Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment

Changes in flowering and fruiting of Habanero pepper in response to higher temperature and CO₂

Author(s):

René Garruña-Hernández ¹ *, Azucena Canto ¹, Javier Orlando Mijangos-Cortés ¹, Ignacio Islas ¹, Luis Pinzón ², Roger Orellana ¹

Recieved Date: 2012-06-28, Accepted Date: 2012-10-02

Abstract:

Global climate change is likely to increase maximum temperatures and atmospheric CO₂ concentrations. High temperatures can alter plant reproductive phenology, resulting in earlier or later flowering. High atmospheric CO₂ levels have a positive fertilizing effect in plants, producing higher biomass and flower number. The objectives of this research work were to quantify the effects of higher maximum temperature (Experiment 1) and atmospheric CO₂ concentration (Experiment 2) on reproductive phenology in the tropical crop Habanero pepper (Capsicum chinense Jacq.). Three growth chambers were used in each experiment. In Experiment 1, different diurnal maximum temperatures (30, 35 and 40ºC) were used in each chamber. In Experiment 2, diurnal maximum temperature was set at 30°C and different atmospheric CO₂ concentrations (380, 760 and 1140 µmol mol^-1) were used in each chamber. Relative humidity, maximum photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) and photoperiod were the same in all chambers of both experiments. Variables were flowering days, fruiting days, flower production, flower abortion, fruit production and flower morphology traits. A maximum temperature increase from 30 to 35°C caused flowering to be 6 days earlier, but at 35°C fruiting was 27 days later than at 30°C. When comparing plants grown at 380 µmol mol^-1 CO₂, those grown at 1140 µmol mol^-1 flowered 18 days earlier and fruited 37 days earlier. Both maximum temperature and CO₂ concentration had significant effects on flower abortion and fruit production. Overall, Habanero pepper responded negatively to higher diurnal maximum temperatures and positively to higher CO₂ concentrations. 

Keywords:

Flower abortion, flowering, global warming, growth chambers, Habanero pepper, phenology

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Journal: Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment
Year: 2012
Volume: 10
Issue: 3&4
Category: Agriculture
Pages: 802-808

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