Physiological and Reproductive Responses of Tomato and Pepper Transplants to Low-Temperature Conditioning
2013
Javanmardi, Jamal | Rahemi, Majid | Nasirzadeh, Marziyeh
Transplant establishment is a critical process affecting further plant growth and development, especially under adverse environmental conditions. Chilling injury is considered the main issue for tropical and subtropical crops after transplanting early the season. Pretransplant low-temperature conditioning was applied to evaluate physiological, morphological, and reproductive responses of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) and pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) transplants. Five-week-old tomato, cv. M-19, and pepper, cv. M-71, seedlings were subjected to 5°C for 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 10, and 12 days before transplanting. Preconditioning with low temperature caused increased electrolyte leakage and proline and sugar contents as the preconditioning time increased. The opposite was observed for relative water content and chlorophyll and starch contents. Number of days and node number preceding first flower formation increased with duration of treatment. A decreasing trend of flower number, fruit number, and fruit set percentage occurred in tomato and pepper plants due to increased duration of cold temperature treatment. Treatment with 5°C for up to 4 and 3 days for tomato and pepper transplants, respectively, had the least long-term adverse effects of chilling injury.
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