RESUMO
We examined stomatal behaviour of a grapevine cultivar (Vitis vinifera L. cv. Syrah) following partial root removal under field conditions during progressively developing water deficits. Partial root removal led to an increase in hydraulic resistances along the soil-to-leaf pathway and leaf wilting symptoms appeared in the root-pruned plants immediately following root removal. Leaves recovered from wilting shortly thereafter, but hydraulic resistances were sustained. In comparison with the non-root pruned vines, leaves of root-pruned vines showed an immediate decrease in both pre-dawn (ψPD) and midday (ψleaf) leaf water potential. The decline in ψPD was unexpected in as much as soil moisture was not altered and it has been shown that axial water transport readily occurs in woody perennials. Only ~30% of the functional root system was removed, thus leaving the system mainly intact for water redistribution. Stem water potential (ψStem) and leaf gas exchanges of CO2 (A) and H2O (E) also declined immediately following root pruning. The lowering of ψPD, ψleaf, ψStem, A and E was sustained during the entire growing season and was not dependent on irrigation during that time. This, and a close relationship between stomatal conductance (gs) and leaf-specific hydraulic conductance (Kplant), indicated that the stomatal response was linked to plant hydraulics. Stomatal closure was observed only in the root-restricted plants and at times of very high evaporative demand (VPD). In accordance with the Ball-Berry stomatal control model proposed by Ball et al. (1987), the stomatal sensitivity factor was also lower in the root-restricted plants than in intact plants as soil water availability decreased. Although ψPD, ψStem and ψLeaf changed modestly and gradually following root removal, gs changed dramatically and abruptly following removal. These results suggest the involvement of stomatal restricting signals being propagated following removal of roots.
RESUMO
The impact of water deficit on stomatal conductance (g(s)), petiole hydraulic conductance (K(petiole)), and vulnerability to cavitation (PLC, percentage loss of hydraulic conductivity) in leaf petioles has been observed on field-grown vines (Vitis vinifera L. cv. Chasselas). Petioles were highly vulnerable to cavitation, with a 50% loss of hydraulic conductivity at a stem xylem water potential (Ψ(x)) of -0.95 MPa, and up to 90% loss of conductivity at a Ψ(x) of -1.5 MPa. K(petiole) described a daily cycle, decreasing during the day as water stress and evapotranspiration increased, then rising again in the early evening up to the previous morning's K(petiole) levels. In water-stressed vines, PLC increased sharply during the daytime and reached maximum values (70-90%) in the middle of the afternoon. Embolism repair occurred in petioles from the end of the day through the night. Indeed, PLC decreased in darkness in water-stressed vines. PLC variation in irrigated plants showed the same tendency, but with a smaller amplitude. The Chasselas cultivar appears to develop hydraulic segmentation, in which petiole cavitation plays an important role as a 'hydraulic fuse', thereby limiting leaf transpiration and the propagation of embolism and preserving the integrity of other organs (shoots and roots) during water stress. In the present study, progressive stomatal closure responded to a decrease in K(petiole) and an increase in cavitation events. Almost total closure of stomata (90%) was measured when PLC in petioles reached >90%.
