Plants of Medicago minima var. minima grown in rootboxes of soil were
subjected to water stress treatments in a growth chamber. The soil was
returned to held capacity after drying cycles of 7, 14, 21, 28 or 35
days. After a 105-day-study-period water stress significantly decrease
d (p < 0.05) the rate of leaf production, live and total leaf number,
total length of the central leaflet on live leaves per plant, branch a
nd root segment production, and top and root dry weights. However, all
plants remained alive, even those exposed repeatedly to - 6.0 MPa. M.
minima can thus survive under unfavourable environmental conditions a
nd exploit abundant environmental resources when they are available.