Preserving isohydricity: vertical environmental variability explains Amazon forest water-use strategies.

Increases in hydrological extremes, including drought, are expected for Amazon forests. A fundamental challenge for predicting forest responses lies in identifying ecological strategies which underlie such responses. Characterization of species-specific hydraulic strategies for regulating water-use, thought to be arrayed along an 'isohydric-anisohydric' spectrum, is a widely used approach. However, recent studies have questioned the usefulness of this classification scheme, because its metrics are strongly influenced by environments, and hence can lead to divergent classifications even within the same species. Here, we propose an alternative approach positing that individual hydraulic regulation strategies emerge from the interaction of environments with traits. Specifically, we hypothesize that the vertical forest profile represents a key gradient in drought-related environments (atmospheric vapor pressure deficit, soil water availability) that drives divergent tree water-use strategies for coordinated regulation of stomatal conductance (gs) and leaf water potentials (ΨL) with tree rooting depth, a proxy for water availability. Testing this hypothesis in a seasonal eastern Amazon forest in Brazil, we found that hydraulic strategies indeed depend on height-associated environments. Upper canopy trees, experiencing high vapor pressure deficit (VPD), but stable soil water access through deep rooting, exhibited isohydric strategies, defined by little seasonal change in the diurnal pattern of gs and steady seasonal minimum ΨL. In contrast, understory trees, exposed to less variable VPD but highly variable soil water availability, exhibited anisohydric strategies, with fluctuations in diurnal gs that increased in the dry season along with increasing variation in ΨL. Our finding that canopy height structures the coordination between drought-related environmental stressors and hydraulic traits provides a basis for preserving the applicability of the isohydric-to-anisohydric spectrum, which we show here may consistently emerge from environmental context. Our work highlights the importance of understanding how environmental heterogeneity structures forest responses to climate change, providing a mechanistic basis for improving models of tropical ecosystems.

The stomatal response to vapor pressure deficit drives the apparent temperature response of photosynthesis in tropical forests.

As temperature rises, net carbon uptake in tropical forests decreases, but the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. High temperatures can limit photosynthesis directly, for example by reducing biochemical capacity, or indirectly through rising vapor pressure deficit (VPD) causing stomatal closure. To explore the independent effects of temperature and VPD on photosynthesis we analyzed photosynthesis data from the upper canopies of two tropical forests in Panama with Generalized Additive Models. Stomatal conductance and photosynthesis consistently decreased with increasing VPD, and statistically accounting for VPD increased the optimum temperature of photosynthesis (Topt) of trees from a VPD-confounded apparent Topt of c. 30-31°C to a VPD-independent Topt of c. 33-36°C, while for lianas no VPD-independent Topt was reached within the measured temperature range. Trees and lianas exhibited similar temperature and VPD responses in both forests, despite 1500 mm difference in mean annual rainfall. Over ecologically relevant temperature ranges, photosynthesis in tropical forests is largely limited by indirect effects of warming, through changes in VPD, not by direct warming effects of photosynthetic biochemistry. Failing to account for VPD when determining Topt misattributes the underlying causal mechanism and thereby hinders the advancement of mechanistic understanding of global warming effects on tropical forest carbon dynamics.

A medida que aumenta la temperatura, disminuye la absorción neta de carbono en los bosques tropicales, sin embargo, aún no se conocen bien los mecanismos que la subyacen. Las altas temperaturas pueden limitar la fotosíntesis directamente, por ejemplo, reduciendo la eficiencia de los procesos bioquímicos, pero también de forma indirecta a través del aumento del déficit de presión de vapor (DPV) que resulta en el cierre estomático. Para explorar los efectos independientes de la temperatura y el DPV en la fotosíntesis, analizamos datos de la absorción neta de carbono del dosel de dos bosques tropicales en Panamá utilizando modelos aditivos generalizados. La conductancia estomática y la fotosíntesis disminuyó consistentemente con el aumento de DPV, y considerando el DPV en modelas estadísticas, la temperatura óptima de la fotosíntesis (Topt) aumentó, de un Topt aparente influida por la DVP de c. 30­31°C a un Topt independiente del DPV de c. 33­36°C. Los árboles y las lianas mostraron respuestas similares a la temperatura y a la DVP en ambos bosques, a pesar de la diferencia de 1500 mm en la precipitación media anual. La fotosíntesis en los bosques tropicales está limitada en gran medida por los efectos indirectos del aumento de la temperatura, a través de cambios en el DPV y no por los efectos directos en los procesos bioquímicos. Si no se tiene en cuenta el DPV al determinar el Topt, se atribuye erróneamente el mecanismo causal subyacente y, por lo tanto, se obstaculiza el avance en la comprensión de los efectos del calentamiento global en la dinámica del carbono.

