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Horticultural Crop Response to Different Environmental and Nutritional Stress

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A special issue of Horticulturae (ISSN 2311-7524). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Nutrition".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 April 2021) | Viewed by 46030

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Stefano Marino

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Guest Editor

Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Food Sciences, University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy
Interests: agronomy; precision agriculture; crop yield; fertilization; irrigation; remote sensing; horticultural crops; vegetation indices
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Environmental conditions and nutritional stress may greatly affect crop performance.

Abiotic stresses such as temperature (cold, heat), water (drought, flooding), irradiance, salinity, nutrients, and heavy metals can strongly affect plant growth dynamics and the yield and quality of horticultural products. Such effects become more and more important in the course of global climate change. Different strategies and techniques can be used to detect, investigate, and mitigate the effects of environmental and nutritional stress. Horticultural crop management is moving toward digitized, precision management through wireless remote-control solutions, but data analysis, although a traditional approach, remains the basis of stress detection and crop management.

This Special Issue intends to summarize the recent progress in agronomic management strategies to detect and reduce environmental and nutritional stress effects on the yield and quality of horticultural crops. Studies focused on these issues are welcome.

Prof. Dr. Stefano Marino
Guest Editor

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Keywords

Crop management;
Abiotic stresses;
Nutritional stress;
Irrigation stress;
Wireless sensor networks;
Spatial analysis and zoning;
Variable-rate technologies;
Proximal and remote sensing of soils and crops.

Published Papers (14 papers)

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Editorial

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7 pages, 223 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

Horticultural Crop Response to Different Environmental and Nutritional Stress

by Stefano Marino

Horticulturae 2021, 7(8), 240; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/horticulturae7080240 - 11 Aug 2021

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2077

Abstract

Environmental conditions and nutritional stress may greatly affect crop performance. Abiotic stresses such as temperature (cold, heat), water (drought, flooding), irradiance, salinity, nutrients, and heavy metals can strongly affect plant growth dynamics and the yield and quality of horticultural products. Such effects have become of greater importance during the course of global climate change. Different strategies and techniques can be used to detect, investigate, and mitigate the effects of environmental and nutritional stress. Horticultural crop management is moving towards digitized, precision management through wireless remote-control solutions, but data analysis, although a traditional approach, remains the basis of stress detection and crop management. This Special Issue summarizes the recent progress in agronomic management strategies to detect and reduce environmental and nutritional stress effects on the yield and quality of horticultural crops. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Horticultural Crop Response to Different Environmental and Nutritional Stress)

Research

Jump to: Editorial

18 pages, 3149 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fertilization and Soil Nutrients Impact Differentially Cranberry Yield and Quality in Eastern Canada

by Reza Jamaly, Serge-Étienne Parent and Léon E. Parent

Horticulturae 2021, 7(7), 191; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/horticulturae7070191 - 13 Jul 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3291

Abstract

High berry yield and quality of conventionally and organically grown cranberry stands require proper nutrient sources and dosage. Our objective was to model the response of cultivar “Stevens” to N, P, K, Mg, Cu, and B fertilization under conventional and organic farming systems. A 3-year trial was conducted on permanent plots at four production sites in Quebec, Canada. We analyzed yield predictors, marketable yield, and fruit quality in response to fertilization and soil properties. Cranberry responded primarily to nitrogen fertilization and, to a lesser extent, to potassium. Berry yield was closely related to the number of fruiting uprights (r = 0.92), berry counts per fruiting upright (r = 0.91), number of reproductive uprights (r = 0.83), and fruit set (r = 0.77). Nitrogen increased berry yield nonlinearly but decreased berry firmness, total anthocyanin content (TAcy), and total soluble solids content (°Brix) linearly, indicating a trade-off between berry yield and quality. Fertilizer dosage at a high-yield level ranged between 30 and 45 kg N ha⁻¹ in both conventional and organic farming systems. Slow-release fertilizers delayed crop maturity and should thus be managed differently than ammonium sulfate. Berry weight increased with added K. Redundancy analysis showed a close correlation between marketable yield, berry quality indices, and soil tests, especially K and Ca, indicating the need for soil test calibration. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Horticultural Crop Response to Different Environmental and Nutritional Stress)

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16 pages, 1883 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Nutrient Concentration of African Horned Cucumber (Cucumis metuliferus L) Fruit under Different Soil Types, Environments, and Varying Irrigation Water Levels

by Mdungazi K Maluleke, Shadung J Moja, Melvin Nyathi and David M Modise

Horticulturae 2021, 7(4), 76; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/horticulturae7040076 - 10 Apr 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2941

