Table 1 Effect of different combination of soil-water (W), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) on plant height, stem diameter, root length, dry biomass, root-shoot (R/S) biomass ratio, photosynthesis rate (P_n), transpiration rate (T_r), stomatal conductance (G_s) and water use efficiency (WUE) of A. fruticosa

48.1

24.32

36.49

64.12 ± 12.2^def

5.23 ± 0.22^fg

50.33 ± 3^bcd

24.01 ± 2.72^e

2.03 ± 0.04^ab

4.21 ± 0.08^j

11.13 ± 0.37^d

4.47 ± 0.06^ef

0.23 ± 0.005^ef

2.49 ± 0.05^m

71.9

24.32

36.49

88.25 ± 4.67^ab

6.43 ± 0.41^bc

52.84 ± 3.15^bcd

34.25 ± 2.17^bc

1.61 ± 0.02^gh

1.92 ± 0.02^d

12.34 ± 0.37^c

3.77 ± 0.05^hi

0.22 ± 0.005^fg

3.27 ± 0.05^b

48.1

95.68

36.49

52.04 ± 7.1^f

5.26 ± 0.26^efg

54.95 ± 3.87^bcd

24.84 ± 2.38^e

1.8 ± 0.02^e

3.83 ± 0.08ⁱ

12.62 ± 0.23^bc

4.06 ± 0.09^g

0.22 ± 0.002^fg

3.11 ± 0.03^c

71.9

95.68

36.49

86.5 ± 5.6^abc

6.73 ± 0.22^ab

59.46 ± 2.42^b

35.97 ± 3.08^b

1.56 ± 0.03^hi

1.63 ± 0.04^c

12.57 ± 0.32^bc

4.71 ± 0.08^de

0.23 ± 0.006^ef

2.67 ± 0.02^hi

48.1

24.32

143.51

58.03 ± 3.21^ef

4.85 ± 0.19^g

50.68 ± 5.3^bcd

25.01 ± 0.83^de

1.94 ± 0.03^c

4.16 ± 0.04^j

10.78 ± 0.16^d

3.98 ± 0.05^gh

0.17 ± 0.002^j

2.71 ± 0.02^gh

71.9

24.32

143.51

71.08 ± 5.89^cde

5.96 ± 0.26^bcdef

60.66 ± 1.56^b

35.48 ± 2.94^b

1.58 ± 0.03^hi

1.95 ± 0.04^d

12.83 ± 0.24^abc

4.73 ± 0.1^cd

0.21 ± 0.003^gh

2.71 ± 0.01^gh

48.1

95.68

143.51

67.78 ± 3.24^de

5.12 ± 0.1^g

45.1 ± 3.62^d

25.83 ± 1.48^de

1.96 ± 0.02^bc

3.63 ± 0.05^h

12.68 ± 0.28^bc

3.64 ± 0.0⁶ⁱ

0.19 ± 0.004ⁱ

3.48 ± 0.01^a

71.9

95.68

143.51

85.5 ± 5.95^bc

6.52 ± 0.29^abc

59.82 ± 2.37^b

36.66 ± 3.51^ab

1.68 ± 0.02^fg

1.42 ± 0.03^b

13.52 ± 0.34^a

5.9 ± 0.13^a

0.26 ± 0.005^bc

2.29 ± 0.01ⁿ

40

60

90

64.06 ± 4.04^def

5.11 ± 0.48^g

58.48 ± 5.92^bc

24.01 ± 1.21^e

2.09 ± 0.02^a

4.81 ± 0.05^k

10.92 ± 0.24^d

3.73 ± 0.05^hi

0.22 ± 0.004^fg

2.93 ± 0.04^de

80

60

90

101.23 ± 8.69^a

7.26 ± 0.46^a

73.12 ± 8.52^a

42.38 ± 2.93^a

1.51 ± 0.04ⁱ

1.07 ± 0.09^a

13.02 ± 0.26^abc

5.05 ± 0.11^b

0.25 ± 0.004^cd

2.58 ± 0.01^jkl

60

0

90

64 ± 2.16^def

5.45 ± 0.19^defg

47.21 ± 2.36^d

28.85 ± 1.61^cde

1.72 ± 0.01^f

3.22 ± 0.04^g

11.24 ± 0.27^d

3.93 ± 0.09^gh

0.21 ± 0.004^gh

2.86 ± 0.02^ef

60

120

90

71.1 ± 2.58^cde

6.04 ± 0.36^bcde

50.35 ± 2.15^bcd

30.88 ± 1.41^bcd

1.69 ± 0.02^fg

2.52 ± 0.04^e

13.32 ± 0.28^ab

4.43 ± 0.09^f

0.24 ± 0.004^de

3.01 ± 0.02^d

60

60

0

71 ± 3.48^cde

5.47 ± 0.14^defg

51.51 ± 2.5^bcd

27.02 ± 0.88^de

1.94 ± 0.01^c

2.87 ± 0.04^f

12.3 ± 0.26^c

4.41 ± 0.11^f

0.21 ± 0.004^gh

2.79 ± 0.02^fg

60

60

180

63.3 ± 4.4^def

4.83 ± 0.1^g

51.15 ± 3.88^bcd

28.52 ± 1.61^cde

1.86 ± 0.02^de

2.67 ± 0.06^e

12.54 ± 0.22^bc

4.73 ± 0.05^cd

0.2 ± 0.002^hi

2.65 ± 0.02^hij

60

60

90

74.04 ± 5.05^bcd

5.92 ± 0.39^cdef

47.53 ± 2.52^d

29.27 ± 1.59^cde

1.93 ± 0.03^cd

3.03 ± 0.05^f

12.3 ± 0.28^c

4.77 ± 0.1^cd

0.27 ± 0.004^ab

2.58 ± 0.02^ijkl

60

60

90

75.37 ± 4.14^bcd

5.98 ± 0.2^bcdef

46.22 ± 3.18^d

28.96 ± 2.13^cde

1.95 ± 0.01^c

2.93 ± 0.06^f

12.34 ± 0.42^c

4.86 ± 0.09^bcd

0.28 ± 0.007^a

2.54 ± 0.04^klm

60

60

90

73.34 ± 3.22^bcde

6.12 ± 0.16^bcd

44.96 ± 1.97^d

29.38 ± 1.61^cde

1.94 ± 0.02^cd

2.95 ± 0.05^f

12.42 ± 0.26^c

4.76 ± 0.06^cd

0.27 ± 0.002^ab

2.61 ± 0.02^ijkl

60

60

90

71.02 ± 5.75^cde

5.96 ± 0.12^bcdef

48.18 ± 2.3^cd

29.35 ± 1.4^cde

1.95 ± 0.03^bc

3.02 ± 0.04^f

12.54 ± 0.25^bc

4.98 ± 0.13^bc

0.26 ± 0.003^bc

2.52 ± 0.03^lm

60

60

90

72.67 ± 5.35^bcde

6.05 ± 0.23^bcd

45.65 ± 3.92^d

29.51 ± 1.78^cde

1.9 ± 0.02^cd

3 ± 0.07^f

12.48 ± 0.34^c

4.75 ± 0.09^cd

0.28 ± 0.005^a

2.63 ± 0.02^hijk

60

60

90

73.52 ± 3.95^bcde

5.98 ± 0.18^bcdef

47.78 ± 4.06^cd

29.01 ± 1.78^cde

1.95 ± 0.03^c

2.96 ± 0.03^f

12.52 ± 0.26^bc

4.72 ± 0.08^cde

0.26 ± 0.006^bc

2.65 ± 0.01^hij