Interactive Effects of Drought and UV-B Stress on Growth and Photosynthetic Activity in Acer buergerianum Seedlings
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.24925/turjaf.v14i4.1050-1058.8483Keywords:
Photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, intrinsic water use efficiency, SPAD, Li-CorAbstract
This study aimed to investigate the responses of 2-year-old A. buergerianum seedlings to drought and ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation stress in terms of growth and photosynthetic parameters. The seedlings were exposed to three different irrigation regimes (control, mild, and severe drought) and three different UV-B doses (control, low, and high) for 8 weeks in the study. The study included 9 different experimental groups, with 10 seedlings representing each group, for a total of 90 seedlings. Results showed that stress factors had no significant effect on seedling height, root collar diameter, and leaf chlorophyll content (SPAD value) (p>0.05). However, stress factors caused statistically significant changes in the measured photosynthetic parameters (p£0.05). Drought stress alone significantly reduced net photosynthetic rate (Anet), stomatal conductance (gs), and transpiration rate (E), while increasing intrinsic water use efficiency (iWUE) and the ratio of leaf cell internal carbon dioxide utilization (Ci) to ambient (air) CO2 (Ca) (Ci/Ca). While the effect of UV-B alone was limited on these parameters, the combined effects of the two stress factors were more suppressed. In addition, the lowest photosynthetic performances were observed in groups [U6 (Anet = 0.36 µmol m-2 s-1) and U9 (Anet = 0.20 µmol m-2 s-1)] that were subjected to high UV-B doses and severe drought. These results indicate that increased UV-B radiation may affect plant drought tolerance, particularly in urban green spaces, more than expected. Therefore, long-term studies and the selection of genotypes with high stress tolerance are necessary for the sustainability of urban landscapes.
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