QSPR predicting the vapor pressure of pesticides into high/low volatility classes.

In this work, the vapor pressure of pesticides is employed as an indicator of their volatility potential. Quantitative Structure-Property Relationship models are established to predict the classification of compounds according to their volatility, into the high and low binary classes separated by the 1-mPa limit. A large dataset of 1005 structurally diverse pesticides with known experimental vapor pressure data at 20 °C is compiled from the publicly available Pesticide Properties DataBase (PPDB) and used for model development. The freely available PaDEL-Descriptor and ISIDA/Fragmentor molecular descriptor programs provide a large number of 19,947 non-conformational molecular descriptors that are analyzed through multivariable linear regressions and the Replacement Method technique. Through the selection of appropriate molecular descriptors of the substructure fragment type and the use of different standard classification metrics of model's quality, the classification of the structure-property relationship achieves acceptable results for discerning between the high and low volatility classes. Finally, an application of the obtained QSPR model is performed to predict the classes for 504 pesticides not having experimentally measured vapor pressures.

IoT-Based Monitoring System Applied to Aeroponics Greenhouse.

The inclusion of the Internet of Things (IoT) in greenhouses has become a fundamental tool for improving cultivation systems, offering information relevant to the greenhouse manager for decision making in search of optimum yield. This article presents a monitoring system applied to an aeroponic greenhouse based on an IoT architecture that provides user information on the status of the climatic variables and the appearance of the crop in addition to managing the irrigation timing and the frequency of visual inspection using an application developed for Android mobile devices called Aeroponics Monitor. The proposed IoT architecture consists of four layers: a device layer, fog layer, cloud layer and application layer. Once the information about the monitored variables is obtained by the sensors of the device layer, the fog layer processes it and transfers it to the Thingspeak and Firebase servers. In the cloud layer, Thingspeak analyzes the information from the variables monitored in the greenhouse through its IoT analytic tools to generate historical data and visualizations of their behavior, as well as an analysis of the system's operating status. Firebase, on the other hand, is used as a database to store the results of the processing of the images taken in the fog layer for the supervision of the leaves and roots. The results of the analysis of the information of the monitored variables and of the processing of the images are presented in the developed app, with the objective of visualizing the state of the crop and to know the function of the monitoring system in the event of a possible lack of electricity or a service line failure in the fog layer and to avoid the loss of information. With the information about the temperature of the plant leaf and the relative humidity inside the greenhouse, the vapor pressure deficit (VPD) in the cloud layer is calculated; the VPD values are available on the Thingspeak server and in the developed app. Additionally, an analysis of the VPD is presented that demonstrates a water deficiency from the transplanting of the seedling to the cultivation chamber. The IoT architecture presented in this paper represents a potential tool for the study of aeroponic farming systems through IoT-assisted monitoring.

Forest fire probability under ENSO conditions in a semi-arid region: a case study in Guanajuato.

Fires can pose a threat to forest ecosystems when those ecosystems are not fire-adapted or when forest community conditions make them vulnerable to wildfires. Thus, investigating fire-prone environmental conditions is urgently needed to create action plans that preserve these ecosystems. In this sense, climate variables can determine the environmental conditions favorable for forest fires. Our study confirms that vapor pressure deficit (VPD) is an essential climate indicator for forest fires, as it is related to maximum temperatures and low humidity, representing the stress conditions for vegetation prone to fires. This study explores the extent to which ENSO phases can modulate climatic conditions that lead to high VPD over Guanajuato, a semi-arid region in central Mexico, during the dry season (March-April-May). Using fire occurrence data from MODIS (2000-2019) and Landsat 5 (1998-1999), we developed a climatic probability model for the occurrence of forest fires using VPD estimated from ERA5 reanalysis for each ENSO phase. We found that VPD and the occurrence of forest fires were higher during El Niño than under Neutral and La Niña years, with a higher risk of forest fire occurrence in Guanajuato's southern region. This study concludes that it is necessary to implement regional and local fire management plans, especially where the largest number of natural protected areas is located.

