Assessing effect of treated rain water catchment systems on activity of ‎photosynthetic parameters in Apricot seedlings

Knowledge about optimizing use of rain water under different systems for overcoming water stresses, maximization of crop yield and how their effects is very important. So in this research effect of Rain Water Catchment (RWC) systems under five treatments viz. control (A), eliminated of vegetation and pebble with a gravel filter (B), eliminated of vegetation and pebble without any gravel filter (C), insulated some portion by plastic with gravel filter (D) and insulated some portion by plastic without any gravel filter (E) on activity of photosynthetic parameters have been assessed. The research was conducted in a randomized complete block design with 3 replications for each treatment. RWCs were designed in 8, 5, and 0.5 meters for the length, width and depth respectively, as well as with 9 % downward slope. To facilitate runoff infiltration in root region; a gravel filter was created that was 10 cm diameter and 30 cm depth respectively, in all treatment. Four photosynthetic factor viz. Photosynthetic rate per unit leaf area, stomatal conductance, transpiration rate and substomatal CO2 adsorption were measured after 10 and 23 days after one rainfall event in 2011. Results showed there are significant differences between measured factors except substomatal CO2 adsorption under different treatments. Totally results of this research showed that two Rain Water Catchment systems including insulated some portion by plastic without any gravel filter (E) and eliminated of vegetation and pebble without any gravel filter (C) had maximum positive effect on activity of photosynthetic parameters in Apricot seedlings versus control treatment (A) exhibited minimum activity of photosynthetic parameters in Apricot seedlings. It can say the effect of treatments in runoff delivery to the Apricot seedlings is the cause of obtained aforementioned results.