Flood Water Temperature and Duration Affect Nonstructural Carbohydrate Concentration of Cranberry Uprights and Roots

Abstract

Flooding is often used as a pest management tool in cranberry production. The “Late Water” flood is a 1-month flood held on some Massachusetts bogs from mid-April to mid-May, and has anecdotally been related to poor vine performance. The flood was simulated at 11 °C and 21 °C on potted cranberry uprights (cv. Stevens). Over the course of the 1-month flood, total nonstructural carbohydrate concentration (TNSC) of the upright tissue decreased by 23% and 50% in the 11 °C and 21 °C treatments, respectively. Decreases in upright TNSC in the 11 °C treatment were mostly due to a substantial decrease in sucrose, while in the 21 °C treatment, sucrose, glucose, fructose, and starch all decreased significantly over the course of the flood. The greatest decrease in upright TNSC in the 11 °C treatment occurred during the first week of the flood, while in the 21 °C treatment, the greatest decrease occurred during the fourth week. Root TNSC was not affected by flooding in the 11 °C treatment, but was reduced by 39% in the 21° C treatment. Two weeks following removal from the 1-month flood, uprights in the 11° C treatment contained 9% more TNSC than uprights in the 21 °C treatment, while root TNSC from the two treatments was similar. No temperature treatment differences were evident in the uprights or roots by harvest.