Studies on mechanisms of dehydration postponement in cassava leaves under short-term soil water deficits

Abstract

Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) can produce a high crop yield even in an environment with irregular rains. This is mainly attributed to its abilities to maintain leaf area under drought conditions and rapidly regrow after rain. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of leaf maintenance under water deficits through measurement of photosynthetic rate and water potential changes in leaves. The cassava plants were grown in pots and exposed to water deficits, and the diurnal changes in water potentials, rates of photosynthesis and transpiration and stomatal conductance were measured. The relationship between leaf water potential (Ψw) and photosynthetic rate with decreasing soil water, and osmotic adjustment were also investigated. With respect to water supply in leaves, the movement of water in plants was measured using stem heat balance. Under water deficits, photosynthesis occurred only in the early morning. The water loss was reduced by stomatal closure in the mid-day. This was attributed to the complete closure of the stomata during the decrease in Ψw to a range between -1.0 and - 1.4 MPa. Furthermore, the firm stomatal closure is caused by the consistency of osmotic potential under decreases in soil water, i.e., to a lack of osmotic adjustment. Water stored in the pith parenchyma of stem flowed into leaves in the morning. From these results, we conclude that cassava can consistently maintain an adequate water level in leaves via water storage and the sensitivity of stomata to water deficits, thereby avoiding leaf dehydration.