000 02107nam a2200169Ia 4500
008 220216s9999 xx 000 0 und d
100 _aVeatch-Blohm Maren E
245 0 _aWater-stress-induced changes in resin and rubber concentration and distribution in greenhouse-grown guayule
260 _bAgronomy Journal
_c2006
300 _a766-773
520 _aGuayule (Parthenium argentatum A. Gray) is naturally subject to periods of water stress in its native habitat. It has been shown that, under cultivation, rubber yield increase with increasing irrigation, but rubber concentration per plant decreases. The effect of irrigation on resin concentration is unclear. The purpose of this study was to understand how resin concentration is affected by water stress, and why water stress increases rubber concentration. Greenhouse-grown guayule plants were subjected to water stress in four experiments, each of 3 mo duration. Two experiments were conducted in the summer, the active growth period, and two experiments were conducted in the winter. The water-stressed plants were irrigated when the average soil water potential reached either -0.6 MPa (first summer experiment) or - 0.3 MPa (all subsequent experiments). Water-stress effects were monitored by measuring growth, C exchange, biomass, and resin and rubber production. Water-stressed plants had lower C exchange, growth, and leaf-to-stem ratio than well-watered plants. Resin concentration did not respond consistently to water stress. Rubber concentration was generally higher in the water-stresses plants than in the well-watered plants as a result of decreased leaf biomass in both the summer (33 vs 45 g kg -1) and winter (36 vs. 52 g kg -1) and decreased stem diameter in the summer (8.1 vs. 11.0 mm). Rubber is deposited mainly in the bark; therefore, reduced leaf biomass and stem diameter contribute to higher rubber concentration in the water-stressed plants by increasing the relative amount of bark.
650 _aGuayule
650 _aRubber concentration
700 _aMcCloskey William B
700 _aRay Dennia T
942 _cJS
999 _c72317
_d72317