Efectos del estrés hídrico en crecimiento y desarrollo fisiológico de Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) Kunth ex Walp

Water stress is a physiological reaction of plants to the limited availability of water. The study assessed the effect of stress on seedlings of Gliricidia sepium grown in greenhouse conditions, using control plants and two types of stress (linear and cyclic). Stress generated reductions in height growth of 30 % and foliar leaf 40 %. Plants with linear stress showed severe stress with minimal physiological values at 98 days (photosynthesis 4.51 μmol m^-2.s¹, transpiration 6.56 μmol m^-2.s¹, conductance 48.6 μmol m^-2.s¹), on the other hand, plants with cyclic stress, although they were exposed to moderate stress, showed recovery with stable final physiological values (photosynthesis 12.96 μmo m^-2.s-¹, perspiration 6.22 μmol m^-2.s-¹, conductance 196.05 μmol m^-2s^-1), with a 30 % growth delay with respect to the control plants, finding that 42 days of stress the condition is severe.