ISHS Acta Horticulturae 463: VIII International Symposium on Plant Bioregulation in Fruit Production
GROWTH AND ABA CONTENT OF STRAWBERRY AS INFLUENCED BY ROOT RESTRICTION |
| Authors: | V. Giannina, L. Orietta, C. Guglielmo |
| Keywords: | Fragaria x ananassa Ducth., root:shoot, partitioning, carbon exchange, soluble sugars |
| Abstract:
The influence of root confinement on fruiting and non-fruiting strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa, cv Selva) was determined. Plants were grown in 1350 mL (large) or 250 mL (small) containers and kept in a greenhouse in non-stress conditions for water and nutrients. Number of leaves, leaf area and fruit growth were measured weekly. Fruit fresh and dry weight was taken at each harvest time, while at the end of the experiment (6 weeks) roots and leaves fresh and dry weight were measured. In addition, ABA content and soluble sugars level of the different plant organs were measured. Five weeks after transplanting Carbon Exchange Rate (CER) was determined at increasing light intensities. Root restriction had a detrimental effect on growth of strawberry plants, but the intensity depended on the presence of the fruit. Moreover, the treatment differently affected the partition of dry matter in the plant organs, with opposite effect on the shoot root ratio. Assimilation rate was reduced by the confinement of the roots and, in the large pots, also by the presence of the fruit. ABA content was sharply increased by restriction, particularly in the fruits, without negative effects on the dry matter accumulation. On the contrary, fruit from plants grown in small pots showed an higher level of soluble sugars as compared to plants from large containers. | |
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