Abstract

The nutrient concentration of most crops depends on factors such as amount of water, growing environment, sunlight, and soil types. However, the factors influencing nutrient concentration of African horned cucumber fruit are not yet known. The objective of the study was to determine the effect of different water stress levels, soil types, and growing environments on the nutrient concentration of African horned cucumber fruit. Freeze-dried fruit samples were used in the quantification of β-carotene and total soluble sugars. The results demonstrated that plants grown under the shade net, combined with severe water stress level and loamy soil, had increased total soluble sugars (from 8 to 16 °Brix). Under the shade-net environment, the combination of moderate water stress level and loamy soil resulted in increased crude protein content (from 6.22 to 6.34% °Brix). In addition, the severe water stress treatment combined with loamy soil, under greenhouse conditions, resulted in increased β-carotene content (from 1.5 to 1.7 mg 100 g⁻¹ DW). The results showed that African horned cucumber fruits are nutrient-dense when grown under moderate water stress treatment on the loamy or sandy loam substrate in the shade-net and open-field environments. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Horticultural Crop Response to Different Environmental and Nutritional Stress)

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10 pages, 2088 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Growth and Competitive Infection Behaviors of Bradyrhizobium japonicum and Bradyrhizobium elkanii at Different Temperatures

by Md Hafizur Rahman Hafiz, Ahsanul Salehin and Kazuhito Itoh

Horticulturae 2021, 7(3), 41; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/horticulturae7030041 - 28 Feb 2021

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3505

Abstract

Growth and competitive infection behaviors of two sets of Bradyrhizobium spp. strains were examined at different temperatures to explain strain-specific soybean nodulation under local climate conditions. Each set consisted of three strains—B. japonicum Hh 16-9 (Bj11-1), B. japonicum Hh 16-25 (Bj11-2), and B. elkanii Hk 16-7 (BeL7); and B. japonicum Kh 16-43 (Bj10J-2), B. japonicum Kh 16-64 (Bj10J-4), and B. elkanii Kh 16-7 (BeL7)—which were isolated from the soybean nodules cultivated in Fukagawa and Miyazaki soils, respectively. The growth of each strain was evaluated in Yeast Mannitol (YM) liquid medium at 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 °C with shaking at 125 rpm for one week while measuring their OD₆₆₀ daily. In the competitive infection experiment, each set of the strains was inoculated in sterilized vermiculite followed by sowing surface-sterilized soybean seeds, and they were cultivated at 20/18 °C and 30/28 °C in a 16/8 h (day/night) cycle in a phytotron for three weeks, then nodule compositions were determined based on the partial 16S-23R rRNA internal transcribes spacer (ITS) gene sequence of DNA extracted from the nodules. The optimum growth temperatures were at 15–20 °C for all B. japonicum strains, while they were at 25–35 °C for all B. elkanii strains. In the competitive experiment with the Fukagawa strains, Bj11-1 and BeL7 dominated in the nodules at the low and high temperatures, respectively. In the Miyazaki strains, BjS10J-2 and BeL7 dominated at the low and high temperatures, respectively. It can be assumed that temperature of soil affects rhizobia growth in rhizospheres and could be a reason for the different competitive properties of B. japonicum and B. elkanii strains at different temperatures. In addition, competitive infection was suggested between the B. japonicum strains. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Horticultural Crop Response to Different Environmental and Nutritional Stress)

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15 pages, 1173 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Effects of Fertigation Management on the Quality of Organic Legumes Grown in Protected Cultivation

by María del Carmen García-García, Rafael Font, Pedro Gómez, Juan Luis Valenzuela, Juan A. Fernández and Mercedes Del Río-Celestino

Horticulturae 2021, 7(2), 28; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/horticulturae7020028 - 07 Feb 2021

