Abstract
Strawberry is a species sensitive to water shortages, especially during fruit growth and ripening. One method of limiting water loss in plant production involves the use of antitranspirants, which reduce plant transpiration. One method of limiting water loss in plant production involves the use of antitranspirants, which reduce plant transpiration. One of substances used for this purpose is, amongst others, natural terpene polymer di-1-p-menthene (pinolene). Research on the influence of a pinolene-containing antitranspirant (with the commercial name of Vapor Gard) on gas exchange parameters (intensity of net CO2 assimilation, intensity of transpiration, stomatal conductance for water, substomatal CO2 concentration), the water balance and the content of assimilation pigments (chlorophyll “a”, “b”, total chlorophyll, carotenoids) in the leaves of the cv. ‘Salsa’ strawberry was conducted in the years 2009–2010. The antitranspirant was used once at a concentration of 0.75% before flowering. The measurements were performed four times: before flowering (1st measurement date), when the plants were in full flowering (2nd measurement date), in the middle of the harvest season (3rd measurement date) and after the end of the harvest season (4th measurement date). Foliar application of the Vapor Gard antitranspirant decreases the intensity of strawberry transpiration without changing the CO2 assimilation activity. Plants sprayed with the tested preparation were characterised by a higher relative water content (RWC) in leaves and a higher value of the photosynthetic index of water use efficiency (WUE). The antitranspirant did not influence the content of assimilation pigments in strawberry leaves. The values of the determined physiological features depended on the measurement date (developmental stage) of the tested strawberry cultivar.
Highlights
Strawberry is a species sensitive to water shortages, especially during fruit growth and ripening
It was found that the application of the Vapor Gard preparation reduced the intensity of strawberry transpiration on average by 24.4%
Ouerghi et al obtained similar results [2014] in wheat and barley cultivated under drought conditions. These authors showed that the Vapor Gard antitranspirant decreases the intensity of transpiration and reduced the activity of the CO2 assimilation at the same time
Summary
Strawberry is a species sensitive to water shortages, especially during fruit growth and ripening. Limitation of gas exchange can reduce assimilation of carbon dioxide, which, as a result, limits plant growth and development. Strawberry sensitivity to drought results from the disproportion between a relatively high mass and surface area of the above-ground part of the plant with a high water content in fruits and a shallow and not very extensive root system [Klamkowski and Treder, 2006, 2008]. Limited water resources necessitate more and more rational use of water for irrigation and searching for new fruit production technologies, which reduce water consumption. One method of limiting water loss in plant production involves the use of antitranspirants, which reduce plant transpiration [Latocha et al, 2009; Masoud, 2012; Abdel-Fattah, 2013]
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