Transpiração e crescimento foliar de genótipos de batata em função da fração de água transpirável no solo

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the response of transpiration and leaf growth to the fraction of transpirable soil water (FTSW), in three clones (SMINIA 02106-11, SMINIA 00017-6 and SMINIA 793101-3) of Potato Genetic and Breeding Program of the Federal University of Santa Maria, adapted to subtropical and temperate conditions of cultivation and the cultivar Asterix. Two experiments were conducted in a greenhouse in Santa Maria, in the Spring, with planting in 08/09/2010 and on the Fall, with planting on 01/04/2011. The available water, represented by FTSW, transpiration and leaf growth were measured on a daily basis, in each experiment, during the period of soil drying. The threshold FTSW that begins to affect transpiration, indicating the beginning of stomatal closure, was 0.36, 0.38, 0.41 and 0.29 for clones SMINIA 02106-11, SMINIA 00017-6, SMINIA 793101-3 and Asterix, respectively in the first period and 0.26, 0.27, 0.21 and 0.22 in the second period, indicating that the cultivar Asterix is less tolerant to soil water deficit cultivation in the spring than advanced clones. The threshold FTSW that begins to affect leaf growth was higher than for transpiration, 0.44, 0.40, 0.46 and 0.47 in the first experiment to SMINIA 02106-11, SMINIA 00017-6, SMINIA 793101-3 and Asterix, respectively, and 0.27, 0.38, 0.29 and 0.26 in the second experiment. These results confirm the genetic variability of the potato, and shows that each genotype is related in a way with the environment. Keywords: Solanum tuberosum. Drought tolerance. Water stress.