Comparison of the Drought Stress Responses of Tolerant and Sensitive Wheat Cultivars During Grain Filling: Changes in Flag Leaf Photosynthetic Activity,ABA Levels,and Grain Yield

Water status parameters, flag leaf photosynthetic activity, abscisic acid (ABA) levels, grain yield, and storage protein contents were investigated in two drought-tolerant (Triticum aestivum L. cv. MV Emese and cv. Plainsman V) and two drought-sensitive (cvs. GK élet and Cappelle Desprez) wheat genotypes subjected to soil water deficit during grain filling to characterize physiological traits related to yield. The leaf water potential decreased earlier and at a higher rate in the sensitive than in the tolerant cultivars. The net CO₂ assimilation rate (P _N) in flag leaves during water deficit did not display a strict correlation with the drought sensitivity of the genotypes. The photosynthetic activity terminated earliest in the tolerant cv. Emese, and the senescence of flag leaves lasted 7 days longer in the sensitive Cappelle Desprez. Soil drought did not induce characteristic differences between sensitive and tolerant cultivars in chlorophyll a fluorescence parameters of flag leaves during post-anthesis. Changes in the effective quantum yield of PSII (Φ_PSII) and the photochemical quenching (qP) depended on the genotypes and not on the sensitivity of cultivars. In contrast, the levels of ABA in the kernels displayed typical fluctuations in the tolerant and in the sensitive cultivars. Tolerant genotypes exhibited an early maximum in the grain ABA content during drought and the sensitive cultivars maintained high ABA levels in the later stages of grain filling. In contrast with other genotypes, the grain number per ear did not decrease in Plainsman and the gliadin/glutenin ratio was higher than in the control in Emese during drought stress. A possible causal relationship between high ABA levels in the kernels during late stages of grain filling and a decreased grain yield was found in the sensitive cultivars during drought stress.     

Water availability effects on antioxidant enzyme activities, lipid peroxidation, and reducing sugar contents of alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.)

To understand alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) reactions to osmotic stress, solutions with −0.5, −1 and −1.5 MPa osmotic potentials using PEG (Poly ethyleneglycol) and distilled water as control were prepared. In a germination test, eleven alfalfa cultivar seeds were allowed to germinate in these solutions. M. sativa cv. Yazdi and M. sativa cv. Gharayonje, selected as tolerant and sensitive cultivars, respectively, and were used for further studies. In all PEG solutions, root and shoot dry weights decreased in both cultivars. Under different levels of osmotic stress, root to shoot ratio increased significantly in Yazdi, whereas this parameter showed no significant differences in Gharayonje. Yazdi cultivar also showed higher activities of SOD (Superoxide dismutase), APX (Ascorbate peroxidase), CAT (Catalase), POD (Peroxidase), and higher reducing sugar contents of leaves in comparison with Gharayonje. These higher antioxidant activities help the tolerant cultivar to decrease oxidative damages of osmotic stress to membrane lipids as compared with its sensitive counterpart. As a result, electrolyte leakage and the amounts of MDA (Malondialdehyde), were higher in Gharayonje. This study highlights the importance of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant systems in scavenging reactive oxygen species which is caused by osmotic stress. It is seems that antioxidant systems are more active in tolerant cultivars than those of sensitive ones.     

Expansins are involved in cell growth mediated by abscisic acid and indole-3-acetic acid under drought stress in wheat

Expansin protein is a component of the cell wall generally accepted to be the key regulator of cell wall extension during plant growth. Plant hormones regulate expansin gene expression as well as plant growth during drought stress. However, the relationship between expansin and plant hormone is far from clear. Here, we studied the involvement of expansin in plant cell growth mediated by the hormones indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and abscisic acid (ABA) under osmotic stress which was induced by polyethylene glycol (PEG)-6000. Wheat coleoptiles from a drought-resistant cultivar HF9703 and a drought-sensitive cultivar 921842 were used to evaluate cell growth and expansin activity. Osmotic stress induced the accumulation of ABA. ABA induced expansin activity mainly by enhancing expansin expression, since ABA induced cell wall basification via decreasing plasma membrane H⁺-ATPase activity, which was unfavorable for expansin activity. Although ABA induced expansin activity and cell wall extension, treatment with exogenous ABA and/or fluridone (FLU, an ABA inhibitor) suggested that ABA was involved in the coleoptile growth inhibition during osmotic stress. IAA application to detached coleoptiles also enhanced coleoptile growth and increased expansin activity, but unlike ABA, IAA-induced expansin activity was mainly due to the decrease of cell wall pH by increasing plasma membrane H⁺-ATPase activity. Compared with drought-sensitive cultivar, the drought-resistant cultivar could maintain greater expansin activity and cell wall extension, which was contributive to its resultant faster growth under water stress.     