Stable isotopes of tree rings reveal seasonal-to-decadal patterns during the emergence of a megadrought in the Southwestern US.

Recent evidence has revealed the emergence of a megadrought in southwestern North America since 2000. Megadroughts extend for at least 2 decades, making it challenging to identify such events until they are well established. Here, we examined tree-ring growth and stable isotope ratios in Pinus ponderosa at its driest niche edge to investigate whether trees growing near their aridity limit were sensitive to the megadrought climatic pre-conditions, and were capable of informing predictive efforts. During the decade before the megadrought, trees in four populations revealed increases in the cellulose δ13C content of earlywood, latewood, and false latewood, which, based on past studies are correlated with increased intrinsic water-use efficiency. However, radial growth and cellulose δ18O were not sensitive to pre-megadrought conditions. During the 2 decades preceding the megadrought, at all four sites, the changes in δ13C were caused by the high sensitivity of needle carbon and water exchange to drought trends in key winter months, and for three of the four sites during crucial summer months. Such pre-megadrought physiological sensitivity appears to be unique for trees near their arid range limit, as similar patterns were not observed in trees in ten reference sites located along a latitudinal gradient in the same megadrought domain, despite similar drying trends. Our results reveal the utility of tree-ring δ13C to reconstruct spatiotemporal patterns during the organizational phase of a megadrought, demonstrating that trees near the arid boundaries of a species' distribution might be useful in the early detection of long-lasting droughts.

The interplay between irrigation and fruiting on branch growth and mortality, gas exchange and water relations of coffee trees.

The overall coordination between gas exchanges and plant hydraulics may be affected by soil water availability and source-to-sink relationships. Here we evaluated how branch growth and mortality, leaf gas exchange and metabolism are affected in coffee (Coffea arabica L.) trees by drought and fruiting. Field-grown plants were irrigated or not, and maintained with full or no fruit load. Under mild water deficit, irrigation per se did not significantly impact growth but markedly reduced branch mortality in fruiting trees, despite similar leaf assimilate pools and water status. Fruiting increased net photosynthetic rate in parallel with an enhanced stomatal conductance, particularly in irrigated plants. Mesophyll conductance and maximum RuBisCO carboxylation rate remained unchanged across treatments. The increased stomatal conductance in fruiting trees over nonfruiting ones was unrelated to internal CO2 concentration, foliar abscisic acid (ABA) levels or differential ABA sensitivity. However, stomatal conductance was associated with higher stomatal density, lower stomatal sensitivity to vapor pressure deficit, and higher leaf hydraulic conductance and capacitance. Increased leaf transpiration rate in fruiting trees was supported by coordinated alterations in plant hydraulics, which explained the maintenance of plant water status. Finally, by preventing branch mortality, irrigation can mitigate biennial production fluctuations and improve the sustainability of coffee plantations.

Similar temperature dependence of photosynthetic parameters in sun and shade leaves of three tropical tree species.

Photosynthetic carbon uptake by tropical forests is of critical importance in regulating the earth's climate, but rising temperatures threaten this stabilizing influence of tropical forests. Most research on how temperature affects photosynthesis focuses on fully sun-exposed leaves, and little is known about shade leaves, even though shade leaves greatly outnumber sun leaves in lowland tropical forests. We measured temperature responses of light-saturated photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, and the biochemical parameters VCMax (maximum rate of RuBP carboxylation) and JMax (maximum rate of RuBP regeneration, or electron transport) on sun and shade leaves of mature tropical trees of three species in Panama. As expected, biochemical capacities and stomatal conductance were much lower in shade than in sun leaves, leading to lower net photosynthesis rates. However, the key temperature response traits of these parameters-the optimum temperature (TOpt) and the activation energy-did not differ systematically between sun and shade leaves. Consistency in the JMax to VCMax ratio further suggested that shade leaves are not acclimated to lower temperatures. For both sun and shade leaves, stomatal conductance had the lowest temperature optimum (~25 °C), followed by net photosynthesis (~30 °C), JMax (~34 °C) and VCMax (~38 °C). Stomatal conductance of sun leaves decreased more strongly with increasing vapor pressure deficit than that of shade leaves. Consistent with this, modeled stomatal limitation of photosynthesis increased with increasing temperature in sun but not shade leaves. Collectively, these results suggest that modeling photosynthetic carbon uptake in multi-layered canopies does not require independent parameterization of the temperature responses of the biochemical controls over photosynthesis of sun and shade leaves. Nonetheless, to improve the representation of the shade fraction of carbon uptake dynamics in tropical forests, better understanding of stomatal sensitivity of shade leaves to temperature and vapor pressure deficit will be required.