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2586

Abstract

Appropriate fertigation management plays an important role in increasing crop quality and economizing water. The objective of the study was to determine the effects of two fertigation treatments, normal (T100) and 50% sustained deficit (T50), on the physico-chemical quality of legumes. The determinations were performed on the edible parts of peas, French beans and mangetout. The trials were conducted in a protected cultivation certified organic farm. The response of legumes to the treatments varied between the cultivars tested. The fertigation treatments had a significant effect on the morphometric traits (width for mangetout and French bean; fresh weight for French bean; seed height for Pea cv. Lincoln). The total soluble solids and citric acid content have been shown to be increased by low soil water availability (T50) for mangetout. Fertigation treatments did not significantly affect the antioxidant compounds (total phenolic and ascorbic acid), minerals and protein fraction contents of legumes studied. Regarding legume health benefits, the most prominent cultivars were BC-033620 pea and French bean because of their high total phenolic (65 mg gallic acid equivalent 100 g⁻¹ fresh weight) and ascorbic acid content (55 mg ascorbic acid 100 g⁻¹ fresh weight), respectively. The results expand our knowledge concerning the nutraceutical quality and appropriate cultivation methods of legumes in order to make the system more sustainable and to encourage their consumption. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Horticultural Crop Response to Different Environmental and Nutritional Stress)

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12 pages, 1482 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Latitudinal Characteristic Nodule Composition of Soybean-Nodulating Bradyrhizobia: Temperature-Dependent Proliferation in Soil or Infection?

by Md Hafizur Rahman Hafiz, Ahsanul Salehin, Fumihiko Adachi, Masayuki Omichi, Yuichi Saeki, Akihiro Yamamoto, Shohei Hayashi and Kazuhito Itoh

Horticulturae 2021, 7(2), 22; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/horticulturae7020022 - 29 Jan 2021

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2304

Abstract

A species-specific latitudinal distribution of soybean rhizobia has been reported; Bradyrhizobium japonicum and B. elkanii dominate in nodules in northern and southern areas, respectively. The aim of this study was to elucidate whether temperature-dependent proliferation in soil or infection is more reliable for determining the latitudinal characteristic distribution of soybean-nodulating rhizobia under local climate conditions. Three study locations, Fukagawa (temperate continental climate), Matsue and Miyazaki (humid sub-tropical climate), were selected in Japan. Each soil sample was transported to the other study locations, and soybean cv. Orihime (non-Rj) was pot-cultivated using three soils at three study locations for two successive years. Species composition of Bradyrhizobium in the nodules was analyzed based on the partial 16S rRNA and 16S–23S rRNA ITS gene sequences. Two Bradyrhizobium japonicum (Bj11 and BjS10J) clusters and one B. elkanii (BeL7) cluster were phylogenetically sub-grouped into two (Bj11-1-2) and four clusters (BjS10J-1-4) based on the ITS sequence. In the Fukagawa soil, Bj11-1 dominated (80–87%) in all study locations. In the Matsue soil, the composition was similar in the Matsue and Miyazaki locations, in which BeL7 dominated (70–73%), while in the Fukagawa location, BeL7 decreased to 53% and Bj11-1 and BjS10J-3 increased. In the Miyazaki soil, BeL7 dominated at 77%, and BeL7 decreased to 13% and 33% in the Fukagawa and Matsue locations, respectively, while BjS10J-2 and BjS10J-4 increased. It was supposed that the B. japonicum strain preferably proliferated in the Fukagawa location, leading to its nodule dominancy, while in the Miyazaki location, temperature-dependent infection would lead to the nodule dominancy of B. elkanii, and both factors would be involved in the Matsue location. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Horticultural Crop Response to Different Environmental and Nutritional Stress)

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13 pages, 3143 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Novel Method for Estimating Nitrogen Stress in Plants Using Smartphones

by Ranjeeta Adhikari and Krishna Nemali

Horticulturae 2020, 6(4), 74; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/horticulturae6040074 - 29 Oct 2020

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2552

Abstract

For profits in crop production, it is important to ensure that plants are not subjected to nitrogen stress (NS). Methods to detect NS in plants are either time-consuming (e.g., laboratory analysis) or require expensive equipment (e.g., a chlorophyll meter). In this study, a smartphone-based index was developed for detecting NS in plants. The index can be measured in real time by capturing images and processing them on a smartphone with network connectivity. The index is calculated as the ratio of blue reflectance to the combined reflectance of blue, green, and red wavelengths. Our results indicated that the index was specific to NS and decreased with increasing stress exposure in plants. Further, the index was related to photosynthesis based on the path analysis of several physiological traits. Our results further indicate that index decreased in the NS treatment due to increase in reflectance of red and green (or yellow) wavelengths, thus it is likely related to loss of chlorophyll in plants. The index response was further validated in strawberry and hydrangea plants, with contrasting plant architecture and N requirement than petunia. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Horticultural Crop Response to Different Environmental and Nutritional Stress)

