Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment

Applications of xerophytophysiology in plant production: Sub-irrigation improves tomato fruit yield and quality

Author(s):

H. L. Xu ¹, F. F. Qin ^{1, 2*}, Q. C. Xu ¹, R. Y. Xu ¹, T. Y. Wang ¹, R. Wang ³

Recieved Date: 2010-11-08, Accepted Date: 2011-01-20

Abstract:

Regulated deficit irrigations (RDI) are widely adopted to plant production to harden the plants and to improve the product quality. In the present study, sub-irrigation (SI) was tested as one of the RDI practices to potted tomato plants and related mechanisms were examined. As a consequence of osmotic adjustment, the osmotic potential in symplasm at fully turgid status was lower and consequently the leaf turgor potential was higher in leaves of the SI tomato plants. Leaf symplastic water fraction was larger or apoplastic water fraction was smaller in leaves of SI tomato plants. Both osmotic potential and relative water content at the point of incipient plasmolysis were lower in leaves of SI tomato plants. The high leaf turgor and high symplastic water fraction might account for high photosynthetic activities and high fruit yield. In conclusion, as one of the RDI practices based on xerophytophysiology, sub-irrigation can improve tomato plant physiology and consequently increase tomato fruit yield and quality as well as the resistance to disease and adverse environment.

Keywords:

Hysteresis, osmotic adjustment, photosynthesis, pressure-volume curve, regulated deficit irrigation (RDI), stomatal, sub-irrigation, tomato, turgor, water retention, xerophytophysiology

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Journal: Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment
Year: 2011
Volume: 9
Issue: 1
Category: Agriculture
Pages: 256-263

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