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Genetic variation and changes with ontogeny of osmotic adjustment in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)

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Summary

Intraspecific variation for osmotic adjustment in sunflower was examined using a collection of 33 genotypes of different origin which were exposed to water stress at the 8-leaf stage. Changes in osmotic adjustment with ontogeny were also evaluated in the pre- and post-anthesis phases using seven genotypes drawn from this collection. Estimates of osmotic adjustment were derived from measurements of leaf relative water content (RWC) and osmotic potential (π) during a period in which the soil was allowed to dry out gradually. The degree of osmotic adjustment, expressed as the value of RWC for a π of −1.7 MPa (RWCe), was derived from the ln RWC/ln π relationship. Both monophasic and biphasic ln RWC/ln π relationships were found. Irrespective of the form of the relationship, all genotypes at the 8-leaf stage showed some degree of osmotic adjustment. This was also true for the cultivars included in the subset examined in pre- and post-anthesis phases. Significant differences (P=0.05) in RWCe were found between extreme genotypes in all three phases.

Significant (P=0.05) linear relationships were found between RWCe measured in the 8-leaf stage and that measured in the pre- and post-anthesis phases, establishing the viability of measurements in the 8-leaf stage as a means of selection for osmotic adjustment in later developmental stages. Genotype rank order was stable (P=0.01) across the three ontogenetic phases examined.

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Abbreviations

ETp:

potential evapotranspiration

π:

osmotic potential

RWC:

relative water content

RWCe:

value of RWC for a π of −1.7 MPa

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  1. IFEVA, Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Av. San Martín 4453, 1417, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    C. A. Chimenti & A. J. Hall

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  1. C. A. Chimenti
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  2. A. J. Hall
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Chimenti, C.A., Hall, A.J. Genetic variation and changes with ontogeny of osmotic adjustment in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). Euphytica 71, 201–210 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00040409

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00040409

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