Abstract: Effects of changes in temperature around roots on water uptake by roots and leaf transpiration were studied in Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit., a subtropical woody plant species, and in Zea mays L. When the temperature around roots was rapidly lowered from 25 ℃ to 15 ℃, the water uptake by the roots and leaf transpiration were stimulated significantly within a short period ( 14 min). However, this effect did not occur when the cooling time was prolonged neither did if occur when the temperature around the roots was resumed from 15 ℃ to 25 ℃. Both the hydraulic conductivity of roots and leaf transpiration were increased substantially at first (within 20 min)and then decreased steadily to a level lower than those of the control in which the roots were continuous exposed to a low temperature ( 15 ℃ ). Low temperature also promoted the biosynthesis of ABA in roots and enhanced the xylem ABA concentration, but such stimulation did not occur untill about 30 min after cooling treatment, leaf transpiration was reduced markedly, but the hydraulic conductivity of roots increased when the root system was treated with exogenous ABA. It was suggested that some mechanisms other than ABA may be involved in the short-time cryostimulation of water uptake by roots and leaf transpiration.

Key words: Zea mays, Leucaena leucocephala, Temperature, Hydraulic conductance of roots, Transpiration, ABA