Tomato sap flow, stem and fruit growth in relation to water availability in rockwool growing medium

Swaef, Tom De; Verbist, Koen; Cornelis, Wim; Steppe, Kathy

doi:10.1007/s11104-011-0898-4

Cited by 40 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 52 publications

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“…The first successful flow image was obtained during the night (during which lights in the imager were kept switched on), > 12 h after the last manual irrigation. Owing to the low water buffering capacity of the rockwool substrate (De Swaef et al ., ), this might have led to a limited degree of drought stress during the measurement before girdling. This is also reflected by the fact that xylem volume flow is markedly smaller in this truss compared with the other trusses.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Heat girdling does not affect xylem integrity: an in vivo magnetic resonance imaging study in the tomato peduncle

et al. 2017

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Heat girdling is a method to estimate the relative contribution of phloem vs xylem water flow to fruit growth. The heat girdling process is assumed to destroy all living tissues, including the phloem, without affecting xylem conductivity. However, to date, the assumption that xylem is not affected by heat girdling remains unproven. In this study, we used in vivo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) velocimetry to test if heat girdling can cause xylem vessels to embolize or affect xylem water flow characteristics in the peduncle of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum cv Dirk). Anatomical and MRI data indicated that, at the site of girdling, all living tissues were disrupted, but that the functionality of the xylem remained unchanged. MRI velocimetry showed that the volume flow through the secondary xylem was not impeded by heat girdling in either the short or the long term (up to 91 h after girdling). This study provides support for the hypothesis that in the tomato peduncle the integrity and functionality of the xylem remain unaffected by heat girdling. It therefore confirms the validity of the heat girdling technique as a means to estimate relative contributions of xylem and phloem water flow to fruit growth.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Heat girdling does not affect xylem integrity: an in vivo magnetic resonance imaging study in the tomato peduncle

et al. 2017

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“…Increasing the irrigation frequency from 1 to 30 cycles a day increased fresh (FW) and dry weight (DW) growth of Chrysanthemum with 10–30% (Buwalda and Kim, 1994; Silber et al, 2003, 2005; Xu et al, 2004). Irrigation frequency is therefore a key management factor in maintaining a flow of water and nutrients toward the roots which is large enough to surpass the plant water uptake (Raviv et al, 1999; De Swaef et al, 2011) and nutrient uptake (Silber et al, 2003; Xu et al, 2004). Both, transport rates of water and of nutrients, are highly dependent on substrate characteristics including water filled pore space and pore geometry (Allaire et al, 1994; Raviv et al, 1999; Caron et al, 2002; De Swaef et al, 2011).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Irrigation frequency is therefore a key management factor in maintaining a flow of water and nutrients toward the roots which is large enough to surpass the plant water uptake (Raviv et al, 1999; De Swaef et al, 2011) and nutrient uptake (Silber et al, 2003; Xu et al, 2004). Both, transport rates of water and of nutrients, are highly dependent on substrate characteristics including water filled pore space and pore geometry (Allaire et al, 1994; Raviv et al, 1999; Caron et al, 2002; De Swaef et al, 2011). The influence of irrigation volume, substrate volume, and plant density on water and nutrient uptake was modeled and validated (Bar-Tal et al, 1993).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Maximum Plant Uptakes for Water, Nutrients, and Oxygen Are Not Always Met by Irrigation Rate and Distribution in Water-based Cultivation Systems

