Effects of elevated CO2 and water stress on root structure and hydraulic conductance of Solanum melongena L

Bikash C Sarker, Michihiro Hara
2010 Bangladesh Journal of Botany  
Pot experiment was conducted using eggplants (Solanum melongena L.) grown in a controlled growth chamber environment. Ambient (370 ppm) and elevated (700 ppm) CO 2 concentrations, were used. Hydraulic conductance in stressed eggplants was lower than that of control eggplants and this phenomenon was enhanced under elevated CO 2 environment and also due to plant age. Hydraulic conductance through the root system in free water was comparatively higher than that of soil medium. As in the pressure
more » ... ate apparatus technique with moist soil, the eggplants that experienced repetitively shorter stress showed the lowest conductance (6.38 × 10 -5 kg/m 2 /s/MPa) under the interactive effects of high CO 2 and water stress while control and longer stressed plants had 9.11 × 10 -5 and 7.19 × 10 -5 kg/m 2 /s/MPa, respectively. It appeared that eggplants grown in a high CO 2 environment might be efficient in water use under soil water shortage conditions.
doi:10.3329/bjb.v38i1.5125 fatcat:4xz2cxfwhnaylkxgfs4efwotbm