Vol. 83 No: 5

Title:
Rootstocks affect growth, water relations, gas exchange, and anatomy of 'Flemish Beauty' pear under water stress

Authors:
S. SHARMA and N. SHARMA

pp: 658-662

Abstract:
One-year-old ‘Flemish Beauty’ pear (Pyrus communis L.) trees, grafted on two Pyrus seedling rootstocks [‘Kainth’ (P. pashia Buck and Ham.) and ‘Shiara’ (P. serotina Redh.)] and three clonal quince rootstocks [BA 29, Quince A and Quince C], were studied under two moisture levels for 6 months, in order to evaluate the physiological and anatomical changes induced by water stress. Irrigation was applied when the soil water potential reached –0.05 MPa for control trees, and –0.5 MPa for water-stressed trees. Growth data suggested that pear trees on ‘Kainth’ and on BA 29 were less affected by water stress than those on the other rootstocks. Leaf water potential declined to 1.48 MPa for trees on ‘Kainth’, and to 1.50 MPa for those on BA 29. Trees on ‘Kainth’ and BA 29 showed less reduction in their relative water content, photosynthetic rate, xylem vessel diameter, and the width of their secondary xylem zone, compared to trees on the other rootstocks under water stress conditions.

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