Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment

Solar-heated greenhouse condition affects the flower productivity, photosynthesis and chlorophyll content of herbaceous peony 

Author(s):

Jianzhou Gao, Rongfu Gao, Yingbai Shen, Yan Liu *

Recieved Date: 2012-07-06, Accepted Date: 2012-10-01

Abstract:

To test the possibility of using a solar-heated greenhouse for the production of herbaceous peony (Paeonia lactiflora Pall) cut flowers, the flower productivity and photosynthetic performance of two cultivars, Paeonia lactiflora Pall ‘Da-Fugui’ (D) and Paeonia lactiflora Pall ‘Zi-Fengyu’ (Z), were tested. The irradiation regimes between an open field and a solar-heated greenhouse were compared to evaluate the effect of the irradiation regime on flower productivity. The photosynthetic parameters calculated from the photosynthetic rate response to irradiation intensity and CO₂ concentration, chlorophyll content and intrinsic efficiency of photosystem II (F_v/F_m) were tested to reveal the different reactions of the two cultivars to the irradiation changes between the greenhouse and the open field. Flower number per plant and flower rate declined dramatically in the greenhouse. The maximum photosynthetic photon flux density in the greenhouse was approximately 25% of that in the open field, the net photosynthetic rate (Pn) in the greenhouse was only 30% of that in the open field in spring, and the duration of the effective Pn period was more than 4 hours shorter in the greenhouse. Under the greenhouse conditions, the values for the light saturation point photosynthetic rate (LSPPn) of two cultivars declined, whereas the chlorophyll (Chl) a and b content increased. Cultivar D revealed a better productivity and photosynthetic performance compared to Z in the greenhouse, possessing a different pattern that consisted of a lower value for Chl a/b and a lower light compensation point (LCP) but a higher light saturation point (LSP) compared to cultivar Z. The V_cmax decreased for both cultivars in the greenhouse, but no significant changes in the F_v/F_m value were found. The following conclusions were made: (a) the shorter and poorer irradiation conditions in the solar-heated greenhouse in the northern part of China do affect the quality of herbaceous peony cut flowers; (b) the two cultivars showed some acclimation to the irradiation in the greenhouse, but their strategies are different, and photosynthetic parameters may provide an effective index for the selection of cultivars suitable for solar-heated greenhouse growth, and (c) insufficient light changes the dark phase of photosynthesis but does not lead to photosystem II damage.

Keywords:

Paeonia lactiflora, protected cultivation, cut flower, irradiation, photosynthetic rate, light acclimation

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Journal: Journal of Food, Agriculture and Environment
Year: 2012
Volume: 10
Issue: 3&4
Category: Environment
Pages: 1457-1463

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