Figure 2.

Volumetric soil water content (%) in (a) well-watered treatment and (b) early season drought (ESD) measured in the top 0.15 m of the soil profile during the watering treatments; (c) leaf water potential (Ψleaf), (d) stomatal conductance (gs), and (e) leaf photosynthesis rate measured at the end of the early-season drought treatment (30 DAS) in three cultivars with different root systems, grown under well-watered conditions (WW) and exposed to ESD. ESD was induced by simulating a 25 mm rainfall after sowing in dry soil and no watering for 30 days. Mean values (n = 30) followed by different letters are significantly different p < 0.05. Vertical error bars represent s.e. of the mean (n = 5).