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Biomass production, photosynthesis, and leaf water relations of Spartina alterniflora under moderate water stress

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Abstract

The perennial smooth cordgrass, Spartina alterniflora, has been successfully introduced in salty ecosystems for revegetation or agricultural use. However, it remains unclear whether it can be introduced in arid ecosystems. The aim of this study was to investigate the physiological response of this species to water deficiency in a climate-controlled greenhouse. The experiment consisted of two levels of irrigation modes, 100 and 50% field capacities (FC). Although growth, photosynthesis, and stomatal conductance of plants with 50% FC were reduced at 90 days from the start of the experiment, all of the plants survived. The water-stressed plants exhibited osmotic adjustment and an increase in the maximum elastic modulus that is assumed to be effective to enhance the driving force for water extraction from the soil with small leaf water loss. An increase in the water use efficiency was also found in the water-stressed plants, which could contribute to the maintenance of leaf water status under drought conditions. It can be concluded that S. alterniflora has the capacity to maintain leaf water status and thus survive in arid environment.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratoire d’Adaptation des Plantes aux Stress Abiotiques, Centre de Biotechnologie Borj Cédria, BP 901, Hammam-Lif, 2050, Tunisia

    Kamel Hessini, Mohamed Ghandour, Abdelaziz Soltani & Chedly Abdelly

  2. Institut National de Recherches en Génie Rural, Eaux et Forêts, BP 10, Ariana, 2080, Tunisia

    Ali Albouchi

  3. Institute for Plant Ecology, Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, 35392, Giessen, Germany

    Koyro Hans Werner

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  1. Kamel Hessini
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  2. Mohamed Ghandour
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  3. Ali Albouchi
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  4. Abdelaziz Soltani
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  5. Koyro Hans Werner
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  6. Chedly Abdelly
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Correspondence to Kamel Hessini.

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Hessini, K., Ghandour, M., Albouchi, A. et al. Biomass production, photosynthesis, and leaf water relations of Spartina alterniflora under moderate water stress. J Plant Res 121, 311–318 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10265-008-0151-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10265-008-0151-2

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