Almond Tree Adaptation to Water Stress: Differences in Physiological Performance and Yield Responses among Four Cultivar Grown in Mediterranean Environment
Maximizing water use efficiency, yield, and plant survival under drought is a relevant research issue for almond-tree-growing areas worldwide. The intraspecific diversity of this species may constitute a valuable resource to address the resilience and productivity challenges that climate change pose...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Plants |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/5/1131 |
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| author | Ana Fernandes de Oliveira Massimiliano Giuseppe Mameli Luciano De Pau Daniela Satta |
| author_facet | Ana Fernandes de Oliveira Massimiliano Giuseppe Mameli Luciano De Pau Daniela Satta |
| author_sort | Ana Fernandes de Oliveira |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Maximizing water use efficiency, yield, and plant survival under drought is a relevant research issue for almond-tree-growing areas worldwide. The intraspecific diversity of this species may constitute a valuable resource to address the resilience and productivity challenges that climate change poses to crop sustainability. A comparative evaluation of physiological and productive performance of four almond varieties: ‘Arrubia’, ‘Cossu’, ‘Texas’, and ‘Tuono’, field-grown in Sardinia, Italy, was performed. A great variability in the plasticity to cope with soil water scarcity and a diverse capacity to adapt to drought and heat stresses during fruit development were highlighted. The two Sardinian varieties, Arrubia and Cossu, showed differences in water stress tolerance, photosynthetic and photochemical activity, and crop yield. ‘Arrubia’ and ‘Texas’ showed greater physiological acclimation to water stress while maintaining higher yields, as compared to the self-fertile ‘Tuono’. The important role of crop load and specific anatomical traits affecting leaf hydraulic conductance and leaf gas exchanges efficiency (i.e., dominant shoot type, leaf size and roughness) was evidenced. The study highlights the importance of characterizing the relationships among almond cultivar traits that affect plant performance under drought in order to better assist planting choices and orchard irrigation management for given environmental contexts. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:14:05Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ec27810117a947e494317a4f01ac92d7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2223-7747 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T07:14:05Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Plants |
| spelling | doaj.art-ec27810117a947e494317a4f01ac92d72023-11-17T08:24:36ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472023-03-01125113110.3390/plants12051131Almond Tree Adaptation to Water Stress: Differences in Physiological Performance and Yield Responses among Four Cultivar Grown in Mediterranean EnvironmentAna Fernandes de Oliveira0Massimiliano Giuseppe Mameli1Luciano De Pau2Daniela Satta3Agris Sardegna, Agricultural Research Agency of Sardinia, Loc. Bonassai S.S. 291 Sassari-Fertilia—Km. 18600, 07100 Sassari, ItalyAgris Sardegna, Agricultural Research Agency of Sardinia, Loc. Bonassai S.S. 291 Sassari-Fertilia—Km. 18600, 07100 Sassari, ItalyAgris Sardegna, Agricultural Research Agency of Sardinia, Loc. Bonassai S.S. 291 Sassari-Fertilia—Km. 18600, 07100 Sassari, ItalyAgris Sardegna, Agricultural Research Agency of Sardinia, Loc. Bonassai S.S. 291 Sassari-Fertilia—Km. 18600, 07100 Sassari, ItalyMaximizing water use efficiency, yield, and plant survival under drought is a relevant research issue for almond-tree-growing areas worldwide. The intraspecific diversity of this species may constitute a valuable resource to address the resilience and productivity challenges that climate change poses to crop sustainability. A comparative evaluation of physiological and productive performance of four almond varieties: ‘Arrubia’, ‘Cossu’, ‘Texas’, and ‘Tuono’, field-grown in Sardinia, Italy, was performed. A great variability in the plasticity to cope with soil water scarcity and a diverse capacity to adapt to drought and heat stresses during fruit development were highlighted. The two Sardinian varieties, Arrubia and Cossu, showed differences in water stress tolerance, photosynthetic and photochemical activity, and crop yield. ‘Arrubia’ and ‘Texas’ showed greater physiological acclimation to water stress while maintaining higher yields, as compared to the self-fertile ‘Tuono’. The important role of crop load and specific anatomical traits affecting leaf hydraulic conductance and leaf gas exchanges efficiency (i.e., dominant shoot type, leaf size and roughness) was evidenced. The study highlights the importance of characterizing the relationships among almond cultivar traits that affect plant performance under drought in order to better assist planting choices and orchard irrigation management for given environmental contexts.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/5/1131<i>Prunus amygdalus Batsch cultivar</i>‘Arrubia’‘Cossu’‘Texas’‘Tuono’water deficit acclimation |
| spellingShingle | Ana Fernandes de Oliveira Massimiliano Giuseppe Mameli Luciano De Pau Daniela Satta Almond Tree Adaptation to Water Stress: Differences in Physiological Performance and Yield Responses among Four Cultivar Grown in Mediterranean Environment Plants <i>Prunus amygdalus Batsch cultivar</i> ‘Arrubia’ ‘Cossu’ ‘Texas’ ‘Tuono’ water deficit acclimation |
| title | Almond Tree Adaptation to Water Stress: Differences in Physiological Performance and Yield Responses among Four Cultivar Grown in Mediterranean Environment |
| title_full | Almond Tree Adaptation to Water Stress: Differences in Physiological Performance and Yield Responses among Four Cultivar Grown in Mediterranean Environment |
| title_fullStr | Almond Tree Adaptation to Water Stress: Differences in Physiological Performance and Yield Responses among Four Cultivar Grown in Mediterranean Environment |
| title_full_unstemmed | Almond Tree Adaptation to Water Stress: Differences in Physiological Performance and Yield Responses among Four Cultivar Grown in Mediterranean Environment |
| title_short | Almond Tree Adaptation to Water Stress: Differences in Physiological Performance and Yield Responses among Four Cultivar Grown in Mediterranean Environment |
| title_sort | almond tree adaptation to water stress differences in physiological performance and yield responses among four cultivar grown in mediterranean environment |
| topic | <i>Prunus amygdalus Batsch cultivar</i> ‘Arrubia’ ‘Cossu’ ‘Texas’ ‘Tuono’ water deficit acclimation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/12/5/1131 |
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