Effect of nutrient solution concentration on photosynthesis,growth, and content of the active substances of passionfruit

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of exposure of passionfruit plants (Passiflora edulis Sims. var edulis) to five different electrical conductivity (EC) levels (1.2, 2.3, 4.5, 6.8, and 9.0 mS/cm) of the nutrient solution on net gas exchange (Pn), content of chlorophyll, the biologically active substances, vitexin and orientin, total biomass production, and morphological traits using plants grown in a greenhouse. Important traits, such as plant height, number of internodes, and leaf number per plant were significantly influenced and showed a linear relation to the increased EC levels of the solution. The highest biomass production, chlorophyll concentration, net carbon dioxide (CO2) assimilation and leaf area were obtained at an EC of 6.8 mS/cm. At an EC level of 9.0 mS/cm, the growth of the plants was depressed and photosynthetic rate sharply declined. The highest photosynthetic rate (8.45 micromole/m2/s) was measured at an EC of 6.8 mS/cm and a photosynthetic photon flux of 1600 micromole/m2/s. The trend of photosynthesis was closely related to those of chlorophyll content, transpiration and mesophyll conductance. There was significant regression relating the shoot yield to increasing EC of the nutrient solution. The leaf chlorophyll content increased from 0.70 mg/g (75 mg/m2) at an EC of 0 to 1.74 mg/g at an EC of 6.8 mS/cm. The leaf water potential sharply declined with the increasing EC levels. The specific leaf area was high at EC of 2.3, 4.5, and 6.8 mS/cm. The mean ratio of the root to the shoots decreased as EC was increased up to 6.8 mS/cm. Orientin content was the highest (168 mg %) at an EC of 9.0 mS/cm, having a linear effect, while the lowest vitexin content (36 mg %) was achieved at an EC of 6.8 mS/cm. The results suggest a positive role of increasing nutrient solution EC for orientin accumulation than to vitexin.