Effects of irrigation deprivation during the harvest period on leaf persistence and function in mature almond trees.

In nut tree orchards in California, irrigation is typically withheld during the harvest period to reduce the likelihood of bark damage during mechanical shaking of the trees. The ensuing water stress, however, may result in premature defoliation and subsequent yield declines. Our objective was to establish and quantify the water stress resulting from irrigation deprivation and determine its impact on leaf function and persistence in mature almond trees (Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D.A. Webb cv. Nonpareil) during a 3-year field experiment. The severity of the water stress was characterized by measurements of predawn leaf (Psi(pd)) and midday stem (Psi(ms)) water potentials, stomatal conductance (gs), net CO2 assimilation rate (A) and leaf abscission. During 1995, Psi(ms) of fully irrigated (FI) trees was maintained above -1.0 MPa. In trees in the moderate- (MS) and severe-stress (SS) treatments, Psi(ms) was reduced to -1.4 to -2.0 MPa and -2.0 to -2.6 MPa, respectively. After 18 days of irrigation deprivation, A was reduced by 32 and 58% at midday and early afternoon, respectively, compared with morning values. A significant decrease in morning values of A only occurred after 30 days of irrigation deprivation. Water-use efficiency and A declined as evaporative demand increased from morning to afternoon. Assimilation also declined seasonally as leaves aged. Midday stem water potential was highly correlated with A, but less so with gs. The coefficient of determination between Psi(ms) and gs improved considerably when vapor pressure deficit and wind were multiply regressed with Psi(ms). Although A recovered rapidly when MS trees were irrigated, recovery in SS trees was slower and incomplete. Integrating the MS and SS effects for an extended period during 1995 resulted in 14 and 30% declines in A, and 6 and 20% declines in gs, respectively. The apparent Psi(ms) threshold for leaf abscission was -1.8 MPa. Daily canopy light interception declined with decreasing Psi(ms) as a result of premature defoliation (and perhaps altered leaf angles) from 67.9% in FI trees to 61.4 and 60.7% in MS and SS trees, respectively.

Effects of irrigation deprivation during the harvest period on yield determinants in mature almond trees.

Effects of irrigation deprivation during the harvest period on yield determinants in mature almond (Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D.A. Webb cv. Nonpareil) trees were investigated during a 3-year field experiment. Return bloom and fruit set were measured on 2185 individually tagged spurs. Water stress resulting from irrigation deprivation during the harvest period, which purportedly coincides with the time of flower initiation, had no effect on the percentage of spurs that flowered or set fruit during subsequent years. Although water stress had no apparent effect on spur mortality, 66% of the tagged spurs died within 3 years. In addition, many spurs were vegetative by the third year, indicating the importance of spur renewal for sustained fruit production. Reductions in nut yield were evident after two successive years of irrigation deprivation during the harvest period. Regression analysis indicated a loss in yield of 7.7 kg tree(-1) in response to each 1 MPa decrease in stem water potential below -1.2 MPa during the previous seasons. The number of fruiting positions per tree (estimated indirectly for whole trees based on weight of current-year shoots > 5 cm in length) was negatively associated with water stress. Yield reduction in response to water stress during harvest appears to be a compound, multiyear effect, associated with reduced annual growth and renewal of fruiting positions.

Effects of irrigation deprivation during the harvest period on nonstructural carbohydrate and nitrogen contents of dormant, mature almond trees.

