Influence of host plant on the physiological attributes of field-grown sandal tree (santalum album)

Sureshkumar, P.; Ashokan, P. K.; Rocha, D.; Santhoshkumar, A. V.; Anoop, E. V.

Influence of host plant on the physiological attributes of field-grown sandal tree (santalum album)

2014

Sureshkumar, P. | Ashokan, P. K. | Rocha, D. | Santhoshkumar, A. V. | Anoop, E. V.

This paper examines the influence of host plant, Casuarina equisetifolia, on carbon assimilation, water and nutrient absorptionin a 6-year-old field-grown sandal tree. Sandal trees growing with host showed carbon assimilation rate of 17.66 μmol cm -2s-1whereas sandal trees growing without host plant showed only 15.13 μmol cm-2s-1.Sandal tree growing with host plant also showed higher pre-dawn plant water potential (-0.85 MPa) than sandal tree without host plant (-1.27 MPa). Leaf nutrient contents were higher in sandal tree with host plant (N = 2.65%, K = 0.24%, P = 2.31%) compared with sandal tree without host plant (N = 2.48%, P =0.16%, K = 1.68%). The host plant supplemented N, P and K requirement of sandal trees through haustorial connections. The most outstanding influence of the host plant was in increasing the K status of sandal tree. Sandal tree depended on host plant mainly for maintaining plant water level and reducing water stress and the K status of the leaf played significant role in this. Host plant was not only essential for initial establishment of sandal tree but was also required in the main field.

Показать больше [+]