ISHS Acta Horticulturae 537: III International Symposium on Irrigation of Horticultural Crops
INTERACTION BETWEEN WATER STRESS AND METHANOL SPRAY ON FIELD-GROWN PEPPER (Capsicum annuum L.) |
| Authors: | F. Loreto, M.C. Villania, M. Centritto, S. Delfine, A. Alvino |
| Keywords: | Drought, methanol, growth, photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, Rubisco. |
| Abstract:
Methanol sprays on leaves have been reported to increase growth and yield of C3 plants in arid environment. To verify this, a field pepper crop was cultivated under water stress and well watered (control) conditions. Starting from establishment, half of the plants of each treatment were sprayed every week with a 20% (v/v) methanol solution. Methanol did not improve gas exchange rates and did not affect Rubisco activity and content in control and water stressed leaves over the entire crop cycle. Methanol sprays anticipated the reduction of LAI and dry mass of vegetative parts caused by water stress. Methanol also increased the quantity of harvested fruits with unmarketable characteristics such as lesions and necrosis which were direct consequence of methanol residence over the sprayed surfaces | |
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