Effect of ABA on the water relations of winter-wheat cultivars varying in drought resistance

Water and osmotic potentials were measured in leaves of a drought-sensitive ('Ponca') and a drought-resistant ('KanKing') cultivar of winter wheat ( Triticum aestivum L . em. Thell.) to determine if the potentials of the drought-sensitive cultivar could be made similar to those of the drought-resistant cultivar through application of abscisic acid (ABA). Stomatal resistance was also measured. Plants were sprayed with ABA and grown in soil, which was watered or allowed to dry. In well-watered plants, ABA closed the stomata of both cultivars. Stomatal resistance of plants grown without added water and with ABA was less than that of plants grown without added water and without ABA. Under ample water supply, ABA decreased water and osmotic potentials of the drought-sensitive cultivar (Ponca), but had no effect on these potentials in the drought-resistant cultivar (KanKing). Under water-deprived conditions, ABA increased water and osmotic potentials of Ponca, but did not change these potentials in KanKing. The overall effect of ABA was to decrease the differences in the water and osmotic potentials between the two cultivars.     

Enhancement of phenylethanoid glycosides biosynthesis in cell cultures of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Cistanche deserticola</Emphasis> by osmotic stress

The effect of osmotic stress on cell growth and phenylethanoid glycosides (PeGs) biosynthesis was investigated in cell suspension cultures of Cistanche deserticola Y. C. Ma, a desert medicinal plant grown in west region of China. Various initial sucrose concentrations significantly affected cell growth and PeGs biosynthesis in the suspension cultures, and the highest dry weight and PeGs accumulation reached 15.9 g l⁻¹-DW and 20.7 mg g⁻¹-DW respectively at the initial osmotic stress of 300 mOsm kg⁻¹ where the sucrose concentration was 175.3 mM. Stoichiometric analysis with different combinations of sucrose and non-metabolic sugar (mannitol) or non-sugar osmotic agents (PEG and NaCl) revealed that osmotic stress itself was an important factor for enhancing PeGs biosynthesis in cell suspension cultures of C. deserticola. The maximum PeGs contents of 26.9 and 23.8 mg g⁻¹-DW were obtained after 21 days at the combinations of 87.6 mM sucrose with 164.7 mM mannitol (303 mOsm kg⁻¹) or 20 mM PEG respectively, which was higher than that of C. deserticola cell cultures grown under an initial sucrose concentration of 175.3 mM after 30 days. The stimulated PeGs accumulation in the cell suspension cultures was correlated to the increase of phenylalanine ammonium lyase (PAL) activity induced by osmotic stress.     

Effects of carbon source,polyethylene glycol and abscisic acid on secondary embryo induction and maturation in rapeseed (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Brassica napus</Emphasis> L.) microspore-derived embryos

In this study, the effects of carbon sources, abscisic acid (ABA) either alone or in combination with polyethylene glycol (PEG) were evaluated on secondary embryo (SE) induction and maturation in rapeseed microspore-derived embryos (MDE) of cultivars Global, PF₇₀₄ and Option. Among various carbon sources tested (sucrose, glucose, fructose and sorbitol), the use of 0.3 M (300 mOsml⁻¹) glucose and 0.2 M (200 mOsml⁻¹) sorbitol in SE induction medium (for cultivars Global and PF₇₀₄) and sorbitol at 0.2 and 0.3 M (200 and 300 mOsml⁻¹, for cultivar Option), induced the highest secondary embryogenesis percentage (%SE). The highest number of SEs per each MDE (SE/MDE) was observed with 0.2 M (200 mOsml⁻¹) sorbitol in cultivar Global and with 0.3 M (300 mOsml⁻¹) glucose in cultivars PF₇₀₄ and Option. In another part of this study, the effect of different concentrations of ABA (0, 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 μM) and of a combined use of ABA (0 and 40 μM) and PEG 4000 or PEG 6000 at 15 g l⁻¹ (3.75 and 2.5 mOsml⁻¹, respectively) was examined on induction and maturation of SEs. In the first experiment, the use of ABA in SE induction medium reduced the mean number of SE/MDE in the three studied cultivars, whereas use of 40–80 μM ABA in SE induction medium increased the percentage of mature SEs in each cultivar. The combined use of PEG with or without ABA also reduced the mean number of SE/MDE compared with control, but resulted in significant enhancement of the percentages of mature SEs for the three cultivars.     