Soil-water-plant relationship and fruit yield under partial root-zone drying irrigation on banana crop

Climatic uncertainties have compromised water resources, which influences irrigated agriculture. Irrigation is an important alternative to mitigate the effects of water scarcity. Partial root-zone drying (PRD) is a rational use of irrigation water. This study aimed to evaluate PRD for irrigation management of banana crop, cv BRS Princesa, under semi-arid conditions in Brazil. A field experiment was carried out with five treatments: one control (full irrigation) and four with 50 % reduction of water irrigation depth (WID) and frequencies alternating the side to be irrigated of the plant row of 0, 7, 14 and 21 days. Stomatal conductance, growth, yield and soil water status were evaluated. Results indicated that banana crop cv. BRS Princesa shows shoot physiological regulation for 50 % reduction of soil water and vapor pressure deficit between 1.92 and 2.25 kPa. Decrease in yields of treatments with WID reduction compared to full irrigation is due to the reduction of root uptake rate, which is related to vapor pressure deficit and soil water availability. Partial root-zone drying saves 50 % of irrigation water and increases water use efficiency of banana cv. BRS Princesa crop by 78 %.

Soil-water-plant relationship and fruit yield under partial root-zone drying irrigation on banana crop

Climatic uncertainties have compromised water resources, which influences irrigated agriculture. Irrigation is an important alternative to mitigate the effects of water scarcity. Partial root-zone drying (PRD) is a rational use of irrigation water. This study aimed to evaluate PRD for irrigation management of banana crop, cv BRS Princesa, under semi-arid conditions in Brazil. A field experiment was carried out with five treatments: one control (full irrigation) and four with 50 % reduction of water irrigation depth (WID) and frequencies alternating the side to be irrigated of the plant row of 0, 7, 14 and 21 days. Stomatal conductance, growth, yield and soil water status were evaluated. Results indicated that banana crop cv. BRS Princesa shows shoot physiological regulation for 50 % reduction of soil water and vapor pressure deficit between 1.92 and 2.25 kPa. Decrease in yields of treatments with WID reduction compared to full irrigation is due to the reduction of root uptake rate, which is related to vapor pressure deficit and soil water availability. Partial root-zone drying saves 50 % of irrigation water and increases water use efficiency of banana cv. BRS Princesa crop by 78 %.(AU)

Species-Specific Shifts in Diurnal Sap Velocity Dynamics and Hysteretic Behavior of Ecophysiological Variables During the 2015-2016 El Niño Event in the Amazon Forest.

Current climate change scenarios indicate warmer temperatures and the potential for more extreme droughts in the tropics, such that a mechanistic understanding of the water cycle from individual trees to landscapes is needed to adequately predict future changes in forest structure and function. In this study, we contrasted physiological responses of tropical trees during a normal dry season with the extreme dry season due to the 2015-2016 El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) event. We quantified high resolution temporal dynamics of sap velocity (Vs), stomatal conductance (gs) and leaf water potential (ΨL) of multiple canopy trees, and their correlations with leaf temperature (Tleaf) and environmental conditions [direct solar radiation, air temperature (Tair) and vapor pressure deficit (VPD)]. The experiment leveraged canopy access towers to measure adjacent trees at the ZF2 and Tapajós tropical forest research (near the cities of Manaus and Santarém). The temporal difference between the peak of gs (late morning) and the peak of VPD (early afternoon) is one of the major regulators of sap velocity hysteresis patterns. Sap velocity displayed species-specific diurnal hysteresis patterns reflected by changes in Tleaf. In the morning, Tleaf and sap velocity displayed a sigmoidal relationship. In the afternoon, stomatal conductance declined as Tleaf approached a daily peak, allowing ΨL to begin recovery, while sap velocity declined with an exponential relationship with Tleaf. In Manaus, hysteresis indices of the variables Tleaf-Tair and ΨL-Tleaf were calculated for different species and a significant difference (p < 0.01, α = 0.05) was observed when the 2015 dry season (ENSO period) was compared with the 2017 dry season ("control scenario"). In some days during the 2015 ENSO event, Tleaf approached 40°C for all studied species and the differences between Tleaf and Tair reached as high at 8°C (average difference: 1.65 ± 1.07°C). Generally, Tleaf was higher than Tair during the middle morning to early afternoon, and lower than Tair during the early morning, late afternoon and night. Our results support the hypothesis that partial stomatal closure allows for a recovery in ΨL during the afternoon period giving an observed counterclockwise hysteresis pattern between ΨL and Tleaf.

