Skip to main navigation menu Skip to main content Skip to site footer
ASPHC Baner

Vol. 19 No. 3 (2020)

Articles

DIVERSE STRATEGIES OF RHODODENDRON (Rhododendron sp.) GENOTYPES IN THE WATER SHORTAGE MANAGEMENT

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24326/asphc.2020.3.14
Submitted: June 29, 2020
Published: 2020-06-29

Abstract

Rhododendrons in numerous gardens in Central Europe are frequently endangered by adverse summer drought periods associated with the climate change. Therefore, in this work drought-resistance strategies in recent genotypes of these highly aesthetic shrubs were investigated. Dehydrated Rhododendron groenlandicum ‘Helma’, R. obtusum ‘Michiko’ and R. hybridum ‘Polarnacht’ showed high initial stomatal conductances (gS), after few days steeply falling to the stable minimum at ca. 20, 85 and 70% leaf relative water content (RWC), respectively. Except of ‘Polarnacht’, they had relatively large specific leaf area and ‘Michiko’ also free proline accumulation. On the other hand, R. repens ‘Scarlet Wonder’ and R. hybridum ‘Red Jack’ started with half gS values, continuously declining 1.5–2 fold longer compared to the first group of genotypes (RWC of ca. 60 and 75%, respectively). Both produced relatively thick leaves but did not show any osmotic adjustment. Among observed drought-resistance strategies, lower and longer period active transpiration with stomata sensitive to the water loss, as found in R. repens ‘Scarlet Wonder’ and R. × hybridum ‘Red Jack’, were accepted as the most effective for drought-affected rhododendron plantations.

