Effects of prolonged elevated temperature on leaf gas exchange and other leaf traits in young olive trees

Despite the economic importance of long-lived crop species in the Mediterranean Basin and their expansion to new warmer regions, their potential responses to prolonged temperature increases have not been adequately addressed. The objectives of this study were to: (i) assess leaf gas exchange responses to prolonged elevated temperature in young olive trees; (ii) evaluate some additional leaf traits such as stomatal density and size under these same conditions; and (iii) determine whether photosynthetic acclimation to temperature was apparent. A field experiment with two temperature levels was conducted using well-irrigated, potted olive trees (cvs. Arbequina, Coratina) grown in open-top chambers during the summer and early fall in two growing seasons. The temperature levels were a near-ambient control (T0) and a heated (T+) treatment (+4 ◦C). Maximum photosynthetic rate (Amax), stomatal conductance (gs), transpiration (E) and chlorophyll fluorescence were measured. Stomatal size and density and trichome density were also determined. The Amax, gs and chlorophyll fluorescence were little affected by heating. However, leaf E was higher at T+ than T0 in the summer in both seasons due in large part to the moderate increase in vapor pressure deficit that accompanied heating, and consequently water-use efficiency was reduced in heated leaves. When reciprocal temperature measurements were conducted in mid-summer of the second season, Amax values of T0 and T+ leaves were higher under the temperature level at which they grew than when measured at the other temperature level, which suggests some thermal acclimation. Stomatal size and density were greater in T+ than in T0 grown leaves in some cases, which was consistent with a greater E in T+ leaves when measured at both temperature levels. These results suggest that acclimation to long-term changes in temperature must be carefully considered to help determine how olive trees will be influenced by global warming.

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	Miserere, Andrea, Rousseaux, María Cecilia, Ploschuk, Edmundo Leonardo, Brizuela, María Magdalena, Curcio, Matías Hernán, Zabaleta, Romina, Searles, Peter Stoughton
Format:	Texto biblioteca
Language:	eng
Subjects:	OLEA EUROPAEA, OPEN TOP CHAMBER, PHOTOSYNTHESIS, STOMATAL CONDUCTANCE, THERMAL ACCLIMATION, WATER USE EFFICIENCY,
Online Access:	http://ceiba.agro.uba.ar/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=54755 http://ceiba.agro.uba.ar/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber= http://ceiba.agro.uba.ar/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber= http://ceiba.agro.uba.ar/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=
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