Leaf Water Status and Its Relationship with Reproductive Responses of Common Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Genotypes under Water Stress

Two tolerant (BB24 and BB43) and two susceptible (BARI busbean-2 and BB04) genotypes of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) were evaluated for their water status and its relationship with reproductive responses under continuous water stress (50% field capacity) and control (80% field capacity) conditions in a net house covered with polyethylene sheet at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Bangladesh. Under water stress condition, the susceptible genotype namely BB04 exhibited more negative leaf water potential (LWP) which was followed by that of BARI bushbean-2 in all the time of the day except at noon. The tolerant genotype namely BB24 exhibited less negative LWP at noon. The tolerant genotypes maintained higher relative water content (WRC) than the susceptible ones from dawn to dusk. The relationship between RWC and LWP was examined separately for four genotypes under water stress condition. The genotype BB24 showed a smaller decrease in RWC with more negative LWP than BB04. Water stress reduced pod setting ratio. The relationship between the leaf water status and reproductive responses showed that the genotype with a little reduction in mid-day drop of RWC or with high Corresponding author. A. K. Choudhury et al. 1548 mid-day RWC displayed a high pod setting ratio.