Abstract
The effect of humidity on the gas exchange of leaves of the dicotyledons soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill), sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), jojoba (Simmondsia chinensis (L.) Schneider), and saltbush (Atriplex halimus L.) and the monocotyledons wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) and barnyard grass (Echinochloa crus-galli (L.) Beauv.) was examined under conditions of adequate soil moisture in a controlled environment. Photosynthesis and stomatal and internal diffusion resistances of whole, attached, single leaves were not affected by changes in humidity as the vapour pressure deficit between the leaf and atmosphere ranged from 8 to 27 mb. Transpiration increased linearly with increasing vapour pressure deficit. Whole plants of barley exhibited a different response. As humidity was increased, photosynthesis increased, transpiration expressed per unit of vapour pressure difference increased, and diffusion resistances became smaller. Reasons for the different behaviour of single leaves and whole plants are suggested. An index for water use efficiency, expressed per millibar of vapour pressure deficit, was calculated for single leaves of each species used in the experiments. This showed that water use efficiency was highest in the C4 xerophytes and lowest in the C3 mesophytes. The effect of environment on water use efficiency is examined using data from the literature.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Aston, M.J.: Changes in internal water status and the exchange of leaves in response to ambient evaporative demand. In: Plant response to climatic factors (Proc. Uppsala Symp. 1970), pp. 243–247, Slatyer, R.O., ed. Paris: UNESCO 1973
Aubert, B., Catsky, J.: The onset of photosynthetic CO2 influx in banana leaf segments as related to stomatal diffusion resistance at different air humidities. Photosynthetica 4, 254–256 (1970)
Barrs, H.D.: Controlled environment studies of the effects of variable atmospheric water stress on photosynthesis, transpiration and water status of Zea mays L. and other species. In: Plant response to climatic factors. (Proc. Uppsala Symp. 1970). pp. 249–258, Slatyer, R.O., ed. Paris: UNESCO 1973
Bialoglowski, J.: Effect of humidity on transpiration of rooted lemon cuttings under controlled conditions. Proc. Amer. Soc. hortic. Sci. 33, 166–169 (1935)
Bierhuizen, J.F., Slatyer, R.O.: Photosynthesis of cotton leaves under a range of environmental conditions in relation to internal and external diffusive resistances. Aust. J. Biol. Sci. 17, 348–359 (1964a)
Bierhuizen, J.F., Statyer, R.O.: An apparatus for the continuous and simultaneous measurement of photosynthesis and transpiration under controlled environment conditions. Aust. CSIRO Div. Land Res. Reg. Surv. Tech. Pap. No. 24 (1964b)
Boyer, J.S.: Differing sensitivity of photosynthesis to low leaf water potentials in corn and soybean. Plant Physiol. 46, 236–239 (1970)
Camacho-B, S.E., Hall, A.E., Kaufman, M.R.: Efficiency and regulation of water transport in some woody and herbaceous species. Plant Physiol. 54, 169–172 (1974)
Downes, R.W.: Adaptation of sorghum plants to light intensity. In: Photosynthesis and photorespiration, pp. 57–62, Hatch, M.D., Osmond, C.B., Slatyer, R.O., eds. New York: Wiley Interscience 1971
Downton, W.J.S.: Adaptive and evolutionary aspects of C4 photosythesis. In: Photosynthesis and photorespiration, pp. 3–17, Hatch, M.D., Osmond, C.B., Slatyer, R.O., eds New York: Wiley Interscience 1971
Evans, L.T.: Evolutionary, adaptive and environmental aspects of the photosynthesis pathway; assessment. In: Photosynthesis and photorespiration, pp. 130–136, Hatch, M.D., Osmond, C.B., Slatyer, R.O., eds. New York: Wiley Interscience 1971
Ford, M.A., Thorne, G.N.: Effects of atmospheric humidity on plant growth. Ann. Bot. N.S. 38, 441–452 (1974)
Gifford, R.M.: A comparison of potential photosynthesis, productivity and yield of plant species with differing photosynthetic metabolism. Aust. J. Plant Physiol. 1, 107–117 (1974)
Grace, J.: Wind damage to vegetation. Curr. Adv. Plant Sci. 17, 883–894 (1975)
Hall, A.E., Camacho-B, S.E., Kaufmann, M.R.: Regulation of water loss by citrus leaves. Physiol. Plant. 33, 62–75 (1975)
Jarvis, P.G.: The estimation of resistance to carbon dioxide transfer. In: Plant photosynthetic production-manual of methods, pp. 566–631, Sestak, Z., Catsky, J., Jarvis, P.G., eds. The Hague: W. Junk 1971
Lange, O.L., Losch, R., Schulze, E.D., Kappen, L.: Responses of stomata to changes in humidity. Planta (Berl.) 100, 76–86 (1971)
Ludlow, M.M.: Effect of oxygen concentration on leaf photosynthesis and resistances to carbon dioxide diffusion. Planta (Berl.) 91, 285–290 (1970)
Ludlow, M.M.: Analysis of the difference between maximum leaf net photosynthetic rates of C4 grasses and C3 legumes. In: Photosynthesis and photosespiration, pp. 63–67, Hatch, M.D., Osmond, C.B., Slatyer, R.O., eds. New York: Wiley Interscience 1971
Ludlow, M.M., Wilson, G.L.: Photosynthesis of tropical pasture plants. II. Temperature and illuminance history. Aust. J. Biol. Sci. 24, 1065–1075 (1971)
Moldau, Kh.A., Syber, A.Yu.: Effect of air humidity on the conductivity of stomates and mesophyll of bean leaves at two values of soil moisture. Soviet Plant Physiol. 21, 663–668 (1974)
Rawson, H.M., Woodward, R.G.: Photosynthesis and transpiration in dicotyledonous plants. I. Expanding leaves of tobacco and sunflower. Aust. J. Plant Physiol. 3, 247–256 (1976)
Schulze, E.D., Lange, O.L., Buschbom, U., Kappen, L., Evenari, M.: Stomatal responses to changes in humidity in plants growing in the desert. Planta (Berl.) 108, 250–270 (1972)
Slatyer, R.O.: Comparative photosynthesis, growth and transpiration of two species of Atriplex. Planta (Berl.) 93, 175–189 (1970)
Slatyer, R.O., Bierhuizen, J.F.: Transpiration from cotton leaves under a range of environmental conditions in relation to internal and external diffusive resistances. Aust. J. Biol. Sci. 17, 115–130 (1964)
Troughton, J.H.: Plant water status and carbon dioxide exchange of cotton leaves. Aust. J. Biol. Sci. 22, 289–302 (1969)
Whiteman, P.C., Koller, D.: Species characteristics in whole plant resistances to water vapour and CO2 diffusion. J. Applied Ecol. 4, 363–377 (1967)
Woodward, R.G., Begg, J.E.: The effect of atmospheric humidity on the yield of soybean. Aust. J. Agric. Res. 27, 501–508 (1976)
Woodward, R.G., Rawson, H.M.: Photosynthesis and transpiration in dicotyledonous plants. II. Expanding and senescing leaves of soybean. Aust. J. Plant Physiol. 3, 257–267 (1976)
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rawson, H.M., Begg, J.E. & Woodward, R.G. The effect of atmospheric humidity on photosynthesis, transpiration and water use efficiency of leaves of several plant species. Planta 134, 5–10 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00390086
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00390086