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13 pages, 505 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Cucurbita Rootstocks Improve Salt Tolerance of Melon Scions by Inducing Physiological, Biochemical and Nutritional Responses

by Abdullah Ulas, Alim Aydin, Firdes Ulas, Halit Yetisir and Tanveer Fatima Miano

Horticulturae 2020, 6(4), 66; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/horticulturae6040066 - 14 Oct 2020

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 2619

Abstract

A hydroponic experiment was conducted to assess whether grafting with Cucurbita rootstocks could improve the salt tolerance of melon scions and to determine the physiological, biochemical, and nutritional responses induced by the rootstocks under salt stress. Two melon (Cucumis melo L.) cultivars (Citirex and Altinbas) were grafted onto two commercial Cucurbita rootstocks (Kardosa and Nun9075). Plants were grown in aerated nutrient solution under deep water culture (DWC) at two electrical conductivity (EC) levels (control at 1.5 dS m⁻¹ and salt at 8.0 dS m⁻¹). Hydroponic salt stress led to a significant reduction in shoot and root growths, leaf area, photosynthetic activity, and leaf chlorophyll and carotenoid contents of both grafted and nongrafted melons. Susceptible plants responded to salt stress by increasing leaf proline and malondialdehyde (MDA), ion leakage, and leaf Na⁺ and Cl⁻ contents. Statistically significant negative correlations existed between shoot dry biomass production and leaf proline (r = −0.89), leaf MDA (r = −0.85), leaf Na⁺ (r = −0.90), and leaf (r = 0.63) and root (r = −0.90) ion leakages under salt stress. Nongrafted Citirex tended to be more sensitive to salt stress than Altinbas. The Cucurbita rootstocks (Nun9075 and Kardosa) significantly improved growth and biomass production of grafted melons (scions) by inducing physiological (high leaf area and photosynthesis), biochemical (low leaf proline and MDA), and nutritional (low leaf Na⁺ and ion leakage and high K⁺ and Ca⁺⁺ contents) responses under salt stress. The highest growth performance was exhibited by the Citirex/Nun9075 and Citirex/Kardosa graft combinations. Both Cucurbita cultivars have high rootstock potential for melon, and their significant contributions to salt tolerance were closely associated with inducing physiological and biochemical responses of scions. These traits could be useful for the selection and breeding of salt-tolerant rootstocks for sustainable agriculture in the future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Horticultural Crop Response to Different Environmental and Nutritional Stress)

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11 pages, 789 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Effects of Gibberellic Acid and Emasculation Treatments on Seed and Fruit Production in the Prickly Pear (Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill.) cv. “Gialla”

by Lorenzo Marini, Chiara Grassi, Pietro Fino, Alessandro Calamai, Alberto Masoni, Lorenzo Brilli and Enrico Palchetti

Horticulturae 2020, 6(3), 46; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/horticulturae6030046 - 17 Aug 2020

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 4080

Abstract

Prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica (L.) Mill. 1768) is cultivated in several dry and semi-dry areas of the world to produce fresh fruit, bioenergy, cosmetics, medicine, and forage. One of the main production constraints is the presence of many seeds within the fruit, which can negatively influence both the fresh-fruit market price and industrial transformation processes. In this study, different gibberellic acid (GA₃) concentrations were tested for their ability to produce well-formed and seedless fruits. Different application methods (injection and spraying) and concentrations of GA₃ (0, 100, 200, 250, and 500 ppm) combined with floral-bud emasculation were applied to a commercial plantation in southern Italy to evaluate their effects on the weight, length, and diameter of the fruits, total seed number, hard-coated viable seed number, and seed weight per fruit. The results indicated that the application of 500 ppm GA₃ sprayed on emasculated floral buds was the most effective method for reducing seed numbers of prickly pear fruits (−46.0%). The injection method resulted in a very low number of seeds (−50.7%) but produced unmarketable fruit. Observed trends suggest the need to investigate the impact of higher GA₃ concentrations and the applicability of a maximum threshold. Further studies are needed to increase our understanding of the physiological effects of the gibberellic acid pathway through productive tissue in terms of organoleptic and fruit quality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Horticultural Crop Response to Different Environmental and Nutritional Stress)

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12 pages, 918 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Water Use and Yield Responses of Chile Pepper Cultivars Irrigated with Brackish Groundwater and Reverse Osmosis Concentrate

by Gurjinder S. Baath, Manoj K. Shukla, Paul W. Bosland, Stephanie J. Walker, Rupinder K. Saini and Randall Shaw

Horticulturae 2020, 6(2), 27; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/horticulturae6020027 - 06 May 2020

