Dry matter production and total chlorophyll content were used to assess the effects
of water stress on plant growth. The water deficit reduced the growth of each plant
component (Table 1). Plant height, stem diameter and dry weights of water-stressed
plants were smaller than the equivalent component in the well-watered plants. At 40%
PC treatment (WS3), plant height and stem diameter were reduced by 46% and 51%
compared to the control, respectively. Water stress treatments reduced both dry matter
and chlorophyll content in the plants. Total plant dry weight was reduced by 27–43%
under severe water stress (WS2 and WS3). Total chlorophyll content in WS3 treatment
was reduced by 55% compared to C treatment (Table 2).
The water stress treatment (WS2 and WS3) resulted in significant (at P£0.01) increases
in electrolyte leakage compared to C treatment (Table 2). Electrolyte leakage
was slightly higher in mature than in developing leaves.
Fruit yield was reduced by up to 68% in the water stressed plants (WS2 and WS3)
compared with unstressed (C) plants (Table 3). There were also significant reductions
in fruit height, diameter and weight under water stress and these reductions were the
highest in the WS3 treatment. These results show that the reduction in fruit weight,
diameter and height under stress conditions may be considered as the main reason
for the reduction in fruit yield.
Water stress also significantly (P£0.01) reduced macroelement concentrations in
the leaves (Table 4). The well-watered plants showed higher nutrient concentrations
than the water-stressed plants.