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. 1983 Nov;73(3):609–613. doi: 10.1104/pp.73.3.609

In Situ Field Measurement of Leaf Water Potential Using Thermocouple Psychrometers 1

Michael J Savage 1, Herman H Wiebe 1,2, Alfred Cass 1
PMCID: PMC1066515  PMID: 16663267

Abstract

Thermocouple psychrometers are the only instruments which can measure the in situ water potential of intact leaves, and which can possibly be used to monitor leaf water potential. Unfortunately, their usefulness is limited by a number of difficulties, among them fluctuating temperatures and temperature gradients within the psychrometer, sealing of the psychrometer chamber to the leaf, shading of the leaf by the psychrometer, and resistance to water vapor diffusion by the cuticle when the stomates are closed. Using Citrus jambhiri, we have tested several psychrometer design and operational modifications and showed that in situ psychrometric measurements compared favorably with simultaneous Scholander pressure chamber measurements on neighboring leaves when the latter were corrected for the osmotic potential.

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Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Savage M. J., Cass A., de Jager J. M. An accurate temperature correction model for thermocouple hygrometers. Plant Physiol. 1982 Feb;69(2):526–530. doi: 10.1104/pp.69.2.526. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

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