| Popis: |
In times of climate change threats to agricultural production, mainly in form of severe droughts, it is important to select plants adapted to a lack of water. Characterization of plant physiological traits in the early stress response can give insights into adaptive mechanisms of plants faced with water shortage. Garlic is an important vegetable crop, and despite its wide use and production, there is lack of research on its physiological response to water stress. The wide spectrum of garlic diversity in Croatia provides a possible level of variation in its tolerance to drought. In this research, two garlic landraces were analyzed in their responses to water stress by measuring leaf gas exchange (LI-6800, LI-COR, USA) and multispectral traits (PlantEye Microscanner, Phenospex, Netherlands). Drought led to a significant decrease in gas exchange parameters of garlic landraces. Transpiration rate in drought stressed plants decreased significantly compared to well-watered plants, and the same trend was observed for photosynthesis and stomatal conductance, whereas intercellular CO2 and leaf temperature were not affected by water shortage. Interaction between landrace and drought stress was found in assimilation and stomatal conductance, indicating a different response of two garlic landraces. We found no significant differences among two garlic landraces or irrigation treatments in spectral vegetation indices, as well as leaf area and digital biomass, suggesting that those traits were not so sensitive to short water shortage as photosynthesis. Selection for more drought adapted garlic cultivars could be carried out through physiological parameters. |