References

  1. Aspelmeier, S., Leuschner, C. (2006). Genetic variation in drought responses of silver birch (Betula pendula Roth): leaf and root morphology and carbon partitioning. Trees, 20(1), 42–52. DOI: 10.1007/s00468-005-0011-9
  2. Augé, R.M., Stodola, A.J.W., Moore, J.L., Klingeman, W.E., Duan, X.G. (2003). Comparative dehydration tolerance of foliage of several ornamental crops. Sci. Hortic., 98, 511–516. DOI: 10.1016/S0304-4238(03)00037-2
  3. Bacelar, E.A., Correia, C.M., Moutinho-Pereira, J., Gonçalves, B.C., Lopes, J.I., Torres-Pereira, J.M.G. (2004). Sclerophylly and leaf anatomical traits of five field-grown olive cultivars growing under drought conditions. Tree Physiol., 24, 233–239. DOI: 10.1093/treephys/24.2.233
  4. Bates, L.S., Waldren, R.P., Teare, J.D. (1973). Rapid determination of proline for water-stress studies. Plant Soil, 39, 205–207.
  5. Blum, A. (2011). Plant water relations, plant stress and plant production. In: Plant breeding for water-limited environment, Blum, A. (ed.). Springer-Verlag, Berlin–Heidelberg, 11–52.
  6. Böhm, Č. (2004). Vše o rododendronech [All about rhododendorns]. Květ, Praha.
  7. Cameron, R., Harrison-Murray, R., Fordham, M., Wilkinson, S., Davies, W., Atkinson, C., Else, M. (2008). Regulated irrigation of woody ornamentals to improve plant quality and precondition against drought stress. Ann. Appl. Biol., 153, 49–61. DOI: 10.1111/j.1744-7348.2008.00237.x
  8. Cordero, R.A., Nilsen, E.T. (2002). Effects of summer drought and winter freezing on stem hydraulic conductivity of Rhododendron species from contrasting climates. Tree Physiol., 22, 919–928. DOI: 10.1093/treephys/22.13.919
  9. Dang, H., Zhou, Z., Zhao, Y. (2005). Drought resistibility of main tree species in water conservation forest of Qilian Mountains. Chin. J. Appl. Ecol., 16(12), 2241–2247.
  10. Ferus, P., Hoťka, P., Konôpková, J. (2017). Drought and frost tolerance in rhododendron collection of the Mlyňany Arboretum (Slovakia): a screening for future climate. Folia Oecol., 44(2), 87–95. DOI: 10.1515/foecol-2017-0011
  11. IPCC (2014). Climate Change 2014: Synthesis Report. Pachauri, R.K., Meyer, L.A. (eds.). IPCC, Geneva.
  12. He, L., Su, L., Liu, X.Q., Li, C., Chen, S.P., Xiang, L.P. (2011). The effect of drought stress on photosynthetic physiological characteristics of Rhododendron hybrid „Cosmopolitan” simulated by PEG. J. Uni. Sci. Tech. Suzhou, 4, 62–66.
  13. Klein, T. (2014). The variability of stomatal sensitivity to leaf water potential across tree species indicates a continuum between isohydric and anisohydric behaviours. Funct. Ecol., 28, 1313–1320. DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12289
  14. Ke, S.S. (2007). Effect of soil drought stress on water use efficiency of Rhododendron fortunei leaves. J. Henan Normal Uni., 35(2), 150–153.
  15. Ke, S.S., Yang, M.W. (2007). Effect of water stress on antioxidant system and lipid peroxidation in leaves of Rhododendron fortunei. Acta Hortic. Sin., 34(5), 1217–1222.
  16. Ke, S.S., Wei, Y., Chen, X.T., Ge, Y., Wu, X.Z., Tao, M.X. (2007). Response of the stomatal conductance and transpiration rate of Rhododendron fortunei leaves to water deficit. J. Anhui Agric. Sci., 21, 6363–6365.
  17. Krüssmann, G. (1968). Rhododendren, andere immmergrüne Laubgehölze aund Koniferen [Rhododendrons, other evergreen woody plants and conifers]. Paul Parey, Hamburg.
  18. Larcher, W. (2003) Physiological plant ecology. Springer-Verlag, Berlin–Heidelberg.
  19. Li, J., Huang, L.H., Chen, X. (2015). Physiological response of two Rhododendron simsii seedlings to drought stress and drought resistance evaluation. SW Chin. J. Agric. Sci., 28(3), 1067–1072.
  20. Mayr, S., Beikircher, B., Obkircher, M.A., Schmid, P. (2010). Hydraulic plasticity and limitations of alpine Rhododendron species. Oecologia, 164, 321–330. DOI: 10.1007/s00442-010-1648-7
  21. Sanders, G.J., Arndt, S.K. (2012). Osmotic adjustment under drought conditions. In: Plant responses to drought stress, Aroca, R. (ed.). Springer-Verlag, Berlin–Heidelberg, 199–229.
  22. Poudyal, K., Jha, P.K., Zobel, D.B., Thapa, C.B. (2004). Patterns of leaf conductance and water potential of five Himalayan tree species. Tree Physiol., 24(6), 689–699. DOI: 10.1093/treephys/24.6.689
  23. Singh, S.P., Zobel, D.B., Garkoti, S.C., Tewari, A., Negi, C.M.S. (2006). Patterns in water relations of central Himalayan trees. Trop. Ecol., 47(2), 159–182.
  24. Sharp, R.G., Else, M.A., Cameron, R.W., Davies, W.J. (2009). Water deficits promote flowering in Rhododendron via regulation of pre and post initiation development. Sci. Hortic., 120, 511–517. DOI: 10.1016/j.scienta.2008.12.008
  25. Tashev, A., Benkova, V., Benkova, A., Tashev, N. (2016). Drought-induced modifications in the vascular systems of tertiary relicts Vaccinium arctostaphylos, Rhododendron ponticum and Ilex colchica (Strandja, Bulgaria). International Multidisciplinary Science GeoConference Surveying Geology and Mining Ecology Management, 2, 263–270.
  26. Verslues, P.E., Agarwal, M., Katiyar-Agarwal, S., Zhu, J., Zhu, J.K. (2006). Methods and concepts in quantifying resistance to drought, salt and freezing, abiotic stresses that affect plant water status. Plant J., 45, 523–539. DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-313X.2005.02593.x
  27. Zhang, C.Q., Luo, J.F., Su, Y.F. (2002). The research of drought tolerance on 6 species of Rhododendron. Guangxi Zhiwu, 22(2), 174–176.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Similar Articles

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 > >> 

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.