Abstract
Horticultural crops in Mediterranean environments are often exposed to drought stress which impairs gas exchange and growth. Stress conditions may stimulate the antioxidant metabolism protecting the photosynthetic apparatus exposed to stress. We measured reduction in crop yield, and changes in photosynthetic parameters and antioxidant contents in a rainfed chard crop (Beta vulgaris L., cv. Adriatica) as compared to well watered (100% ETc) and mild stressed (50% ETc) plants. The severity of water stress was estimated by monitoring the leaf water potentials with a pressure chamber. To assess whether water stress reduces photosynthesis, gas exchange was measured with an infra-red gas analysis system. In order to evaluate the effect of water stress on CO 2 internal concentrations, mesophyll conductance to CO2 was estimated by simultaneous measurements of chlorophyll fluorescence and leaf gas exchange under field conditions, with a portable system. Leaf-disk samples were collected to measure ascorbate and tocopherol contents. Aboveground dry mass accumulation was measured on 10 plants per treatment at each sampling date. Linear radiometers, connected to a data logger, measured the amount of daily incident radiation (PAR) intercepted by plants at half an hour intervals. A few days after the beginning of water stress, significant reductions in stomatal and mesophyll conductance, and photosynthetic rate were observed. Other physiological and morphological plant traits appeared to be affected later. Antioxidant contents were inversely related to photosynthetic rates, indicating they may be involved in plant defense mechanisms against water stress conditions
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Claims 5
Claim · model-written summary
Rainfed chard had a reduced crop yield compared to well watered plants.
- Taxon
- Beta vulgaris L.
Beta vulgarise3 - Treatment
- rainfede3
- Outcome
- crop yielde3
- Direction
- reductione3
- Comparator
- well watered (100% ETc)e3
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e3“We measured reduction in crop yield, and changes in photosynthetic parameters and antioxidant contents in a rainfed chard crop (Beta vulgaris L., cv. Adriatica) as compared to well watered (100% ETc) and mild stressed (50% ETc) plants”
Claim · model-written summary
Water stress significantly reduced stomatal conductance, mesophyll conductance and photosynthetic rate in chard a few days after its onset.
- Taxon
- Beta vulgaris L.Beta vulgarise3
- Treatment
- water stresse4
- Outcome
- stomatal and mesophyll conductance, and photosynthetic ratee4
- Direction
- reductionse4
- Qualifier
- A few days after the beginninge4
- Comparator
- well watered (100% ETc)e3
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e3“We measured reduction in crop yield, and changes in photosynthetic parameters and antioxidant contents in a rainfed chard crop (Beta vulgaris L., cv. Adriatica) as compared to well watered (100% ETc) and mild stressed (50% ETc) plants”
e4“A few days after the beginning of water stress, significant reductions in stomatal and mesophyll conductance, and photosynthetic rate were observed”
Claim · model-written summary
Antioxidant contents were inversely related to photosynthetic rates in chard cv. Adriatica.
- Taxon
- Beta vulgaris L.Beta vulgarise3
- Material
- cv. Adriaticae3
- Outcome
- Antioxidant contentse6
- Direction
- inversely relatede6
- Qualifier
- photosynthetic ratese6
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e3“We measured reduction in crop yield, and changes in photosynthetic parameters and antioxidant contents in a rainfed chard crop (Beta vulgaris L., cv. Adriatica) as compared to well watered (100% ETc) and mild stressed (50% ETc) plants”
e6“Antioxidant contents were inversely related to photosynthetic rates, indicating they may be involved in plant defense mechanisms against water stress conditions”
Claim · model-written summary
Other physiological and morphological traits of chard were affected later by water stress.
- Taxon
- Beta vulgaris L.Beta vulgarise3
- Treatment
- water stresse4
- Outcome
- physiological and morphological plant traitse5
- Qualifier
- latere5
- Comparator
- well watered (100% ETc)e3
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e3“We measured reduction in crop yield, and changes in photosynthetic parameters and antioxidant contents in a rainfed chard crop (Beta vulgaris L., cv. Adriatica) as compared to well watered (100% ETc) and mild stressed (50% ETc) plants”
e4“A few days after the beginning of water stress, significant reductions in stomatal and mesophyll conductance, and photosynthetic rate were observed”
e5“Other physiological and morphological plant traits appeared to be affected later”
Claim · model-written summary
Antioxidant contents may be involved in chard defense mechanisms against water stress.
- Taxon
- Beta vulgaris L.Beta vulgarise3
- Treatment
- water stress conditionse6
- Outcome
- plant defense mechanisms against water stress conditionse6
- Qualifier
- may be involvede6
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e3“We measured reduction in crop yield, and changes in photosynthetic parameters and antioxidant contents in a rainfed chard crop (Beta vulgaris L., cv. Adriatica) as compared to well watered (100% ETc) and mild stressed (50% ETc) plants”
e6“Antioxidant contents were inversely related to photosynthetic rates, indicating they may be involved in plant defense mechanisms against water stress conditions”
The same questions in other papers
rainfall · yield · Beta vulgaris (beet)Results agree
3 papers in the same direction as this paper
- negative
- no effect
- negative
drought · physiology: photosynthesis · Beta vulgaris (beet)Results agree
8 papers in the same direction as this paper
- negative
- no effect
- negative
5 papers more in this group
See all 9 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.