Differences in abscisic acid concentration in roots and leaves of two young Olive (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Olea europaea</Emphasis> L.) cultivars in response to water deficit

Differences in abscisic acid (ABA) accumulation between two olive cultivars were studied by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in roots and leaves, leaf water potential (Ψ_l), stomatal conductance (g _s) as well as photosynthetic rate (A) were also determined in well-watered (WW) and water-stressed (WS) plants of two olive cultivars ‘Chemlali’ and ‘Chetoui’. ‘Chemlali’ was able to maintain higher leaf CO₂ assimilation rate and leaf stomatal conductance throughout the drought cycle when compared with ‘Chetoui’. Furthermore, leaf water potential of ‘Chemlali’ decreased in lower extent than in Chetoui in response to water deficit. Interestingly, significant differences in water-stress-induced ABA accumulation were observed between the two olive cultivars and reflect the degree of stress experienced. Chemlali, a drought tolerant cultivar, accumulated lower levels of ABA in their leaves to regulate stomatal control in response to water stress compared to the drought sensitive olive cultivar ‘Chetoui’ which accumulated ABA in large amount.     

Relationship between osmotic stress and polyamines conjugated to the deoxyribonucleic acid-protein in wheat seedling roots

The contents of covalently conjugated polyamines (CC-PAs) and noncovalently conjugated polyamines (NCC-PAs) to deoxyribonucleic acid-protein (DNP) isolated from wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) seedling roots under osmotic stress were detected. Results showed that after osmotic stress treatment for 7 d, the levels in NCC-spermine (NCC-Spm) and NCC-spermidine (NCC-Spd) of drought-tolerant Yumai No. 18 cv. increased more markedly than that of drought-sensitive Yangmai No. 9 cv., while the NCC-putrescine (NCC-Put) could not be statistically detected in two cultivars. Exogenous Spm treatment alleviated osmotic stress injury to Yangmai No. 9 cv. seedlings, coupled with marked increases of NCC-Spm and NCC-Spd levels of this cultivar. Under PEG osmotic stress, the concomitant treatment of drought-tolerant Yumai No. 18 cv.seedlings with methylglyoxyl-bis (guanylhydrazone) (MGBG), an inhibitor of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (SAMDC), aggravated osmotic stress injury to this cultivar, coupled with market decreases of the NCC-Spm and NCC-Spd levels. The levels in CC-Put and CC-Spd of drought-tolerant Yumai No. 18 cv. increased more markedly than that of drought-sensitive Yangmai No. 9 cv. Under osmotic stress. The treatment of drought-tolerant Yumai No. 18 cv. seedlings with phenanthrolin (o-Phen), an inhibitor of transglutaminase (TGase), aggravated osmotic stress injury to this cultivar, coupled with a reduction of sum contents of CC-Put+CC-Spd. These results suggested that NCC-Spm and NCC-Spd, together with CC-Put and CC-Spd, in DNP of roots could enhance tolerance of the wheat seedlings to osmotic stress.     

Implication of ABA and proline on cell membrane injury of water deficit stressed barley seedlings

The aim of this work was to examine the ability of ABA and proline to counteract the deleterious effect of water deficit stress on cell membrane injuries. Six-day-old seedlings of two barley genotypes (cv. Aramir, line R567) were treated with ABA (2·10⁻⁴ M) or proline (0.1 M) for 24 h, and then subjected to osmotic stress for 24h, by immersing their roots in polyethylene glycol (PEG 6000) solution of osmotic potential of −1.0 MPa and −1.5 MPa or by submerging the leaf pieces in PEG solution of osmotic potential of −1.6 MPa. Pretreatment of plants with ABA and proline caused an increase of free proline level in the leaves. Plants treated with ABA exhibited a lower membrane injury index under water stress conditions than those untreated even when no effect of this hormone on RWC in the leaves of stressed plants was observed. Pretreatment of plants with proline prevented to some extent membrane damage in leaves of the stressed seedlings, but only in the case when stress was imposed to roots. Improvement in water status of leaves was also observed in seedlings pretreatment with proline. The protective effect of both ABA and proline was more pronounced in line R567 that exhibited higher membrane injury under water deficit stress conditions.     