Antifeedant Effects of Essential Oil, Extracts, and Isolated Sesquiterpenes from Pilgerodendron uviferum (D. Don) Florin Heartwood on Red Clover Borer Hylastinus obscurus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae).

The beetle Hylastinus obscurus Marsham (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), endemic to Europe and Northern Africa, is one of the most important red clover pests in Chile. As commercial insecticides are less effective against this pest, plant secondary metabolites have been considered as an alternative for its control. Here, we have investigated the chemical composition of essential oil (EO), petroleum ether extract (PEE), and dichloromethane extract (DCME) from Pilgerodendron uviferum heartwood. Additionally, the effects of EO and extracts on the feeding behavior (% of weight shift) of H. obscurus have been evaluated. The composition of EO, PEE, and DCME were analyzed using gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). The results showed the presence of a similar mixture of sesquiterpenes in the essential oil and in both of the extracts, which accounted for circa 60% of the total mixture. Sesquiterpenes were further isolated using chromatographic methods and were structurally characterized by optical rotation, GC⁻MS, FTIR, and 1D and 2D NMR experiments. The physicochemical properties of the isolated sesquiterpenes, including lipophilicity and vapor pressure, were also determined. The sesquiterpenes were identified as the following: (-)-trans-calamenene (1), cadalene (2), (-)-cubenol (3), (-)-epi-cubenol (4), (-)-torreyol (5), and (-)-15-copaenol (6). The antifeedant activity of EO, extracts, and isolated sesquiterpenes were evaluated using artificial diets in a non-choice test. Relative to the control, the EO, DCME extract, and the isolated sesquiterpenes, namely, (-)-trans-calamenene (1), cadalene (2), and (5) torreyol, were found to be the most effective treatments against H. obscurus. Our study showed that the compounds occurring in P. uviferum heartwood were effective in reducing the adult growth of H. obscurus. The physicochemical properties of the isolated sesquiterpenes might have been associated with antifeedant effects.

Riesgos ambientales y de seguridad en calderas a carbón de las pequeñas y medianas empresas «PYME¼, ubicadas en el municipio de Itagüí, Antioquia / Safety and environmental risks of coal fired boilers in small and medium-sized enterprises «SMEs¼, located in Itagüí town, Antioquia

RESUMEN Objetivo Caracterizar los riesgos ambientales y de seguridad presentes en calderas con combustible de carbón de las pequeñas y medianas empresas, ubicadas en el municipio de Itagüí. Método Estudio descriptivo transversal: Se seleccionó una muestra a conveniencia de ocho calderas y sus operadores. La caracterización de las calderas se realizó por medio de la aplicación de cuatro instrumentos para evaluar y valorar los riesgos de seguridad, el nivel de seguridad, los riesgos ambientales y los impactos ambientales. Resultados El resultado del riesgo de seguridad mostró que el 62 % de las calderas presentó un nivel de riesgo no aceptable. El resultado del nivel de seguridad presentó que el 62 % de las calderas obtuvieron una valoración deficiente. El resultado del riesgo ambiental indicó que el 100 % de las calderas presentó un nivel de riesgo alto de afectación al entorno ambiental y un nivel de riesgo medio de afectación a los operadores. Con respecto a la valoración del impacto ambiental se observó que el 100 % de las calderas en estudio presentaban afectación de significancia alta sobre el componente aire, y afectación de significancia media sobre los componentes agua y suelo. Conclusiones Debido al bajo nivel de seguridad y al alto nivel de riesgo ambiental encontrado en las calderas estudiadas, las PYME deben conocer los riesgos existentes con el fin de disminuir la prevalencia de afectación de la salud de los calderistas e impactos al medio ambiente. Así mismo, implementar medidas de gestión encaminadas a la prevención y control de los riesgos caracterizados.(AU)

