1
|
La Spada P, Dominguez E, Continella A, Heredia A, Gentile A. Factors influencing fruit cracking: an environmental and agronomic perspective. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2024; 15:1343452. [PMID: 38434425 PMCID: PMC10904461 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2024.1343452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
Fruit cracking, a widespread physiological disorder affecting various fruit crops and vegetables, has profound implications for fruit quality and marketability. This mini review delves into the multifaceted factors contributing to fruit cracking and emphasizes the pivotal roles of environmental and agronomic factors in its occurrence. Environmental variables such as temperature, relative humidity, and light exposure are explored as determinants factors influencing fruit cracking susceptibility. Furthermore, the significance of mineral nutrition and plant growth regulators in mitigating fruit cracking risk is elucidated, being calcium deficiency identified as a prominent variable in various fruit species. In recent years, precision farming and monitoring systems have emerged as valuable tools for managing environmental factors and optimizing fruit production. By meticulously tracking parameters such as temperature, humidity, soil moisture, and fruit skin temperature, growers can make informed decisions to prevent or alleviate fruit cracking. In conclusion, effective prevention of fruit cracking necessitates a comprehensive approach that encompasses both environmental and agronomic factors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Paolo La Spada
- Dipartimento Agricoltura, Alimentazione e Ambiente (Di3A) - Università degli Studi di Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Eva Dominguez
- Departamento de Mejora Genética y Biotecnología, Instituto de Hortofruticultura Subtropical y Mediterránea La Mayora, Universidad de Málaga - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Málaga, Spain
| | - Alberto Continella
- Dipartimento Agricoltura, Alimentazione e Ambiente (Di3A) - Università degli Studi di Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Antonio Heredia
- Departamento de Biología Molecular y Bioquímica, Instituto de Hortofruticultura Subtropical y Mediterránea La Mayora, Universidad de Málaga - Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Málaga, Spain
| | - Alessandra Gentile
- Dipartimento Agricoltura, Alimentazione e Ambiente (Di3A) - Università degli Studi di Catania, Catania, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Gonzalez Nieto L, Huber A, Gao R, Biasuz EC, Cheng L, Stroock AD, Lakso AN, Robinson TL. Trunk Water Potential Measured with Microtensiometers for Managing Water Stress in "Gala" Apple Trees. PLANTS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2023; 12:plants12091912. [PMID: 37176971 PMCID: PMC10180701 DOI: 10.3390/plants12091912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 04/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
The weather variations around the world are already having a profound impact on agricultural production. This impacts apple production and the quality of the product. Through agricultural precision, growers attempt to optimize both yield and fruit size and quality. Two experiments were conducted using field-grown "Gala" apple trees in Geneva, NY, USA, in 2021 and 2022. Mature apple trees (Malus × domestica Borkh. cv. Ultima "Gala") grafted onto G.11 rootstock planted in 2015 were used for the experiment. Our goal was to establish a relationship between stem water potential (Ψtrunk), which was continuously measured using microtensiometers, and the growth rate of apple fruits, measured continuously using dendrometers throughout the growing season. The second objective was to develop thresholds for Ψtrunk to determine when to irrigate apple trees. The economic impacts of different irrigation regimes were evaluated. Three different water regimes were compared (full irrigation, rainfed and rain exclusion to induce water stress). Trees subjected the rain-exclusion treatment were not irrigated during the whole season, except in the spring (April and May; 126 mm in 2021 and 100 mm in 2022); that is, these trees did not receive water during June, July, August and half of September. Trees subjected to the rainfed treatment received only rainwater (515 mm in 2021 and 382 mm in 2022). The fully irrigated trees received rain but were also irrigated by drip irrigation (515 mm in 2021 and 565 mm in 2022). Moreover, all trees received the same amount of water out of season in autumn and winter (245 mm in 2021 and 283 mm in 2022). The microtensiometer sensors detected differences in Ψtrunk among our treatments over the entire growing season. In both years, experimental trees with the same trunk cross-section area (TCSA) were selected (23-25 cm-2 TCSA), and crop load was adjusted to 7 fruits·cm-2 TCSA in 2021 and 8.5 fruits·cm-2 TCSA in 2022. However, the irrigated trees showed the highest fruit growth rates and final fruit weight (157 g and 70 mm), followed by the rainfed only treatment (132 g and 66 mm), while the rain-exclusion treatment had the lowest fruit growth rate and final fruit size (107 g and 61 mm). The hourly fruit shrinking and swelling rate (mm·h-1) measured with dendrometers and the hourly Ψtrunk (bar) measured with microtensiometers were correlated. We developed a logistic model to correlate Ψtrunk and fruit growth rate (g·h-1), which suggested a critical value of -9.7 bars for Ψtrunk, above which there were no negative effects on fruit growth rate due to water stress in the relatively humid conditions of New York State. A support vector machine model and a multiple regression model were developed to predict daytime hourly Ψtrunk with radiation and VPD as input variables. Yield and fruit size were converted to crop value, which showed that managing water stress with irrigation during dry periods improved crop value in the humid climate of New York State.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luis Gonzalez Nieto
- School of Integrative Plant Sciences, Horticulture Section, Cornell University, Geneva and Ithaca, NY 14456, USA
| | - Annika Huber
- Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Rui Gao
- Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
| | - Erica Casagrande Biasuz
- School of Integrative Plant Sciences, Horticulture Section, Cornell University, Geneva and Ithaca, NY 14456, USA
| | - Lailiang Cheng
- School of Integrative Plant Sciences, Horticulture Section, Cornell University, Geneva and Ithaca, NY 14456, USA
| | - Abraham D Stroock
- Smith School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850, USA
- FloraPulse Co., Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Alan N Lakso
- School of Integrative Plant Sciences, Horticulture Section, Cornell University, Geneva and Ithaca, NY 14456, USA
- FloraPulse Co., Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Terence L Robinson
- School of Integrative Plant Sciences, Horticulture Section, Cornell University, Geneva and Ithaca, NY 14456, USA
| |
Collapse
|