Changes inWater Relations, Proline Content and Leaf Anatomy Induced by Drought in Olea europea (L.) cv. Picual

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Beni Suef University, Egypt

2 Horticulture Research Station at Seds, Beni Suef, Egypt

Abstract

Water relations parameters, proline content as well as leaf anatomical characteristics were studied in
olive cultivar (Olea europea (L.) cv. picual) grown under different levels of available water. The
results clearly show that total osmotic adjustment increased and the relative water content decreased
with increasing severity of drought. Drought stress resulted in an increase of the upper and lower
epidermis and significantly decreased the palisade parenchyma, spongy parenchyma and the total leaf
thickness with a parallel increase of the free proline content.

Keywords