Effects of drought environment on water physiology of Tamarindus indica

Tamarind tree was strongly tolerant to stress environment and can grow in dry and hot surrounding. To explore the mechanism of stress tolerance.The effects of drought on tamarind tree in water physiology were analyzed. The result indicated that, under drought stress, confined-water content was higher than free-water content, which leaded to the decrease of metabolic process of plant. Meanwhile, the free proline content sharply increased so as to protect plant and make the tree tide over drought season. The results also showed that the time of the decrease of water and the increase of free proline content was later then that of atmosphere and soil drought. Therefore, in cultivation and mangagement, the time of supplement irrigation should be in-phase with atmospheric drought, so that the tree was not seriously harmed by lacking of water, and grew normally.