Hydraulic conductance, stomatal conductance, and maximal photosynthetic rate in bean leaves

Abstract

A positive correlation was found between steady state values of hydraulic (L(pA)) and stomatal conductance (g(s)) of French bean leaves: both were lower in the dark than in the light and lower in water-deficient plants than in the well-watered ones. The relative rate of stomatal opening after a pressure rise in the xylem was also positively related to L(pA). The L(pA) and g(s) were both related to the maximal photosythetic rate at saturating CO2 concentrations.