[Effects of drought stress at different growth stages on photosynthetic efficiency and water consumption characteristics in sweet potato.]

To investigate the effects of drought stress on the growth of sweet potato, photosynthesis, yield, and water consumption characteristics were investigated in field-grown sweet potato plants (Jishu 21, a drought-tolerant cultivar) at different growth stages in 2014-2015. There were five drought treatments, including the whole growth period (DS), the early stage of growth (rooting and branching period, DS1), the middle stage of growth (storage root initiation period, DS2), and the late stage of growth (storage root bulking period, DS3), and a normal irrigation treatment (WW) as control. The results showed that sweet potato plants in DS significantly decreased in dry mass, biomass, and harvest index during two years. The biomass of sweet potato under DS, DS1, DS2 and DS3 was decreased by 31.3%, 21.2%, 19.6% and 7.7%; the harvest index was decreased by 19.9%, 14.5%, 14.1% and 6.5%, and the dry mass was decreased by 45.3%, 33.1%, 31.3% and 14.2%, respectively. The leaf area index in DS, DS1, DS2 and DS3 was decreased by 77.1%, 60.1%, 39.2% and 17.1% at 100 days after transplanting (DAT), and the net photosynthesis was decreased by 56.7%, 26.6%, 18.7% and 9.5% at 90 DAT, respectively. Plants under drought stress reduced diurnal evaporation, transpiration rate, water consumption, daily water consumption, and soil water use efficiency, but increased irrigation water use efficiency. Drought stress decreased leaf area index, Pn, biomass and the allocation of biomass to storage root, resulting in a significant reduction of yield. The early drought and the long stress duration had significant impacts on leaf area index, Pn, biomass and harvest index, leading to a greater reduction in yield and water use efficiency. Therefore, drought stress at the early growth stages of sweet potato should be avoided during cultivation.在2014—2015年遮雨棚下种植甘薯品种‘济薯21’,以全生育期正常灌水(WW)为对照,研究了全生育期(DS)、发根分枝期(DS1)、蔓薯并长期(DS2)和快速膨大期(DS3)干旱胁迫对甘薯光合作用、产量和耗水特性的影响.结果表明: DS、DS1、DS2和DS3的生物产量分别比WW降低31.3%、21.2%、19.6%和7.7%,收获指数分别降低19.9%、14.5%、14.1%和6.5%,薯干产量分别降低45.3%、33.1%、31.3%和14.2%.栽后100 d,DS、DS1、DS2和DS3的叶面积系数分别比WW减少77.1%、60.1%、39.2%和17.1%;栽后90 d,叶片光合速率分别比WW降低56.7%、26.6%、18.7%和9.5%.干旱胁迫降低了甘薯垄间的日蒸发量、蒸腾速率、耗水量和日耗水量,降低了土壤水利用效率而提高了灌溉水利用效率.干旱胁迫通过降低叶面积系数和光合速率,减少了生物产量及其向块根的分配,进而导致薯干产量显著降低.干旱胁迫时间越早、持续时间越长,对叶面积系数和光合速率,以及生物产量和收获指数的不利影响越大、导致减产幅度越大,水分利用效率越低.在有限的灌水条件下,甘薯生产中应尽可能减少前期干旱.