Response of four fuel-wood yielding seedlings to water stress

Four species offast growing fuel wood yielding plants [Albizia lebbeck (Linn.) Benth., Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit., Acacia auriculiformis A. Cunn. and Cassia fistula Linn.] were characterized in respect to their responses to water stress. Seedlings (25 days) of these species, exposed to two levels of water stress (−0.5 and −1.0 MPa) induced by PEG-6000, were analysed for the contents of chlorophyll, protein, solubte sugars and proline in leaves. Chlorophyll and protein contents declined with increasing levels of water stress except in C. fistula where these levels increased. Soluble sugar contents increased under water stress; increase being higher in A. lebbeck and C. fistula. Proline content of leaves also increased significantly with increasing level of water stress and was highest in C. fistula. Apparently, C. fistula is the most tolerant to water stress among these four fuel wood yielding plants.