Distribution Profiles and Interrelations of Stomatal Conductance, Transpiration Rate and Water Dynamics in Young Maize Laminas under Nitrogen Deprivation

Dimitris L. Bouranis, Alexandros Dionias, Styliani N. Chorianopoulou, Georgios Liakopoulos, Dimosthenis Nikolopoulos

Plant Physiology Laboratory, Department of Crop Science, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece.

DOI: 10.4236/ajps.2014.55080                

Abstract

Seven-day-old maize (Zea mays) plants were grown hydroponically for ten days in N-deprived nutrient solution. The distribution profiles according to the position on the stem of the –N laminas stomatal conductance, transpiration rate, photosynthetic rate (1st-group) were monitored, along with the corresponding profiles of dry mass, water amount, water content, length, surface area, and specific surface area (2nd-group), relative to control. In the uppermost –N laminas, the changes within a parameter of the 1st-group were significantly higher and of the 2nd-group significantly lower than the control, respectively. Correlations of the corresponding values among the parameters of the 1st-or 2nd-group were linear. The parameters between groups correlated non-linearly. Transpiration rate was divided by the lamina’s dry mass correlated with surface area in a power-type function. The slopes of the response ratios linear relations between the various pairs of parameters could be used for simulation of a lamina’s response to the deprivation.

Keywords

N-Deprivation; Hydroponics; Zea mays; Stomatal Conductance; Transpiration Rate; Photosynthetic Rate; Response Ratios

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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