Hernandez-Santana Virginia, Sebastian-Azcona Jaime, Rodriguez-Dominguez Celia M, Perez-Martin Alfonso, Montero Antonio, Benzal-Moreno Daniel, Rossi Federica, Perez-Romero Luis F, Diaz-Espejo Antonio
Plant Ecophysiology and Irrigation Group, Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología (IRNAS), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Seville, Spain.
Agrobiotechnology Group, Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología (IPNA), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain.
Physiol Plant. 2025 May-Jun;177(3):e70295. doi: 10.1111/ppl.70295.
Crop plants, including fruit trees, are particularly vulnerable to water scarcity because past selection prioritized productivity over drought resistance, making it challenging to maintain productivity with minimal water use in the context of climate change. This study aims to determine which trait combination of 10 fruit tree species influences their water and carbon use, with the goal of understanding their adaptability to water scarcity. The results showed that water stress traits (turgor loss point, TLP; vulnerability index, VI), a carbon-related trait (specific leaf area; SLA), and a biomass allocation trait (Huber value; H) define the major axis of variability and present the strongest correlations with other traits. Two distinct strategies emerged: the first, mainly around Prunus species, was characterized by high H, low SLA, more negative TLP, and low VI, indicating greater water-stress tolerance due to sapwood redundancy and reduced organ vulnerability. They also exhibited higher maximum photosynthetic rates, indicating greater assimilation rates. The second strategy, mainly including Citrus species, exhibited opposite traits and trends. These trait combinations were likely shaped by shared ancestry and environmental factors. Understanding these correlations can guide irrigation practices and the selection of resilient species, contributing to more robust agricultural systems in a changing climate scenario.
包括果树在内的农作物特别容易受到水资源短缺的影响，因为过去的选择优先考虑产量而非抗旱性，这使得在气候变化的背景下，以最少的用水量维持产量具有挑战性。本研究旨在确定10种果树的哪些性状组合会影响它们的水分和碳利用，目的是了解它们对水资源短缺的适应性。结果表明，水分胁迫性状（膨压丧失点，TLP；脆弱性指数，VI）、一个与碳相关的性状（比叶面积；SLA）和一个生物量分配性状（胡伯值；H）定义了变异的主轴，并与其他性状呈现出最强的相关性。出现了两种不同的策略：第一种，主要围绕李属物种，其特点是H值高、SLA值低、TLP更负且VI值低，表明由于边材冗余和器官脆弱性降低，具有更强的水分胁迫耐受性。它们还表现出更高的最大光合速率，表明同化率更高。第二种策略，主要包括柑橘属物种，表现出相反的性状和趋势。这些性状组合可能是由共同的祖先和环境因素塑造的。了解这些相关性可以指导灌溉实践和选择适应力强的物种，有助于在气候变化情景下建立更稳健的农业系统。