ABSTRACT Objective To describe the environmental and safety risks present in coal fired boilers in small and medium-sized enterprises, located in Itagüí town. Method Cross sectional descriptive study: An appropriate sample of 8 boilers with its corresponding operators was selected. The description of the boilers was carried out through the implementation of four instruments to evaluate and assess security risks; Its level of safety, the environmental risks and the environmental impacts. Results The security risk outcome showed that 62 % of the boilers presented an unacceptable level of risk. The safety level outcome showed that 62 % of boilers obtained a poor rating. The environmental risk outcome indicated that 100 % of the boilers had a high level of environmental impact and a medium level of impact for operators. Regarding the environmental impact assessment, 100 % of the boilers under study showed a high level of impact on the air component and medium level of impact on water and soil components. Conclusions Due to the low level of safety and the high level of environmental risk found in the boilers under study; SMEs should be aware of the current risks in order to reduce the exposure of the operators to health danger and the environme tal impacts as well. Moreover, it is needed to implement management measures aimed to prevent and control the risks described.(AU)

Characterization of the Sublimation and Vapor Pressure of 2-(2-Nitrovinyl) Furan (G-0) Using Thermogravimetric Analysis: Effects of Complexation with Cyclodextrins.

In the present work, the sublimation of crystalline solid 2-(2-nitrovinyl) furan (G-0) in the temperature range of 35 to 60 °C (below the melting point of the drug) was studied using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The sublimated product was characterized using Fourier-transformed-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and thin layer chromatography (TLC). The sublimation rate at each temperature was obtained using the slope of the linear regression model and followed apparent zero-order kinetics. The sublimation enthalpy from 35 to 60 °C was obtained from the Eyring equation. The Gückel method was used to estimate the sublimation rate and vapor pressure at 25 °C. Physical mixtures, kneaded and freeze-dried complexes were prepared with 2-hydroxypropyl-ß-cyclodextrin (HP-ß-CD) and sulfobutyl ether-ß-cyclodextrin (SBE-ß-CD) and analyzed using isothermal TGA at 50 °C. The complexation contributed to reducing the sublimation process. The best results were achieved using freeze-dried complexes with both cyclodextrins.

Are fern stomatal responses to different stimuli coordinated? Testing responses to light, vapor pressure deficit, and CO2 for diverse species grown under contrasting irradiances.

The stomatal behavior of ferns provides an excellent system for disentangling responses to different environmental signals, which balance carbon gain against water loss. Here, we measured responses of stomatal conductance (gs ) to irradiance, CO2 , and vapor pressure deficit (VPD) for 13 phylogenetically diverse species native to open and shaded habitats, grown under high- and low-irradiance treatments. We tested two main hypotheses: that plants adapted and grown in high-irradiance environments would have greater responsiveness to all stimuli given higher flux rates; and that species' responsiveness to different factors would be correlated because of the relative simplicity of fern stomatal control. We found that species with higher light-saturated gs had larger responses, and that plants grown under high irradiance were more responsive to all stimuli. Open habitat species showed greater responsiveness to irradiance and CO2 , but lower responsiveness to VPD; a case of plasticity and adaptation tending in different directions. Responses of gs to irradiance and VPD were positively correlated across species, but CO2 responses were independent and highly variable. The novel finding of correlations among stomatal responses to different stimuli suggests coordination of hydraulic and photosynthetic signaling networks modulating fern stomatal responses, which show distinct optimization at growth and evolutionary time-scales.

Relationships of photosynthetic photon flux density, air temperature and humidity with tomato leaf diffusive conductance and temperature

The objective was to study the leaf temperature (LT) and leaf diffusive vapor conductance (gs) responses to temperature, humidity and incident flux density of photosynthetically active photons (PPFD) of tomato plants grown without water restriction in a plastic greenhouse in Santa Maria, RS, Brazil. The plants were grown in substrate and irrigated daily. The gs was measured using a steady-state null-balance porometer on the abaxial face of the leaves during the daytime. Both leaf surfaces were measured in one day. The PPFD and LT were measured using the porometer. Leaf temperature was determined using an infrared thermometer, and air temperature and humidity were measured using a thermohygrograph. The leaves on the upper layer of the plants had higher gs than the lower layer. The relationship between the gs and PPFD was different for the two layers in the plants. A consistent relationship between the gs and atmospheric water demand was observed only in the lower layer. The LT tended to be lower than the air temperature. The mean value for the gs was 2.88 times higher on the abaxial than adaxial leaf surface.

