Uv Radiation as an Exploitable and Diverse Tool in the Regulation of Crop Quality and Yield

Elfadly, E.M.; Wargent, Jason J.; Sobeih, W.; Moore, Joe; Paul, Nabarun

doi:10.17660/actahortic.2012.956.5

Cited by 2 publications

(1 citation statement)

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“…Total soluble solid content may be affected by the amount and quality of light a plant receives (Perkins-Veazie, 1995). Some studies have shown that fruit color and plant growth may be negatively affected by restricted ultraviolet exposure (Elfadly et al, 2012;Tsormpatsidis et al, 2011). And there is evidence suggesting that exposure to ultraviolet light improves crop resilience in the face of environmental stressors by way of photoreceptors that trigger critical defense mechanisms (Ballar e et al, 2012;Wargent et al, 2011).…”

Section: Unitsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Low Tunnel Covering and Microclimate, Fruit Yield, and Quality in an Organic Strawberry Production System

Anderson

Rogers

Hoover

2019

hortte

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Consumer demand for local and organic strawberries (Fragaria ×ananassa) is increasing. Growers who can meet this demand have a competitive edge in the direct-to-consumer market. Innovations in strawberry production for northern climates offer new opportunities for growers to meet the demand for local organic strawberries. Typically adopted for season extension, the use of poly-covered tunnels for crop protection provides other benefits including protection from adverse weather. Low tunnels are easy to install, low cost, temporary protective structures that are well-adapted for annual day-neutral strawberry production, and they are more space efficient than high tunnels for these low-stature crops. A range of specialty tunnel plastics that modify and diffuse light are available, but there is little information on how these influence strawberry plant growth and performance in the field. Our objectives were to determine the effects of experimental ultraviolet blocking and transmitting plastics on light and microclimate in low tunnel environments and assess differences in fruit yield and quality in the day-neutral strawberry cultivar Albion in an organic production system. This research was conducted on U.S. Department of Agriculture-certified organic land over 2 years, in 2016 and 2017. We found that ultraviolet intensity and daily light integral (DLI) were lower in covered plots than in the open field. Maximum daily temperatures were slightly higher in covered plots. Both ultraviolet-blocking and ultraviolet-transmitting plastics improved marketable fruit yield compared with the open-field control. Strawberries grown in the open-field treatment were lower in chroma than covered plots in 2017, and there was no difference in total soluble solids between treatments in either year. Low tunnel systems allow for increased environmental control and improved fruit quality and are well-adapted for day-neutral organic strawberry production systems.

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