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Comparison of the measurements of leaf water potential between a hydraulic press and a pressure chamber in six Sahelian woody species

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Abstract

The aim of this methodological study was to quantify differences between water potential measured with a pressure chamber (PC) and with a hydraulic press (HP) in six north Sahelian dominant species of the woody strata across the range of their local environmental conditions in the Malian Gourma. Mean annual rainfall is 372 mm, falling from June to September, followed by 8–10 months of dry season. The daily course of Leaf Water Potential (LWP) was monitored in 2–6 m tall healthy individuals. Water potential measured with the two instruments were statistically comparable (R² > 40%) except in A. senegal. However, the HP under-estimated LWP and revealed smaller ranges of water potential than the PC. In the Sahelian shrubs studied here, for the precise measurement of a water potential gradient in the soil–plant-atmosphere continuum and for inter-specific comparisons, the PC is more appropriate than the HP. However, the HP may be useful for intra-species comparison in large sampled fields, since calibrations will be checked across a wider range of dates and a large number of sites.

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Acknowledgments

This study was carried out in the framework of the AMMA project, thanks to the API, (the French financial contribution). Detailed information on scientific coordination and other funding of the project is available on the AMMA International website http://www.ammainternational.org. I thank Dr. T. Winkel and the referee for valuable advice.

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  1. Université Montpellier 2, HydroSciences Montpellier, Case MSE, Place Eugène Bataillon, Montpellier cedex 5, 34095, France

    J. Seghieri

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  1. J. Seghieri
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Correspondence to J. Seghieri.

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Seghieri, J. Comparison of the measurements of leaf water potential between a hydraulic press and a pressure chamber in six Sahelian woody species. Agroforest Syst 80, 185–190 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-009-9256-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-009-9256-4

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