Abstract

DIAZ HERNANDEZ, Yusnier; TORRES DE LA NOVAL, Walfredo; RODRIGUEZ CABELLO, Jesús  and  RODRIGUEZ HERNANDEZ, Pedro. Response of papaya silvester plants (Carica cubensis Solms) to water stress and rewatering: growth and physiological aspects. cultrop [online]. 2014, vol.35, n.3, pp. 55-61. ISSN 0258-5936.

Carica cubensis Solms is a wild species endemic from Cuba. Little is know about physiological aspects of this species under limited soil water content. The present study was conducted with the objective of evaluate the response of plant to water deficit and recovery, during vegetative stage. Assay was conducted under semi-controlled conditions and withholding water supply for 21 days and after this period, re-watering for 15 days. Water soil content was monitored periodically as well as plant height, leaves number, foliar surface, organs biomass, and total chlorophylls content. Also, Absolute Growth Rate (AGR), and Specific Leaf Area (SLA) were estimated. Soil water content decreased to values of 12 %; and plant height, foliar surface, organs biomass and total chlorophylls content were affected the most. In stressed plants, root to shoot biomass ratio increased, this constitutes a possible drought tolerant mechanism of the specie. Plant development was not affected (as evaluated by AGR) as well as SLA. During re-watering all variables tended to recover at the end, stressed plant foliar surface and total chlorophylls content reached similar values to control plants. It was conclude that short period of water deficit fallowed by re-watering do not affect Carica cubensis vegetative growth

Keywords : irrigation; foliar surface; chlorophylls.

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