et al. 2017

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Growing on rooting media other than soils in situ -i.e., substrate-based growing- allows for higher yields than soil-based growing as transport rates of water, nutrients, and oxygen in substrate surpass those in soil. Possibly water-based growing allows for even higher yields as transport rates of water and nutrients in water surpass those in substrate, even though the transport of oxygen may be more complex. Transport rates can only limit growth when they are below a rate corresponding to maximum plant uptake. Our first objective was to compare Chrysanthemum growth performance for three water-based growing systems with different irrigation. We compared; multi-point irrigation into a pond (DeepFlow); one-point irrigation resulting in a thin film of running water (NutrientFlow) and multi-point irrigation as droplets through air (Aeroponic). Second objective was to compare press pots as propagation medium with nutrient solution as propagation medium. The comparison included DeepFlow water-rooted cuttings with either the stem 1 cm into the nutrient solution or with the stem 1 cm above the nutrient solution. Measurements included fresh weight, dry weight, length, water supply, nutrient supply, and oxygen levels. To account for differences in radiation sum received, crop performance was evaluated with Radiation Use Efficiency (RUE) expressed as dry weight over sum of Photosynthetically Active Radiation. The reference, DeepFlow with substrate-based propagation, showed the highest RUE, even while the oxygen supply provided by irrigation was potentially growth limiting. DeepFlow with water-based propagation showed 15–17% lower RUEs than the reference. NutrientFlow showed 8% lower RUE than the reference, in combination with potentially limiting irrigation supply of nutrients and oxygen. Aeroponic showed RUE levels similar to the reference and Aeroponic had non-limiting irrigation supply of water, nutrients, and oxygen. Water-based propagation affected the subsequent cultivation in the DeepFlow negatively compared to substrate-based propagation. Water-based propagation resulted in frequent transient discolorations after transplanting in all cultivation systems, indicating a factor, other than irrigation supply of water, nutrients, and oxygen, influencing plant uptake. Plant uptake rates for water, nutrients, and oxygen are offered as a more fundamental way to compare and improve growing systems.

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“…The importance of plant water status to guarantee a good production and quality of greenhouse tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) has been emphasized by many authors (Mitchell et al, 1991;Johnson et al, 1992;Cuartero and Fernandez-Munoz, 1999;De Swaef et al, 2012). Tomato fruit growth results from the influx of water, carbon and minerals through the xylem and the phloem, which is driven by a gradient in hydrostatic and osmotic potential between the stem and the fruit.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Measurement of Sap Flow Dynamics Through the Tomato Peduncle Using a Non-Invasive Sensor Based on the Heat Field Deformation Method

Hanssens¹,

Swaef²,

Nadezhdina³

et al. 2013

Acta Hortic.

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Recent contradicting evidence on the contributions of xylem and phloem to tomato fruit growth highlights the need for a more thorough insight into the dynamics of sap flow through the tomato peduncle. In fact, knowledge on sap flow dynamics through small plant parts remains scarce, due to a lack of direct measurements. Most currently available sap flow sensors use needles, making them inappropriate for the direct measurement of sap flow through small plant parts such as a tomato peduncle. Therefore, a non-invasive sap flow sensor based on the heat field deformation (HFD) principle was tested on the peduncle of a tomato truss. This mini HFD sensor, consisting of a heater element and three thermocouples stitched on insulation tape, was wrapped around the peduncle and allowed continuous monitoring of changes in the heat field around the heater caused by sap flow. Actual influx into the tomato truss was calculated based on fruit growth data and estimates of fruit transpiration and was compared with the dynamics measured with the mini HFD sensor. Additionally, heat girdling of the peduncle was performed to block phloem influx to study the dynamics of xylem and phloem influx using the mini HFD sensor. First results of the mini HFD sensor were promising and the measured sap flow dynamics through the tomato peduncle agreed well with the calculated sap influx. Results of the girdling experiment suggested opposite patterns of xylem and phloem influx, with a decreased xylem influx during the daytime. Furthermore, the pattern of xylem influx revealed a close relation with the total water potential in the stem. As such, the mini HFD sensor provided direct measurements of sap flow dynamics through a tomato peduncle and, hence, has a large potential to finally resolve the controversy on water influx into developing fruits.

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Tomato sap flow, stem and fruit growth in relation to water availability in rockwool growing medium

Cited by 40 publications

References 52 publications

Heat girdling does not affect xylem integrity: an in vivo magnetic resonance imaging study in the tomato peduncle

Heat girdling does not affect xylem integrity: an in vivo magnetic resonance imaging study in the tomato peduncle

Maximum Plant Uptakes for Water, Nutrients, and Oxygen Are Not Always Met by Irrigation Rate and Distribution in Water-based Cultivation Systems

Measurement of Sap Flow Dynamics Through the Tomato Peduncle Using a Non-Invasive Sensor Based on the Heat Field Deformation Method

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