Efecto de diferentes disponibilidades hídricas sobre características morfofisiológicas de Bidens pilosa

In this work, the aim was to see how Bidens pilosa responds when water availability changes, both in terms of its growth and its functioning. To do this, two experiments were carried out under controlled conditions: one where the percentage of water in the soil was modified, and another where the number of days between irrigations was varied.

In general, it was observed that when less water is available or when more time passes between irrigations, plants grow less. This was reflected in plant height, number of leaves, stem thickness, and biomass, especially in the most restrictive treatments. In some cases, the decrease was gradual, while in others it only became clear when the deficit was more severe.

It was also observed that water consumption decreased under drier conditions, showing that the plant adjusts its functioning to reduce water loss. However, this also ends up affecting other processes, such as photosynthesis.

On the other hand, SPAD values decreased as water became limited, especially towards the end of the experiment, indicating that the condition of the plant deteriorates when water stress is sustained over time.

In summary, Bidens pilosa tolerates intermediate water deficit conditions quite well, but when the deficit becomes more pronounced, both growth and plant functioning are clearly affected.