Water relations and growth response to drought stress of prosopis tamarugo Phil. A review.

Abstract

Understanding the physiological mechanisms of response that allow plants to survive under suboptimal conditions such as drought stress is of particular interest, because of global climate change that threat the suitability of most terrestrial habitats for plant growth, as well as habitat disturbance of desert plants due to water extraction for human supply. Prosopis tamarugo Phil. of the Pampa del Tamarugal is frequently subjected to drought stress due to groundwater extraction for urban areas, mining industry and agriculture supply. The aim of this review is to analyze information concerning the plant growth response to drought stress and specifically P. tamarugo water relations and growth response to drought stress. P. tamarugo, being a desert plant, has physiological mechanisms that permit its adaptation to extreme environmental conditions like the Pampa del Tamarugal. It has mechanisms as osmotic adjustment, that allow some growth through osmoregulation; changes the angle of its leaflets to avoid high levels of radiation in the afternoon; partially closes its stomata to decrease water loss; maintains high stomata conductance to deal with increasing temperature and atmospheric demand.