Anatomical variability of water conduction and stomatal systems in genotypes of Prunus spp. of different origins

Resumo

The aim of this research was to study the relationships between environmental humidity availability and the anatomical characteristics of water conduction and stomatal systems, in five Mexican peach genotypes with different origins (Jalatzingo and Misantla, Veracruz; Temascaltepec, México; Tulancingo, Oaxaca; Sombrerete, Zacatecas), one almond and Nemaguard rootstock. Shoots, leaves and stomata of six months old plants were anatomically characterized by means of 25 characters. The almond tree and the rootstock Nemaguard showed differences in relation to the peaches, which had higher similarity, although they maintained a separation according to their origin. Groups were differentiated by the following characters: stomatal density; width of the leaf upper epidermis; number, frequency and perimeter of xylem vessels; and the index of vulnerability of the leaf central vein, pith, xylem and phloem percentage of the shoot. The conditions of humidity availability of their origin showed strong association with the studied anatomical characteristics, because the environment with more deficit of humidity (Tulancingo and Sombrerete) showed plants with bigger size and smaller frequency of vessels of xylem, as well as low xylem and phloem percentage in shoot, which can be interpreted as resistance adaptations to drought. The area where the occurrence of drought (Jalatzingo) is rare showed the opposite characteristics.