Net photosynthetic rate (PN), stomatal conductance (gS), transpiration rate (E), intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci), leaf water potential (Ψw), leaf area, chlorophyll (Chl) content, and the activities of photosynthetic carbon reduction cycle (PCR) enzymes in two mulberry (Morus alba L.) cultivars (drought tolerant Anantha and drought sensitive M-5) were studied during water stress and recovery. During water stress, PN, gS, and E declined whereas Ci increased. PN, gS, and E were less affected in Anantha than in M-5, which indicates tolerance nature of Anantha over M-5. Activities of ribulose-5-phosphate kinase, NAD- and NADP-glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenases, and 3-phosphoglycerate kinase decreased with increasing stress in both the cultivars. The enzyme activities less affected in tolerant (Anantha) than in sensitive cultivar (M-5) were restored after re-watering to almost initial values in both the cultivars. Re-watering of the plants led to an almost complete recovery of PN, E, and gS, indicating that a short-term stress brings about reversible effect in these two cultivars of mulberry. and S. Thimmanaik ... [et al.].
Three-month-old mulberry (Morus alba L.) cultivars (salt tolerant cv. S1 and salt sensitive cv. ATP) were subjected to different concentrations of NaCl for 12 d. Leaf area, dry mass accumulation, total chlorophyll (Chl) content, net CO2 assimilation rate (PN), stomatal conductance (gs), and transpiration rate (E) declined, and intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci) increased. The changes in these parameters were dependent on stress severity and duration, and differed between the two cultivars. The tolerant cultivar showed a lesser reduction in PN and gs coupled with a better Ci and water use efficiency (WUE) than the sensitive cultivar. and S. Giridara Kumar ... [et al.].