ISHS Acta Horticulturae 323: Symposium on Soil and Soilless Media under Protected Cultivation in Mild Winter Climates
REDUCING CHILLING INJURY WITH MEFLUIDIDE IN TOMATO (LYCOPERSICON ESCUIENTUM MILL.CV. SUNNY) SEEDLINGS |
| Authors: | S.M. Singer, P.H. Li, A.F. Abou-Hadid |
| Abstract:
Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.c.v. Sunny) seedlings, at the three leaf stage, were used to test the effect of mefluidide (N-{2,4 - dimethyl-5-({trifuoromethyl}- sulfounyl} aminoacetamide) on plant protection from chilling injury. Plants were foliar sprayed with mefluidide at concentrations of 5, 10 and 15mgL-1 in a greenhouse. One d after spraying, Plants were chilled at 5 C° day/night cold room for 7 d. During the 7 d chilling, leaf electrical conductivity was measured. Control plants had an increase in electrolyte leakage from 13.7 % on the first day to 51.7 % at the end of the chilling period, whereas treated plants showed less leakage. However, leakage differences between the control and treated plants on 1,6 and 7 d were not significant but leakage was significantly lower in treated plants than in controls between 2–5 d exposure. It appears that mefluidide may alter plasma membrane properties and led to an increase in chilling tolerance. Post-stress observations revealed that treated plants recovered in terms of growth and development better than the control. In general treated plants were taller, flowered earlier (5–6 d), more fruits with higher yield (per plant) than those of controls. Although 15mgL-1 -treated plants showed chilling protection, their growth was stunted somewhat. | |
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