<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Canola (<italic>Brassica napus</italic>) is cultivated for oil as a biofuel crop. Few quantitative data concerning its tolerance to abiotic stresses has been presented. We evaluated the tolerances of canola to drought and salinity stresses in terms of parameter values in a macroscopic root water uptake model. We conducted an experiment using nine columns with two plants in each: three columns were under drought stresses, another three were under saline stress and others provided potential transpiration. Two soil moisture and salinity probes were inserted into each of the six columns under stress to monitor water content and electrical conductivity. Weight of the columns was manually measured to obtain daily transpiration. Water uptake at each depth and time was calculated by substituting linearly interpolated matric and osmotic potentials into the stress response function. Determined stress response functions indicated that canola is more sensitive to drought compared to Jatropha. While, it was found to be as tolerant as Jatropha to salinity stress in terms of transpiration. Matric potential was more determining than osmotic potential to root water uptake of canola.</p></abstract>

Canola (Brassica napus) is cultivated for oil as a biofuel crop. Few quantitative data concerning its tolerance to abiotic stresses has been presented. We evaluated the tolerances of canola to drought and salinity stresses in terms of parameter values in a macroscopic root water uptake model. We conducted an experiment using nine columns with two plants in each: three columns were under drought stresses, another three were under saline stress and others provided potential transpiration. Two soil moisture and salinity probes were inserted into each of the six columns under stress to monitor water content and electrical conductivity. Weight of the columns was manually measured to obtain daily transpiration. Water uptake at each depth and time was calculated by substituting linearly interpolated matric and osmotic potentials into the stress response function. Determined stress response functions indicated that canola is more sensitive to drought compared to Jatropha. While, it was found to be as tolerant as Jatropha to salinity stress in terms of transpiration. Matric potential was more determining than osmotic potential to root water uptake of canola.

Tolerance of canola to drought and salinity stresses in terms of root water uptake model parameters

Department of Mechanical and Environmental Informatics, Tokyo Institute of Technology, 2-12-1-W8-4 O-okayama, Meguro-ku, Tokyo, 152-8552, Japan, Tel: +81-3-5734-2190

The National University Corporation Arid Land Research Center, Tottori University, 1390 Hamasaka, Tottori, 680-0001, Japan

Journal of Hydrology and Hydromechanics

Canola (Brassica napus) is cultivated for oil as a biofuel crop. Few quantitative data concerning its tolerance to abiotic stresses has been presented. We...

Tolerance of canola to drought and salinity stresses in terms of root water uptake model parameters

Published Online: Mar 15, 2013

Page range: 73 - 80

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/johh-2013-0009

This content is open access.