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| Author(s): |
Eduardo Augusto Girardi
Total Authors: 1
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| Document type: | Doctoral Thesis |
| Press: | Piracicaba. |
| Institution: | Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALA/BC) |
| Defense date: | 2008-11-07 |
| Examining board members: |
Francisco de Assis Alves Mourão Filho;
Sergio Alves de Carvalho;
Eduardo Caruso Machado;
João Alexio Scarpare Filho;
Eduardo Sanches Stuchi
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| Advisor: | Francisco de Assis Alves Mourão Filho |
| Abstract | |
Physiological aspects of citrus nursery tree production submitted to water deficit are necessary to support irrigation management in screen houses. This work evaluated water stress induced either by polyethylene glycol (PEG) or irrigation suspending on growth and physiological traits of Valencia sweet orange (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck) budded on Rangpur lime (Citrus limonia Osbeck) and Swingle citrumelo (Poncirus trifoliata (L.) Raf x Citrus paradisi Macf). Nursery trees were produced in 4.5L containers filled with composted pine bark, and submitted to water stress in three phenological phases in two seasons (autumn-winter and spring-summer). Experimental works were divided in two trials. In the first one, evaluation was carried on plants submitted to container capacity, irrigation suspending when substrate water potential dropped to -15kPa, and two PEG concentrations in water equivalents to substrate water potential of -15 and -25kPa. In the second trial, evaluation was carried on plants submitted to container capacity and irrigation suspending when substrate water potential dropped to -15 and -25kPa. Data collected included biometric variables, leaf concentrations of nutrients, proline and chlorophyll, carbohydrates concentrations in roots, stems and leaves, commercial feasibility of nursery trees, CO2 assimilation rate, stomatal conductance, leaf transpiration and temperature, and water use efficiency. Experimental design was randomized blocks with a 2 x 3 x 4 factorial (rootstock x phenological phase x water stress), performing 24 treatments and five replicates for the first experiment, and a 2 x 3 x 3 factorial with 18 treatments and six replicates for the second experiment. Experimental unit consisted of six nursery plants aligned on concrete benches. Valencia sweet orange budded on Rangpur lime and Swingle citrumelo had different growth and physiological behavior, with the first rootstock inducing higher vigor. PEG should not be used for in vivo water stress studies in containerized citrus, as a result of toxicity and physiological effects distinct from those observed in plants submitted to suspended irrigation. Nursery trees on both materials are affected by suspended irrigation from unwrapping to the maturation of scion second growth flush. Damages to plant development due to water deficit are proportional to stress duration. However, temporary drought is more harmful when partially induced after the scion first growth flush, probably because of higher plant size and container restriction. Substrate water potential of -15kPa can be used as adequate irrigation threshold for Valencia sweet orange nursery production on Rangpur lime and Swingle citrumelo rootstocks regardless of phenological phase. On the other hand, substrate water potential of -25kPa significantly reduces horticultural value of citrus nursery trees. Rangpur lime induces higher morphological and physiological acclimation to the scion due to irrigation suspending, and it also has great plasticity and recovery of growth and physiological performance after successive suspending / restoring irrigation cycles. (AU) | |