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3377

Abstract

Freshwater availability is declining in most of semi-arid and arid regions across the world, including the southwestern United States. The use of marginal quality groundwater has been increasing for sustaining agriculture in these arid regions. Reverse Osmosis (RO) can treat brackish groundwater, but the possibility of using an RO concentrate for irrigation needs further exploration. This greenhouse study evaluates the water use and yield responses of five selected chile pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) cultivars irrigated with natural brackish groundwater and RO concentrate. The four saline water treatments used for irrigation were tap water with an electrical conductivity (EC) of 0.6 dS m⁻¹ (control), groundwater with EC 3 and 5 dS m⁻¹, and an RO concentrate with EC 8 dS m⁻¹. The evapotranspiration (ET) of all chile pepper cultivars decreased and the leaching fraction (LF) increased, particularly in the 5 dS m⁻¹ and 8 dS m⁻¹ irrigation treatments. Based on the water use efficiency (WUE) of the selected chile pepper cultivars, brackish water with an EC ≤ 3 dS/m could be used for irrigation in scarce freshwater areas while maintaining the appropriate LFs. A piecewise linear function resulted in a threshold soil electrical conductivity (EC_e) ranging between 1.0–1.3 dS m⁻¹ for the tested chile pepper cultivars. Both piecewise linear and sigmoid non-linear functions suggested that the yield reductions in chile peppers irrigated with Ca²⁺ rich brackish groundwater were less than those reported in studies using an NaCl-dominant saline solution. Further research is needed to understand the role of supplementary calcium in improving the salt tolerance of chile peppers. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Horticultural Crop Response to Different Environmental and Nutritional Stress)

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23 pages, 1552 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Alterations in the Chemical Composition of Spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) as Provoked by Season and Moderately Limited Water Supply in Open Field Cultivation

by Christine Schlering, Jana Zinkernagel, Helmut Dietrich, Matthias Frisch and Ralf Schweiggert

Horticulturae 2020, 6(2), 25; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/horticulturae6020025 - 10 Apr 2020

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 5684

Abstract

The current use and distribution of agricultural water resources is highly prone to effects of global climate change due to shifting precipitation patterns. The production of vegetable crops in open field cultivation often requires demanding water applications, being impaired in regions where climate change will increasingly evoke water scarcity. To date, increasingly occurring precipitation-free periods are already leading to moderate water deficits during plant growth, e.g., in southern Europe. Among all vegetable crops, leafy vegetables such as spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) are particularly vulnerable to limited water supply, because leaf expansion is highly dependent on water availability. Besides biomass production, water limitation might also affect the valuable nutritional composition of the produce. Therefore, we investigated the impact of moderately reduced water supply on the chemical composition of spinach, cultivated in the open field in three consecutive years. Two different water supply treatments, full and reduced irrigation, were used in a randomized block design consisting of three sets of six plots each. In the reduced water supply treatment, the total amount of supplied water, including both irrigation and natural precipitation, amounted to 90%, 94% and 96% in 2015, 2016 and 2017, respectively, of the full, optimal water supply treatment. Spinach grown under limited water supply showed significantly higher fresh biomass-based contents of polyols (e.g., inositol, glycerol), ascorbic acid, potassium, nitrogen, phosphorous, zinc and manganese, as well as total flavonoids and carotenoids. Increased dry biomass-based levels were found for total inositol, zinc and manganese, as well as decreased levels for malic acid, fumaric acid, phosphate and chloride. Furthermore, we report a high seasonal variation of several minor phytochemicals, such as single flavonoids. Spinacetin derivatives, spinatoside-glucoside as well as a rather unusual hexuronylated methylenedioxy flavonoid showed highest amounts when grown under relatively low irradiation in autumn. Levels of patuletin derivatives tended to increase under high irradiation conditions during spring. In summary, the chemical composition of spinach was shown to be highly sensitive to moderately reduced water supply and seasonal variation, but the overall nutritional quality of fresh marketable spinach was only marginally affected when considering health-related constituents such as minerals, trace elements, flavonoids and carotenoids. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Horticultural Crop Response to Different Environmental and Nutritional Stress)

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11 pages, 511 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Container Type and Substrate Affect Root Zone Temperature and Growth of ‘Green Giant’ Arborvitae

by Anthony L. Witcher, Jeremy M. Pickens and Eugene K. Blythe

Horticulturae 2020, 6(2), 22; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/horticulturae6020022 - 07 Apr 2020

