Effects of meteorological factors on leaf water potential of spring wheat and field pea in Loess Plateau
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DOI:10.7606/j.issn.1000-7601.2016.05.19
Key Words: semi-arid region  meteorological factors  leaf water potential
Author NameAffiliation
WANG Cai-bin Gansu Baiyin Center of Agricultural Technology Extension, Baiyin, Gansu 730900, China 
WANG Ke-peng College of Resources and Environment, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730070, China 
WANG Yan-wu College of Resources and Environment, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, Gansu 730070, China 
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Abstract:
      A field experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of meteorological factors on the leaf water potential (ΨL) of spring wheat and field pea in Loess Plateau. The results showed that the relationship between leaf water potential and four meteorological factors changed with the growth stages of spring wheat and field pea. Leaf water potential exhibited a linear relationship with air temperature (Ta) and a quadratic relationship with solar radiation (R), air relative humidity (RHa) and air water potential (Ψa). A good linear relationship was observed between leaf water potential and the integrated meteorological factors. Among the four meteorological factors, air water potential had the strongest effect on the leaf water potential of spring wheat, followed by air relative humidity, air temperature and then solar radiation. The direct path coefficients of air relative humidity, air temperature and R were smaller than their respective indirect path coefficients via air water potential, indicating that the direct effects of these three factors on diurnal variations in the leaf water potential of spring wheat were less than their respective indirect effects via air water potential. A highly significant correlation between air temperature and spring wheat leaf water potential was found, indicating a minor direct effect on leaf water potential. Airtemperature was not the primary cause for diurnal variations in the leaf water potential of spring wheat but acted as the primary factor for variations in air water potential. Air temperature had the strongest direct effect on diurnal variations in the leaf water potential of field pea, followed by air water potential, solar radiation and then air relative humidity. Solar radiation and air relative humidity were both smaller than their respective indirect path coefficients via air temperature, indicating that the direct effects of these three factors on diurnal variations in pea leaf water potential were less than their indirect effects via air temperature.