Differential effects of cold, osmotic stress and abscisic acid on polyamine accumulation in wheat

The effects of cold, osmotic stress and abscisic acid (ABA) on polyamine accumulation were compared in the moderately freezing-sensitive wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) variety Chinese Spring (CS) and in two derived chromosome 5A substitution lines, CS(T. spelta 5A) and CS(Cheyenne 5A), exhibiting lower and higher levels of freezing tolerance, respectively. When compared with the other treatments, putrescine (Put) and spermidine (Spd) levels were much greater after cold treatment, spermine (Spm) following polyethylene glycol-induced (PEG) osmotic stress and Spm and cadaverine (Cad) after ABA treatment. During 3-week cold stress, the Put concentration, first exhibited a transient increase and decrease, and then gradually increased. These alterations may be due to changes in the expression of genes encoding the enzymes of Put synthesis. The Put content was higher in the freezing-tolerant chromosome 5A substitution line than in the sensitive one after 3 weeks of cold. In contrast to cold, ABA and PEG induced a continuous decrease in the Spd level when applied for a period of 3 weeks. The Spm content, which increased after PEG and ABA addition, was twice as high as that of Put during ABA treatment at most sampling points, but this difference was lower in the case of PEG. The Cad level, induced to a great extent by ABA, was much lower when compared with that of the other polyamines. The present experiments indicate that cold, osmotic stress and ABA have different effects on polyamines, and that some of these changes are affected by chromosome 5A and correlate with the level of stress tolerance.     

Gas exchange,chlorophyll fluorescence,and osmotic adjustment in two mango cultivars under drought stress

The responses of photosynthetic gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, content of pigments, main osmolytes, and malondialdehyde (MDA) to water-withholding for 15 days and re-hydration in seedlings of two mango cultivars (Mangifera indica L. var. “Choke Anand’ and var. “Khieo Sawoei”) under 50% sunlight and full sunlight were investigated. For both cultivars, the water-witholding resulted in progressively decreases in leaf relative water content, net photosynthesis (P _n), stomatal conductance (g _s), and increases in the conversion of xanthophyll cycle pigments estimated by an index of leaf spectral reflectance (ΔPRI), carotenoid to chlorophyll ratio, non-photochemical quenching (NPQ), the contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) and compatible solutes (total soluble sugar and proline). The effect of the water stress was more pronounced in full sunlight than 50% sunlight. The maximum photochemistry efficiency measured at dawn was fairly constant during the period of the treatment for both cultivars under both light regimes. The water stress caused less pronounced inhibition of photosynthesis in “Choke Anand” than in “Khieo Sawoei” cultivar under both light regimes. After re-hydration, the recovery was relatively quicker in “Choke Anand” than in “Khieo Sawoei” cultivar. Both cultivars in both 50% and full sunlight showed complete recovery in photochemistry after 5 days of re-watering but photosynthesis did not show a complete recovery as indicated by gas exchange rates. As the results of lower NPQ, ΔPRI and osmotic adjustment in the cultivar “Khieo Sawoei” compared to the cultivar “Choke Anand”, the former cultivar was less tolerant to drought than the latter. Our study further showed that partial shading (e.g., 50% of sunlight) significantly alleviated the harmful effect of drought stress on mango cultivars but in fact stomata of seedlings grown in partial shade was more responsive to water deficit than in full light.     

Effects of S-Abscisic Acid (S-ABA) on Seed Germination,Seedling Growth,and Asr1 Gene Expression Under Drought Stress in Maize

