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Leaf Area Index, Leaf Transpiration and Stomatal Conductance as Affected by Soil Water Deficit and VPD in Processing Tomato in Semi Arid Mediterranean Climate
Author(s) -
Patanè C.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of agronomy and crop science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.095
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1439-037X
pISSN - 0931-2250
DOI - 10.1111/j.1439-037x.2010.00454.x
Subject(s) - transpiration , vapour pressure deficit , stomatal conductance , environmental science , agronomy , mediterranean climate , arid , irrigation , soil water , water use efficiency , biomass (ecology) , deficit irrigation , water use , leaf area index , semi arid climate , photosynthesis , biology , irrigation management , soil science , botany , ecology
In order to assess the effects of soil water availability and climatic conditions on leaf growth, leaf transpiration ( E ) and stomatal conductance ( g s ) of processing tomato, under deficit irrigation regimes in the Mediterranean climate, open‐field experiments were carried out in two sites differing from soil and climatic characteristics, in Sicily, South Italy. A wide range of soil water availability from dry, deficit irrigation to full irrigation was examined. Leaf area greatly changed with soil water availability but not with the experimental site. The effect of soil drying on physiological indices was small over a certain range of soil water deficit (from 0 % to approximately 40 %). Within this range, vapour pressure deficit (VPD) strongly affected g s . To this regard, the adoption of two experimental sites differing in climatic conditions ( i.e. air temperature, RH, VPD) has been useful for a better understanding of the mechanisms, which regulate stomatal opening. Therefore, in Mediterranean environment, the combined effect of soil water availability (mostly upon leaf growth) and climatic conditions (mostly upon plant physiology) must be considered in models for biomass production in tomato crop.