The Effect of Drought Stress on Some Vegetative and Physiological Characteristics of Superior Local Olive Genotypes (Olea europaea L.) in Pot Conditions

Olive (Olea europaea L.) is one of the every green trees that tolerance to Drought. Olive is an economically important species of the Mediterranean area, so understanding the mechanisms by which olive plants face drought stress under environmental conditions is essential for the improvement of olive yield and oil quality. Drought is one of the most important environmental stresses that affect plant growth and development negatively. This study was aimed to investigate the effect of drought stress on some morphological characteristics of some superior local olive genotypes in pot condition was conducted in Dallaho Olive Research Station (geographical characters was longitude of 45˚, 51΄ E and latitude of 34˚, 30΄ N and the height of sea level 581m) located in Kermanshah province. In order to select drought resistant or tolerant local olive genotypes an experiment in pot conditions was conducted. Seven olive genotypes (D1, Dd1, GW, Ps1, Bn3, Bn6 and Ds17) used as plant materials. Pot experiment based on completely randomized design with three replications and two factors (irrigation regimes and genotypes) was conducted in 2015. Irrigation Ttreatment were including of 100% (control), 80%, 60% and 50% of evapotranspiration respectively. Some vegetative characteristics such as plant height, trunk diameter, leaf number, leaf, shoot, and root fresh and dry weight were recorded. Collected data were analyzed with MSTATC program. Obtained results showed that Bn3 genotype had the highest height and D1 had the lowest height. Bn3 genotype had the highest number of leaf and D1 had the lowest but D1, Dd1 and Gw were in a statistic class. Genotypes showed significant differences in leaf fresh and dry weight so that Bn3 genotype had the highest leaf fresh and dry weight and D1 had the lowest. Genotypes indicated significant differences in pot in shoot and root fresh and dry weight so that Ds17 genotype had the lowest shoot fresh and dry weight and Gw had the lowest root fresh and dry weight. and Bn6 had the lowest root dry weight/ shoot dry weight ratio. irrigation treatments significant differences in recorded vegetative and physiological characteristics so that 100 percent irrigation treatment increase relative water content percent (RWC), total chlorophyll. among olive genotypes Bn3 and Ds17 had the highest, relative water content percent (RWC), total chlorophyll and mda less produced. The results indicated that olive genotypes had different resistance to drought and vegetative growth status of Bn3 and Ds17 genotypes were better in drought stress conditions. It can be concluded that Bn3 and Ds17 genotype had the relatively high resistance to drought stress.