Mechanisms for water-use efficiency between bean cultivars tolerant to drought are different

• Published in: Acta scientiarum. Agronomy Vol. 40; no. 1; pp. 39378 - e39378
• Main Authors: Tavera, Victor Montero, Aguirre Mancilla, César Leobardo, Acosta Gallegos, Jorge Alberto, Rámirez Pimentel, Juan Gabriel, Mireles Arriaga, Ana Isabel, Ruiz Nieto, Jorge Eric
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Maringa Editora da Universidade Estadual de Maringá - EDUEM 01.01.2018; Eduem (Editora da Universidade Estadual de Maringá)
• Subjects: Agricultural economics; AGRONOMY; Climate change; Climate effects; Conductance; Cultivars; Drought; Drought resistance; expression profiles; Integrals; Phaseolus vulgaris; physiological characterization; production water cost; Resistance; Stomata; Stomatal conductance; Transpiration; water regimens; Water requirements; Water resources; Water use; production water cost; Phaseolus vulgaris; perfis de expressão; custo da água de produção; expression profiles; physiological characterization; water regimens; caracterização fisiológica; regimes hídricos
• ISSN: 1679-9275; 1807-8621; 1807-8621
• DOI: 10.4025/actasciagron.v40i1.39378

The water-use efficiency (WUE) has been proposed as an alternative to mitigate the effects of climate change in agriculture and to reduce pressure on water resources, mainly in species with high water requirements which are grown under rainfed conditions. The aim of this study was to characterize the instantaneous, integral and molecular WUE of four bean cultivars contrasting in their response under limiting water conditions to compare the component mechanisms of this trait between drought tolerant and susceptible cultivars. Results indicated that tolerant cultivars increased their instantaneous WUE in comparison to susceptible ones; however, there was a difference between cultivars since Pinto Villa had a higher stomatal conductance and transpiration rate, leading to a higher water cost to produce seed than Pinto Saltillo. Furthermore, ycf2, rrn16, rpoC2, hardy, ndhK, erecta and ycf1 WUE genes were only overexpressed in Pinto Saltillo under limited water conditions, which turned out to be the most WUE efficient cultivar. Therefore, the component mechanisms of WUE are different even between drought tolerant cultivars and the mechanisms by which the tolerant cultivars increased their instantaneous and integral WUE were different.