294 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-010-9306-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-010-9306-y

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