Mitigation of Heat Stress Effects by Using Shade Net on Washington Navel Orange Trees Grown in Al-Nubaria Region, Egypt

Abstract

<jats:p>High temperature stress can be detrimental to plants, resulting in reduced fruit yield and increased incidences of fruit disorders. One strategy that farmers can use to maintain or increase their yields in the face of a changing climate is to adjust of farm climate by using shade net on the trees. Such, the use of shade netting on Washington navel orange planted on the sandy soil in Al-Nubaria region, Egypt were studied during two successive seasons, either using a permanent shade throughout all the season or using a moveable shade for certain period from the first of March until the end of June for every season. Growth (No. of shoots/one meter branch, No. of leaves/shoot, shoot length and chlorophyll content of the leaves, leaf area and tree canopy), macronutrients (N, P, K, Ca, Mg) and micronutrients (Fe, Zn, Mn, Cu, Na) content in the leaves, fruit characteristics (number, weight, diameter, peel thickness, total soluble solids, total acidity and ascorbic acid), yield and crop efficiency, were determined. It can be concluded that covering Washington navel orange trees grown on sandy soil with shade net especial covering the trees for certain period was very effective at protecting orange trees and led to improve the growth, increase the yield and maintain fruit quality.</jats:p>

Physiological Characterization of Young ‘Hass’ Avocado Plant Leaves Following Exposure to High Temperatures and Low Light Intensity

“…In a wider scope, as the frequency of extreme weather events which combine high temperatures with high-light intensity conditions increase dramatically [ 9 ], significant effort should be invested into finding solutions to mitigate heat stress in avocado plants. For example, in the short term, the use of shading nets to reduce heat and irradiance [ 27 ] and cooling of the tree canopy using water evaporation might be examined [ 28 ]. In the long term, heat stress characterization may be implemented in ongoing commercial avocado breeding programs to develop elite heat-resilient cultivars [ 5 ].…”