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3011

Abstract

Root zone temperature (RZT) in nursery containers commonly exceeds ambient temperature during the growing season, negatively impacting crop growth and quality. Black nursery containers absorb radiant heat resulting in excessive RZT, yet other types of containers and different substrates can moderate RZT. We conducted studies in Tennessee and Alabama to evaluate the effects of container type and substrate on RZT and growth of ‘Green Giant’ arborvitae (Thuja standishii × plicata ‘Green Giant’). Trade gallon arborvitae were transplanted into black, white, or air pruning containers filled with pine bark (PB) or 4 PB: 1 peatmoss (v:v) (PB:PM). Plants grown in PB:PM were larger and had greater shoot and root biomass than plants grown in PB, likely due to increased volumetric water content. Plant growth response to container type varied by location, but white containers with PB:PM produced larger plants and greater biomass compared with the other container types. Root zone temperature was greatest in black containers and remained above 38 °C and 46 °C for 15% and 17% longer than white and air pruning containers, respectively. Utilizing light color containers in combination with substrates containing peatmoss can reduce RZT and increase substrate moisture content thus improving crop growth and quality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Horticultural Crop Response to Different Environmental and Nutritional Stress)

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21 pages, 642 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Non-Leguminous Cover Crops on Yield and Quality of Baby Corn (Zea mays L.) Grown under Subtropical Conditions

by Atinderpal Singh, Sanjit K. Deb, Sukhbir Singh, Parmodh Sharma and Jasjit S. Kang

Horticulturae 2020, 6(2), 21; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/horticulturae6020021 - 03 Apr 2020

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 4052

Abstract

Effects of non-leguminous cover crops and their times of chopping on the yield and quality of no-till baby corn (Zea mays L.) were evaluated during two kharif seasons (May-August in 2014 and 2015) under subtropical climatic conditions of Punjab, India. The experiment was laid out in a split-plot design with four replications at Punjab Agricultural University’s Research Farm. Three cover crops (pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.), fodder maize (Zea mays L.), and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.)) and the control (no cover crop) were in the main plots and chopping time treatments (25, 35, 45 days after planting (DAP)) in the subplots. During both kharif seasons, the yield (cob and fodder yield) and dry matter accumulation of baby corn following cover crop treatments, especially pearl millet, were significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher than the control, and improved with increments in chopping time from 25 to 45 DAP. The effect of cover crops on baby corn quality (i.e., protein, starch, total soluble solids, crude fiber, total solid, and sugar content) did not differ among treatments, while increasing increments in chopping time had a significant effect on the protein and sugar content of baby corn. The use of cover crops and increment in chopping time helped in enhancing topsoil quality, especially available nitrogen; yet, the effect of cover crops and their times of chopping on topsoil organic carbon, phosphorus, and potassium did not differ among treatments. During both seasons, there was no significant interaction between cover crop and time of chopping among treatments with respect to baby corn yield and quality, as well as topsoil quality parameters. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Horticultural Crop Response to Different Environmental and Nutritional Stress)

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10 pages, 556 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Effect of Stand Reduction at Different Growth Stages on Yield of Paprika-Type Chile Pepper

by Israel Joukhadar and Stephanie Walker

Horticulturae 2020, 6(1), 16; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/horticulturae6010016 - 05 Mar 2020

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2556

Abstract

Paprika-type chile (Capsicum annuum L.) crops are susceptible to plant population losses through pest activity, disease, and extreme weather events such as hail storms. This study was conducted to determine the influence of intensity and timing of plant population reductions on the final harvested yield of paprika-type chile so that informed decisions can be made regarding continuing or ending a damaged field. Two trials, one per year, were conducted in southern New Mexico. ‘LB-25’, a standard commercial cultivar, was direct seeded on 29 March 2016 and 4 April 2017. Plants were thinned at three different growth stages; early seedling, first bloom, and peak bloom. Plants were thinned to four levels at each phenological stage; 0% stand reduction (control; ~200,000 plants/ha), 60% stand reduction (~82,000 plants/ha), 70% stand reduction (~60,000 plants/ha), and 80% stand reduction (~41,000 plant/ha). In both years, the main effects of stand reduction had a significant impact on harvested yield, emphasizing the percentage of stand reduction has more of an impact on yield than timing in paprika-type red chile. Consistently, an 80% stand reduction in paprika-type chile significantly reduced fresh red chile yield by 26% to 38%. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Horticultural Crop Response to Different Environmental and Nutritional Stress)

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