Características fotossintéticas de genótipos de capim-elefante anão(Pennisetum purpureum Schum. ), em estresse hídrico / Photosynthetic characteristics of dwarf elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum. ) genotypes under different hydric conditions

O experimento foi realizado com o objetivo de avaliar as trocas gasosas de genótipos de capim-elefante anão, em diferentes condições hídricas. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado com três repetições. Foram avaliados três genótipos de capim-elefanteanão (Mott, CNPGL 94-34-3 e CNPGL 92-198-7) em duas condições de umidade do solo: irrigado (I) e não-irrigado (NI). Foi observada diferença entre os tratamentos I e NI para todos os genótipos em relação à taxa fotossintética, condutância estomática, transpiração e déficit de pressão de vapor. O genótipo CNPGL 94-34-3 apresentou maior tolerância ao estresse hídrico, seguido pelos genótipos Mott e CNPGL 92-198-7. Todos os genótipos avaliados apresentaram, em condições ideais de umidade do solo, alta taxa fotossintética, caracterizando, deste modo, os genótipos estudados como plantas de elevada eficiência fotossintética.

The experiment was carried out aiming to evaluate the gas exchange of dwarf elephant grass genotypes under different hydric conditions, in a randomized design with three replications. Genotypes of dwarf elephant grass (Mott, CNPGL 94-34-3 and CNPGL 92-198-7) were analyzed under two hydric conditions: irrigated (I) and non-irrigated (NI). Differences between treatments I and NI were observed for all genotypes for photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, transpiration and water vapor pressure deficit. Genotype CNPGL 94-34-3 presente dhighest tolerance to hydric stress, followed by Mott and CNPGL 92-198-7 genotypes. All genotypes presented high photosynthetic rate, under ideal conditions of soil humidity, thus characterizing the analyzed dwarf elephant grass genotypes as plants with highphoto synthetic efficiency.

Características fotossintéticas de genótipos de capim-elefante anão(Pennisetum purpureum Schum. ), em estresse hídrico / Photosynthetic characteristics of dwarf elephant grass (Pennisetum purpureum Schum. ) genotypes under different hydric conditions

O experimento foi realizado com o objetivo de avaliar as trocas gasosas de genótipos de capim-elefante anão, em diferentes condições hídricas. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado com três repetições. Foram avaliados três genótipos de capim-elefanteanão (Mott, CNPGL 94-34-3 e CNPGL 92-198-7) em duas condições de umidade do solo: irrigado (I) e não-irrigado (NI). Foi observada diferença entre os tratamentos I e NI para todos os genótipos em relação à taxa fotossintética, condutância estomática, transpiração e déficit de pressão de vapor. O genótipo CNPGL 94-34-3 apresentou maior tolerância ao estresse hídrico, seguido pelos genótipos Mott e CNPGL 92-198-7. Todos os genótipos avaliados apresentaram, em condições ideais de umidade do solo, alta taxa fotossintética, caracterizando, deste modo, os genótipos estudados como plantas de elevada eficiência fotossintética.(AU)

The experiment was carried out aiming to evaluate the gas exchange of dwarf elephant grass genotypes under different hydric conditions, in a randomized design with three replications. Genotypes of dwarf elephant grass (Mott, CNPGL 94-34-3 and CNPGL 92-198-7) were analyzed under two hydric conditions: irrigated (I) and non-irrigated (NI). Differences between treatments I and NI were observed for all genotypes for photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, transpiration and water vapor pressure deficit. Genotype CNPGL 94-34-3 presente dhighest tolerance to hydric stress, followed by Mott and CNPGL 92-198-7 genotypes. All genotypes presented high photosynthetic rate, under ideal conditions of soil humidity, thus characterizing the analyzed dwarf elephant grass genotypes as plants with highphoto synthetic efficiency.(AU)

Transpiração do tomateiro cultivado fora do solo em estufa plástica e sua relação com os elementos meteorológicos / Transpiration of tomato plants grown outside soil in plastic greenhouse and its relationship with meteorological elements

