Theses and Dissertations

ORCID

0000-0003-0548-5812

Advisor

Renninger, Heidi

Committee Member

Siegert, Courtney

Committee Member

Galeano, Esteban

Committee Member

Magbanua, Zenaida

Date of Degree

8-12-2026

Original embargo terms

Visible MSU Only 6 months

Document Type

Graduate Thesis - Campus Access Only

Major

Forestry

Degree Name

Master of Science (M.S.)

College

College of Forest Resources

Department

Department of Forestry

Abstract

Drought stress limits tree growth and productivity, necessitating improved understanding of adaptive mechanisms in woody species. This study investigated drought response strategies in six Populus deltoides clones with contrasting biomass performance using integrated physiological, biochemical, and transcriptomic approaches. A greenhouse drought experiment was conducted, and clones were quantified using drought performance indices. Results revealed a clear separation into low-, intermediate-, and high-performing groups that exhibited drought-avoidance, drought-tolerance, or combined strategies, respectively. High performance was associated with greater leaf retention, stomatal regulation, and carbon assimilation, and was related to climatic conditions at the sites of clones' origin. Transcriptome analysis further identified clone-specific expression of genes involved in nitrogen metabolism, cell wall remodeling, wax and lignin biosynthesis, antioxidant defense, and transcriptional regulation. High-performing clones exhibited coordinated activation of both protective and growth-maintaining pathways. Overall, drought performance in P. deltoides is governed by complex, clone-specific regulatory networks rather than a single adaptive mechanism.

Download

Share

COinS