Kazem Ghassemi-Golezani - Department of Plant Eco-physiology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran
Soheila Dastborhan - Dastborhan

Water is the most limiting factor in plant production in most parts of the world, especially in arid and semiarid regions. Thus, a field experiment based on randomized complete block design with three replications was conducted in 2013 to investigate some properties of borage leaves at vegetative stage in response to water limitation. Treatments were four levels of irrigation (irrigation after 60, 90, 120 and 150 mm evaporation from class A pan). Result indicated that the effect of irrigation intervals on leaf area index and relative water content of borage was not significant. However, leaf temperature of borage under moderate and severe water stress was 3.2 and 4.1oC higher than that under well watering. Electrolyte leakage and chlorophyll content index were also increased with decreasing water availability. It was concluded that borage is a tolerant plant to water stress at vegetative stage.

Borage, Chlorophyll content, Electrolyte leakage, Leaf temperature, Water limitation