Stomatal responses and drought resistance

Abstract

During drought, stomata allow the regulation of CO2 and water vapor exchanges of the plant. The relationships between stomatal conductance and leaf water potential and the stomatal responses to air water vapor deficit are studied and their mechanisms analysed. The partial control of photosynthesis by stomata is reexamined taking into account the new results showing a stomatal aperture patchiness on the leaf during drought. In a last part, interest and limitations of the use of stomatal responses in plant breeding for more drought resistant cultivars are discussed in relation to the overall mechanisms of drought resistance in the plant kingdom. © 1990 Taylor and Francis Group, LLC.