Vegetative growth
After three days of flooding, plants did not exhibit any evidence of wilting. However, on day 3 of the recovery period, the plants on both rootstocks in the T1 treatment began to show visual wilting symptoms, which was more severe in Búlida/RF plants. On day 5, 20 % of these plants showed shoot desiccation, provoking slight leaf abscission, which did not affect Búlida/P plants. In the T2 treatment, leaf wilting and desiccation were observed in Búlida/RF plants, 2–4 days after flooding was discontinued. This led to total leaf shedding in the RF plants, whereas only 20% of the Búlida/P plants lost their leaves (data not shown). Total biomass was reduced by flooding in Búlida/RF plants, with a reduction with respect to non-flooded plants, of 22 and 41% for T1 and T2 treatments, respectively (Table 2). However, the dry weights of the shoots, leaves and roots of flooded plants were similar in flooded and control plants of the Búlida/P combination. Trunk growth was also negatively affected by flooding, with negative values being observed in plants of the T2 treatment, at the end of the experiment (Table 2). No significant differences on trunk growth in Búlida/P plants were found, although a tendency to decrease by flooding effect was observed (Table 2).