Abstract

The water status of Terminalia brownii seedlings was assessed in relation to incident microclimate and initial irrigation treatments, during establishment at Olorgesailie in the Rift Valley of Kenya. Experimental treatments involved incorporation of a water-absorbing polymer with the root systems of the plants during establishment, and repeated irrigation, in a factorial design. The maximum photosynthetically active radiation of over 2500 μmol/m2/s recorded during the first 9 days after outplanting was associated with air temperatures of up to 47.4°C, and leaf-to-air vapour pressure deficits (VPDs) of up to 8.04 kPa. Water potentials declined to a minimum of − 3.7 MPa, 9 days after outplanting, indicating severe water deficits