Effect of irrigation deprivation during the harvest period on the nonstructural carbohydrate (NC) content of dormant, mature, field-grown almond (Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D.A. Webb cv. Nonpareil) trees was studied. Roots, trunk, branches, spurs and stems of 12 trees were subsampled in February 1997, across a gradient of irrigation treatments (FI = fully irrigated, MS = moderately stressed and SS = severely stressed) to relate NC concentration to the degree of water stress experienced by individual trees during the previous (1996) harvest period. To assess the effect of water stress on whole-tree NC content, three dormant FI trees and three dormant SS trees were excavated on December 10, 1997, and dry weights and NC and N concentrations of the tree components were determined. Whole-tree biomass did not differ significantly between FI and SS trees, although SS trees tended to have less total dry weight. Although roots constituted just 13% of tree biomass, they stored 36 and 44% of tree NC and N contents, respectively. There were negative relationships between the seasonal minimum values of both midday (Psi(ms)) and predawn (Psi(pd)) stem water potentials during the harvest period and root NC content of dormant trees. Severe water stress during the harvest period resulted in a 26% reduction in NC content and a 50% reduction in biomass of current-year stems (> 5 cm in length) per tree. The reduction in NC content is consistent with the previously reported late season reductions in leaf function and persistence. The SS trees exhibited a reduction in NC content but not in N content per tree, indicating that late season accumulation of NC and N were uncoupled in trees subjected to severe harvest-period water stress.

A new technique for studying the stylet tracks of homopteran insects in hand-sectioned plant tissue using light or epifluorescence microscopy.

Homopteran insects, such as aphids, psyllids and scales, inject a proteinaceous salivary sheath into their host plant tissue during feeding. This sheath, also referred to as a stylet track, remains in the tissue after the stylets are withdrawn, and is useful for studying plant resistance to insects and plant virus transmission. We describe a new method for studying stylet tracks. Hand microtome sectioned plant material was fixed and cleared in ethanol. The stylet tracks were stained with acid fuchsin and counterstained with aniline blue or fast green. The acid fuchsin stained stylet tracks were pink to red under light microscopy, and orange under TRITC epifluorescence. Stylet tracks in unstained sections autofluoresced under DAPI epifluorescence. This new technique is significantly faster and less complex than previous techniques, and permitted visualization of stylet tracks with light or epifluorescence microscopy within 1 hr of collecting fresh plant material. The technique was also applicable to a broad range of homopterans and plant taxa and provided excellent photomicrographs.

Assessment of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium uptake capacity and root growth in mature alternate-bearing pistachio (Pistacia vera) trees.

We examined interrelationships between crop load, nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) uptake, and root growth in mature, alternate-bearing pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) trees. Pistachio trees bear heavy (on-year) and light (off-year) fruit crops in alternate years. Uptake and partitioning of N, P, and K among tree parts were determined during (a) spring flush (mid-March to late May), (b) nut fill (late May to early September), and (c) postharvest-leaf senescence (late September to early December). Nutrient uptake occurred primarily during nut fill in both on-year and off-year trees. In on-year trees, N and K uptake increased by 35 and 112%, respectively, during nut fill compared with off-year trees. During this period, nutrients were allocated largely to embryo development in on-year trees and to storage in perennial tissues in off-year trees. Nutrient uptake was negligible between harvest and leaf senescence. Although root growth was reduced during nut fill in on-year trees compared with off-year trees, there was no relationship between root growth and the uptake of N, P or K from the soil. Our data support the hypothesis that sink demand regulates the uptake and distribution of N, P, and K in pistachio trees.

Characterization of the 32,000 Dalton Chloroplast Membrane Protein: III. Probing Its Biological Function in Spirodela.

The rapidly turning over, photoinduced thylakoid protein, P-32000, is the main pulse-labeled membrane polypeptide in the chloroplasts of Spirodela oligorrhiza, yet little is known of its physiological function. Two hypotheses are tested: that P-32000 synthesis is necessary for thylakoid biogenesis; that it directly participates in photosynthesis. Spirodela cultures were dissected into expanding and fully mature tissue. Fronds from both developmental stages transcribed a 0.5 x 10(6) dalton RNA likely to be the message for P-32000. As to the protein itself, synthesis occurred in both types of tissue but was considerably enhanced in the fully mature state. Thus, a purely transient, developmental function for P-32000 during thylakoid biogenesis appears ruled out. Low concentrations of d-threo-chloramphenicol severely suppressed P-32000 synthesis but not its turnover. As a result, fronds depleted in P-32000 were obtained. However, photoassimilation of CO(2) remained at 86% of normal in tissue > 80% depleted of P-32000. Thus, P-32000 did not appear to be rate-limiting, suggesting that it does not serve as a direct, integral part of the photosynthetic pathway.