Gas exchanges of 'Tommy Atkins' mango trees under different irrigation treatments

Abstract

Gas exchanges influence growth, development and production of crops and are associated with the plant water conditions, which can be dependent on the soil and climate conditions. The present study aimed at evaluating transpiration, photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, internal CO2 concentration and foliar temperature of 'Tommy Atkins'mango trees under different irrigation treatments in the semiarid region of Bahia (BA, Brazil). The experimental design was a randomized block with five treatments and six replicates: 1, irrigation providing 100 % of crop evapotranspiration (ETc) in phases: I (early blooming to early fruit expansion), II (early expansion to early physiologic ripening) and in phase III (physiologic ripening of fruits); 2, regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) with 50 % of ETc in phase I; 3, RDI with 50 % ETc in phase II; 4, RDI with 50 % ETc in phase III; 5, no irrigation. Total or partial soil water deficit caused reduction in photosynthetic rate, transpiration and stomatal conductance of 'Tommy Atkins' leaves. Partial soil water deficit does not cause significant alterations in internal CO2 concentration or in leaf temperature of 'Tommy Atkins' mango trees.