The objective of this study was to evaluate the ability of the phytohormone S-abscisic acid (S-ABA) to protect maize seedlings grown under drought stress and to measure their increased drought tolerance. The maize hybrids ‘Zhengdan 958’ (ZD958; drought tolerant) and ‘Xundan 20’ (XD20; drought sensitive) were treated with nutrient solutions of different concentrations (1, 2, 4, 8, and 10 mg/kg) of S-ABA under polyethylene glycol (PEG, 15% w/v, MW 6000) simulated drought stress. Optimal concentrations of S-ABA were designed to be sprayed onto the leaves of seedlings, and their effect on endogenous ABA, malondialdehyde (MDA), osmotic substances, antioxidant enzyme activities, and Asr1 gene expression in seedlings were studied. Results indicated that, under drought stress, S-ABA treatment significantly improved maize seed germination rate (GR), germination energy (GE), and seedling biomass (p < 0.05). After spraying 4 mg/kg S-ABA onto leaves, the endogenous hormone ABA, osmotic substances, antioxidant enzyme activities, and expressive quantity of the Asr1 gene were extended and MDA content dropped significantly (p < 0.05). Moreover, ZD 958 endogenous ABA content, osmotic substances content, antioxidant enzyme activity and Asr1 gene expressive quantity were higher than that of XD 20 (p < 0.05). In conclusion, S-ABA treatment increased the content of endogenous ABA, induced an increase in antioxidant enzyme activity and Asr1 gene expression level, reduced the oxidative damage caused by drought to maize leaves, and improved the adaptability of maize seedlings to withstand drought stress. The promoting effect of S-ABA on the drought-tolerant variety ZD 958 was more obvious (p < 0.05). These results serve as a reference for the use of S-ABA in mitigating drought stress in maize.

     

Characterization of Three Sorbitol Transporter Genes in Micropropagated Apple Plants Grown under Drought Stress

Sorbitol, a major end-product of photosynthesis in many species of the Rosaceae family, accumulates in response to abiotic stressors. However, the relationship that arises between the expression of sorbitol transporters and sorbitol accumulation under abiotic stress remains unclear. In this study, micropropagated ‘Fuji’ apple plants (Malus domestica Borkh. ‘Fuji’) were exposed to two varying degrees of osmotic stress and compared relative to an unstressed control. The osmotic stress was generated by adding PEG 6000 into full-strength Hoagland solution and adjusted the osmotic potential to either −0.75 MPa (mild drought stress [MIS]) or −1.5 MPa (severe drought stress [SES]). Analysis of sorbitol levels via high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) showed that the sorbitol concentration was elevated in roots, phloem tissues and leaves in both the MIS and SES treatments compared to controls for the entire duration of the experiment. Three cDNA sequences, encoding sorbitol transporters (MdSOT3, MdSOT4 and MdSOT5), were isolated from leaves. Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) data suggests that the expression levels of MdSOT3 and MdSOT5 were higher under MIS and SES in roots, phloem tissues and leaves compared to unstressed controls. The average mRNA levels of MdSOT4 in phloem tissues declined under both drought treatments (with the exception being at 2 h of SES). In roots and leaves under SES, mRNA production was increased. These results indicate that the up-regulation of MdSOT3 and MdSOT5 expression is consistent with the accumulation of sorbitol under conditions of osmotic stress in apple plants. They enhanced drought tolerance in vegetative tissues. Increased MdSOT4 mRNA enhanced drought tolerance under SES.     

Changes of cytosolic Ca2+ fluorescence intensity and plasma membrane calcium channels of maize root tip cells under osmotic stress

The changes of cytosolic Ca²⁺ fluorescence intensity and the activities of calcium channel of primary maize root tip cells induced by PEG6000 or abscisic acid(ABA) were studied by both confocal techniques and the whole-cell patch clamping in this study. The Ca²⁺ fluorescence intensity increased while treated with PEG or ABA within 10 min, illuminating that Ca²⁺ participated in the process of ABA signal transduction. For further proving the mechanism and origin of cytosolic Ca²⁺ increase induced by PEG treatments, N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetic acid (EGTA), Verapamil (VP) and Trifluoperazine (TFP) were added to the PEG solution in the experiments separately. The results showed that Ca²⁺ fluorescence intensity induced by PEG was suppressed by both EGTA and VP obviously in the root tip cells. The Ca²⁺ fluorescence intensity of plants changed after the addition of CaM inhibitor TFP while subjected to osmotic stress, which seemed to show that CaM participated in the process of signal transduction of osmotic stress too. The mechanism about it is unknown today. Further, a hyperpolarization-activated calcium permeable channel was recorded in plasma membrane of maize root tip cells. The Ca²⁺ current (I_Ca) intensity increased remarkably after PEG treatment, and the open voltage of the calcium conductance increased. Similar changes could be observed after ABA treatment, but the channel opened earlier and the current intensity was stronger than that of PEG treatment. The activation of calcium channel initiated by PEG strongly was inhibited by EGTA, VP or TFP respectively. The results revealed that Ca²⁺ participated in the signals transduction process of osmotic stress, and the cytosolic free Ca²⁺ increase by osmotic stress mainly came from the extracellular, and some came from the release of cytoplasmic calcium pool.     

