Morphophysiological changes in Bauhinia cheilantha (Bong.) Steud. (Fabaceae) caused by water deficit

Drought-induced alterations often result in plant acclimation responses, though the extent to which these traits adjust, and their true significance remain species-specific and subject to debate. In order to discern which traits exhibit plasticity and essentiality for the species' survival, we studied the morpho-physiological responses of Bauhinia cheilantha seedlings subjected to varying water regimes. We examined modifications in growth patterns, resource allocation and partitioning, morphological traits, organic solute synthesis, relative water content in leaves and roots, and the plasticity index for each trait under different water supply levels. Several traits linked to plant growth were reduced under stress, but those changes were not considered to be plastic. The concentration of organic solutes increased under stress and exhibited a reversible behavior by reducing their levels after re-irrigation. These alterations underscored the significance of such compounds for survival during water deficit periods and the high degree of adaptability. B. cheilantha exhibits morpho-physiological plasticity, as demonstrated by alternating high levels of plasticity in physiological and morphological features, which are associated with moderate drought stress. The study discusses how these changes affect the growth and survival of the species.