Anatomical Alteration in Response to Irrigation and Water Stress in Some Legume Crops

Anatomical alteration of leaf tissues components were investigated in regards to adequate and inadequate watering in Mungbean, Vetch and three Lentil cultivars namely Baraka, Adlib and Nineveh. The possibility of mitigating the alteration of these adversities by the aid of GA3 was also investigated. Lentil plants irrigated by 50% level appeared to be the most effective treatment. This treatment manifested the best results as it exceeded that of 75% level in terms of cuticle thickness (69.3%), epidermis thickness (12%), and spongy layer thickness (7%). Moreover, it also exceeded that of 25% level in epidermis thickness (22.6%), palisade thickness (2.8%), spongy layer thickness (21%), and thickness of lower epidermis (4.5%). Irrigation level of 75% exceeded that of 25% level in epidermis thickness (9.4%), palisade thickness (3.1%), spongy layer thickness (13.1%), and thickness of lower epidermis (13%). Common Vetch irrigated by 25% level was the paramount treatment. It exceeded that of 50% irrigation level in terms of cuticle thickness, epidermis thickness, palisade thickness, spongy layer thickness, thickness of lower epidermis, and thickness of lower epidermis cuticle by 54.9, 12, 13.3, 37.1, 37.9, and 71.9%, respectively. Mungbean irrigated every 2 days exceeded that of Mungbean irrigated every 8 days in cuticle thickness (42.9%), epidermis thickness (22.2%), thickness of lower epidermis (5.1%), and thickness of lower epidermis cuticle (25%). 200 mgl-1 GA3 Common Vetch treated plants exceeded that of untreated in term of stomata aperture length (22.4%), and stomata population (29.9%). Mungbean irrigated results every six days and sprayed with 200 mgl-1GA3 gave the highest stomata length (5.4 µm). Finally Baraka lentil cultivar revealed significant increases in stomata aperture 5.6% and 6.7%, as compared to Nineveh and Adlib, respectively. Baraka was also superior over Adlib stomata length (4%).