Drought-induced oxidative damage and antioxidant responses in peanut (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Arachis</Emphasis><Emphasis Type="Italic">hypogaea</Emphasis> L.) seedlings

Two cultivars of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) which were designated as resistant (Florispan) and sensitive (Gazipasa) according to their growth retardation under drought stress conditions were compared for their oxidative damage and antioxidant responses. Sixteen days-old peanut seedlings were subjected to PEG-6000 solutions of two different osmotic potentials; −0.4 and −0.8 MPa, and various growth parameters, photosystem II activity, changes in malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and proline levels, activities of ascorbate peroxidase (APX), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POX) and gluthatione reductase (GR) enzymes were determined. Both cultivars exhibited water deficit at −0.8 MPa osmotic potential of PEG-6000 and H₂O₂ levels significantly increased during exposure to −0.4 MPa osmotic potential. However, H₂O₂ levels were under control in both cultivars at exposure to −0.8 MPa osmotic potential. Significant proline accumulation was observed in the tissues of cv. Florispan at −0.8 MPa osmotic potential, whereas proline accumulation did not appear to be an essential part of the protection mechanism against drought in cv. Gazipasa. No significant variation in chlorophyll fluorescence values were detected in neither of the cultivars. Enzyme activity measurements revealed that Gazipasa copes well with lesser magnitudes of drought stress by increasing the activity of mainly APX, and during harsh stress conditions, only APX maintains its activity in the tissues. In cultivar Florispan, GR activity appears to take role in lesser magnitudes of drought stress, whereas CAT and APX activities appear to be very crucial antioxidative defenses during intense stress conditions. The results indicate that, the level of proline and activities of the enzymes CAT and APX are important mechanisms for the maintenance of drought tolerance in peanut plants.     

Osmotic Stress Temporarily Reverses the Inhibitions of Photosynthesis and Stomatal Conductance by Abscisic Acid--Evidence that Abscisic Acid Induces a Localized Closure of Stomata in Intact, Detached Leaves

Ward, D. A. and Drake, B. G. 1988. Osmotic stress temporarilyreverses the inhibitions of photosynthesis and stomatal conductanceby abscisic acid—evidence that abscisic acid induces alocalized closure of stomata in intact, detached leaves.—J.exp. Bot 39: 147–155. The influence of osmotic stress on whole leaf gas exchange wasmonitored in detached leaves of Glycine max supplied with anexogenous concentration (10^–5 mol dm^–3) of ±abscisicacid (ABA) sufficient to inhibit net photosynthesis and stomatalconductance by 60% and 70%, respectively, under a saturatingirradiance and normal air. Raising the osmotic (sorbitol) concentrationof the ABA solutions feeding leaves elicited rapid and synchronousreversals of the ABA-dependent inhibitions of net photosynthesisand conductance. These reversals reached a peak simultaneously,after which photosynthesis and conductance declined. The magnitudeof the transient stimulations at peak height was dependent uponthe sorbitol concentration of the ABA feeding solution, althoughthe time-course of the transients (half time, 4–6 min)was similar for the different osmotic concentrations applied.Irrespective of transient size the relative changes of photosynthesisand conductance were comparable; consequently the calculatedpartial pressure of CO₂ in the substomatal space (Ci) remainedrelatively constant during the transient phase. In contrastto the ABA-treated leaves, elevating the osmotic concentrationof the distilled water supply feeding control leaves stimulatedconductance to a much greater relative extent than photosynthesis.The co-stimulations of photosynthesis and conductance inducedin ABA-treated leaves by osmotic shock were not due to a restrictionin the transpirational uptake of ABA and occurred irrespectiveof the source osmoticum applied. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that the ABA-dependentinhibition of photosynthesis at constant Ci is an artifact causedby the spatially heterogeneous closure of stomata in responseto ABA. Alternative explanations for the responses are, however,considered. Key words: Abscisic acid, photosynthesis, osmotic stress, Glycine max, stomatal conductance