Macadamia integrifolia Leaf Photosynthesis and Carbohydrate Status Following Whole-Plant Flooding

Extreme flooding has emerged as a major climate risk for low-lying Australian macadamia (Macadamia spp.) orchards, yet the physiological mechanisms underlying tree decline remain poorly understood. We investigated whole-plant responses to complete submergence in young, grafted macadamia trees by subjecting plants to one- and two-week floods, as well as repeated flooding. Following emergence from the flood water, photosynthetic rate (A) and stomatal conductance (gs) declined progressively with increased flood duration and repeated exposure. Grafted plants of G on H2 maintained a more resilient photosynthetic apparatus post-flood than G grafted on Beaumont, as reflected by a smaller decline in maximum assimilation rates as well as biochemical capacities for ribulose 1,5 bisphosphate (RuBP) carboxylation (Vcmax), and RuBP regeneration (Jmax). Despite these differences in leaf-level function, prolonged and repeated flooding triggered a cascade of post-flood stress symptoms in both rootstocks, including progressive canopy dieback, sharp reductions in root biomass, depletion of total non-structural carbohydrates, and ultimately scion mortality. Collectively, these findings indicate that plants only partially tolerated one week of complete submergence, whereas longer or repeated flooding severely compromised carbon balance and plant survival in both rootstocks.