Neste trabalho, foram determinadas as relações da transpiração das plantas do tomateiro (Lycopersicon esculentum M.) cultivado em estufa plástica com os elementos meteorológicos. Realizaram-se três experimentos, no Campo Experimental do Departamento de Fitotecnia da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria - UFSM (RS): no outono-inverno de 1997 e nas primaveras de 1997 e de 1998. Cada planta foi cultivada num volume de aproximadamente oito litros de substrato colocado em sacola plástica. Para a determinação da transpiração diária, foi utilizado um sistema de lisímetros de drenagem, obtendo-se a transpiração pela diferença entre o volume de água irrigado e drenado. A transpiração das plantas foi correlacionada com os elementos meteorológicos radiação solar global diária e média diária da temperatura, umidade relativa e déficit de saturação do ar. Os modelos de regressão obtidos indicaram que é possível estimar a transpiração com razoável acuracidade apenas na primavera. As melhores estimativas foram obtidas com o déficit de saturação do ar em regressão simples (R² = 0,814) e em regressão múltipla com o déficit de saturação do ar e a temperatura do ar (R² = 0,881).

The objective of this research was to establish the relationship between transpiration of the tomato plant (Lycopersycon esculentum M.) grown outside soil in a plastic greenhouse with meteorological elements. The experiment was conducted at the Plant Science Department of the Federal University at Santa Maria and included three experiments: autun-winter 1997, and both spring of 1997 and 1998. The tomato plants were placed in plastic bags with approximately eight liters of fertirrigated susbstrate. In order to measure the daily transpiration, a system of lisymeters was used from were transpiration was measured by substracting irrigated applyed from drained water. Transpiration was correlated with the meteorological elements daily global solar radiation, mean daily temperature, daily mean air humidity and vapor pressure deficit inside the greenhouse. The calculated regression models indicated that is possible to estimate transpiration with reazonable accuracy only during spring season. The best estimates were obtained using vapor pressure deficit with simple regression (R² = 0.814) and temperature and vapor pressure deficit with multiple regression (R² = 0.881).

Transpiração do tomateiro cultivado fora do solo em estufa plástica e sua relação com os elementos meteorológicos

The objective of this research was to establish the relationship between transpiration of the tomato plant (Lycopersycon esculentum M.) grown outside soil in a plastic greenhouse with meteorological elements. The experiment was conducted at the Plant Science Department of the Federal University at Santa Maria and included three experiments: autun-winter 1997, and both spring of 1997 and 1998. The tomato plants were placed in plastic bags with approximately eight liters of fertirrigated susbstrate. In order to measure the daily transpiration, a system of lisymeters was used from were transpiration was measured by substracting irrigated applyed from drained water. Transpiration was correlated with the meteorological elements daily global solar radiation, mean daily temperature, daily mean air humidity and vapor pressure deficit inside the greenhouse. The calculated regression models indicated that is possible to estimate transpiration with reazonable accuracy only during spring season. The best estimates were obtained using vapor pressure deficit with simple regression (R² = 0.814) and temperature and vapor pressure deficit with multiple regression (R² = 0.881).

Neste trabalho, foram determinadas as relações da transpiração das plantas do tomateiro (Lycopersicon esculentum M.) cultivado em estufa plástica com os elementos meteorológicos. Realizaram-se três experimentos, no Campo Experimental do Departamento de Fitotecnia da Universidade Federal de Santa Maria - UFSM (RS): no outono-inverno de 1997 e nas primaveras de 1997 e de 1998. Cada planta foi cultivada num volume de aproximadamente oito litros de substrato colocado em sacola plástica. Para a determinação da transpiração diária, foi utilizado um sistema de lisímetros de drenagem, obtendo-se a transpiração pela diferença entre o volume de água irrigado e drenado. A transpiração das plantas foi correlacionada com os elementos meteorológicos radiação solar global diária e média diária da temperatura, umidade relativa e déficit de saturação do ar. Os modelos de regressão obtidos indicaram que é possível estimar a transpiração com razoável acuracidade apenas na primavera. As melhores estimativas foram obtidas com o déficit de saturação do ar em regressão simples (R² = 0,814) e em regressão múltipla com o déficit de saturação do ar e a temperatura do ar (R² = 0,881).