Abstract
The objective of this work was to determine the sink-source relationships and their effects on the number and growth of runner tips of 'Camino Real' strawberry stock plants. Three types of sources were evaluated: one defoliation at 96 days after planting (DAP), two defoliations at 50 and 96 DAP, and mother plants without defoliation. Four types of sink were accessed: runner tips collected weekly and monthly, four stolons with rooted runner tips in pots, and four freely-grown stolons. A completely randomized experimental design was used in a split-plot arrangement, with four replicates. The source types were placed in the plots, and sink types in the subplots. The number of runner tips, the crown diameter, and the dry matter mass were determined. Number and growth of tips were higher on plants without defoliation, and decreased 44.7% on twice-defoliated mother plants. The two-defoliation management did not reduce runner tip dry matter mass only on plants with rooted stolons, which produced runner tips 50% heavier. Defoliation of mother plants bearing rooting stolons can be used to reduce their growth, without reducing the emission and growth of runner tips.
Highlights
The potential crop yield depends mainly on photosynthetic efficiency, transport of carbon assimilates, and sink strength of plants
Leaf surface has an essential role for plant potential photosynthetic capacity and crop yield (Paul & Foyer, 2001)
Chanishvili et al (2005) argued that defoliation is a useful tool for the management of plant source‐sink equilibrium, and can be used by researchers for simulating dry matter partitioning among plant organs
Summary
The potential crop yield depends mainly on photosynthetic efficiency, transport of carbon assimilates, and sink strength of plants. The efficiency of solar radiation conversion into biomass, and the functional equilibrium between carbon and nitrogen are factors that affect source‐sink relationships (Iqbal et al, 2012). They affect first the source strength, which in turn affects sink strength and the C and N economy of plants. Chanishvili et al (2005) argued that defoliation is a useful tool for the management of plant source‐sink equilibrium, and can be used by researchers for simulating dry matter partitioning among plant organs
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