Acclimation of acacia hybrid (Acacia mangium x Acacia auriculiformis) vegetative propagules to soil water deficits

The aim of the present work was to investigate the acclimation potential of acacia hybrid (Acacia mangium Willd×Acacia auriculiformis A.Cunn.ex Benth)vegetative propagules to soil water stress in the nursery of Institute of Forestry and Environmental Sciences, Chittagong University. Acacia hybrid showed significant decrease in total plant biomass in two months water-stressed conditions. Allocation of assimilates to root growth relative to shoot found to be an important acclimation mechanism. Leaf area ratio (LAR)increased under water-stressed plants with simultaneous increase in specific leaf area (SLA)but almost no change in leaf weight ratio (LWR). Significant increase in LAR with limited water supply by increasing SLA was likely to be an important acclimation potential since this relative increase in leaf area compensated, at least partially, for a lower photosynthesis under water-stressed conditions aswas evident from decreased mean total biomass under water-stressed regimes.