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- Author or Editor: Nihal C. Rajapakse x
Morphological and physiological changes during maturation and ripening of eight Asian pear cultivars grown in the southeastern United States were evaluated. Fruit size increased throughout maturation. Flesh firmness decreased as fruit matured and averaged ≈30 to 35 N at harvest maturity. The average TSS in mature fruit ranged from 10% to 13%, with `Shinko' having the lowest and `Shinsui' having the highest. TSS increased during 4 weeks of storage at 1C, but the increase was greater in immature fruit than in mature fruit. Respiration rate declined as fruit matured. Ethylene production was low in `Hosui', `Kosui', `Nijisseiki', `Shinseiki', `Chojuro', and `Shinko' fruit. Mature `Ichiban' and `Shinsui' fruit produced high amounts of ethylene. `Kosui', `Shinsui', `Chojuro', and `Ichiban' fruit showed a climacteric rise in respiration and ethylene production at 20C, while `Hosui', `Nijisseiki', `Shinseiki', and `Shinko' behaved as nonclimacteric fruit. Ethylene production by 1C-stored `Kosui', `Shinsui', `Chojuro', and `Ichiban' fruit was increased on removal to 20C. Glucose and fructose were low during early maturation but sharply increased ≈80 to 85 days after full bloom (DAFB). Sucrose was low in immature fruit but accumulated rapidly late in maturation ≈100 to 107 DAFB. In mature `Hosui', `Kosui', `Nijisseiki', `Shinsui', `Shinko', and `Ichiban' fruit, fructose was the predominant sugar, while in `Shinseiki' and `Chojuro' fruit, sucrose was the predominant sugar.
Changes in sugar composition during maturation and ripening of eight Asian pear cultivars were evaluated. Total soluble sugars (TSS) increased gradually throughout the maturation and averaged 10% to 13% in mature fruit. All cultivars, except `Shinko' and `Nijisseiki', had accumulated ≥10% TSS by 100 days after full bloom (DAFB). Starch accumulated during early stages of Asian pear fruit development but decreased as the maturity progressed coinciding with the rise in soluble sugars. Sorbitol, a sugar alcohol, was predominant in immature fruit and accounted for 35% to 60% of TSS fraction depending on the cultivar. Fructose rapidly increased during early maturation. Glucose increased during early maturation, but the increase was much smaller than that of fructose. Sucrose was low (<4%) in immature fruit but accumulated rapidly late in the maturation and continued to increase until harvest. In mature `Hosui', `Kosui', `Nijisseiki', `Shinsui', `Shinko', and `Ichiban' fruit, fructose was the predominant sugar which accounted for 47% to 60% of the TSS fraction. Glucose and sucrose accounted for 13% to 17% and 7% to 12%, respectively, in those cultivars. In mature `Shinseiki' fruit, sucrose was the predominant sugar (44% of TSS), while fructose and glucose accounted for 33% and 8%, respectively. Sucrose and fructose were present in equal amounts (29%) in mature `Chojuro' fruit. Late accumulation of sucrose in Asian pear cultivars suggest that sufficient time should be allowed before harvesting to obtain sweeter fruit.
The role of light quality on growth, flowering, and postharvest characteristics of `Nellie White' Easter lilies (Lilium longiflorum Thunb.) was evaluated in two growing seasons using 4% CuSO4 and water (control) as spectral filters. The CuSO4 filter significantly reduced plant height and internode length. However, the height reduction was smaller in the 1994-95 season (9%) than in the 1995-96 growing season (32%). The number of days to flower bud appearance and flower opening, and the number and diameter of flowers were not significantly affected by the spectral filters in either season. The CuSO4 filters reduced flower longevity by 3 days in nonstored plants, and by 5 days when plants were subjected to 1 week storage at 4 °C prior to placing in the postharvest room. Results suggest that spectral filters are effective in controlling height and producing compact Easter lily plants without causing a delay in flowering or reducing number of flowers per plant but flower longevity can be adversely affected.
The interaction of light quality and growing season on growth and carbohydrate metabolism of chrysanthemum was evaluated using 6% CuSO4 and water as spectral filters. Light transmitted through the CuSO4 filter significantly reduced plant height and internode length compared to control plants regardless of the season. Light transmitted through CuSO4 filters delayed flowering. Total number of flowers was not affected but plants grown under CuSO4 filter had smaller flowers than those grown under the control filter. Light transmitted through CuSO4 filter reduced leaf and stem soluble sugar and starch concentrations regardless of the growing season. However, me magnitude of reduction was greater in spring than in fall-grown plants. Stems of fall-grown plants had mom starch deposition than spring-grown plants under both filters. The reduction of leaf and stem carbohydrate content (per organ basis) was greater than that of concentrations due to reduced stem elongation and total dry matter accumulation. Filters with specific spectral characteristics can be used as alternative means of controlling height and producing compact plants in the greenhouses regardless of the growing season. However, flowering should be evaluated with individual flower crops as flowering response may interact with the quality of light and growing season.
Transpiration rates of chrysanthemum [Dendranthema ×grandiflorum (Ramat.) Kitamura] plants grown under spectral filters were evaluated as part of an investigation on using light quality to regulate plant growth. The 6% CuSO4·5H2O spectral filter reduced photosynthetic photon flux density in red (R) and far red (FR) wavelengths and increased the R: FR and blue (B): R ratios (B = 400 to 500 nm; R = 600 to 700 nm; FR = 700 to 800 nm) of transmitted light relative to the water (control) filter. After 28 days, cumulative water use of plants grown under CuSO4 filters was ≈37% less than that of control plants. Transpiration rates were similar among plants grown under CuSO4 and control filters when expressed as leaf area, a result suggesting that the reduced cumulative water loss was a result of smaller plant size. Plants grown under CuSO4 filters had slightly lower (10%) stomatal density than control plants. Light transmitted through CuSO4 filters did not alter the size of individual stomata; however, total number of stomata and total stomatal pore area per plant was ≈50% less in plants grown under CuSO4 filters than in those grown under control filters due to less leaf area. The results suggest that altering light quality may help reduce water use and fertilizer demands while controlling growth during greenhouse production.
The interactions of light quality and growing season on growth and carbohydrate content of chrysanthemum [Dendranthema × grandiflorum (Ramat.) Kitamura] plants were evaluated using 6% CuSO4 and water (control) as spectral filters. Light transmitted through the CuSO4 filter significantly reduced plant height and internode length compared to control plants regardless of the season. However, the degree of response varied with growing season. Light transmitted through CuSO4 filters delayed flowering. Total number of flowers was not affected by spectral filter, but plants grown under CuSO4 filter had smaller flowers than those grown under the control filter. Light transmitted through CuSO4 filter resulted in reduced leaf and stem soluble sugar (sucrose, glucose, and fructose) and starch concentrations regardless of the growing season. However, the magnitude of reduction was greater in spring- than in fall-grown plants. Stems of fall-grown plants had more starch deposition than spring-grown plants under both filters. Filters with specific spectral characteristics can be used as alternative means of producing compact plants in the greenhouses, however, the delay in flowering and smaller flowers could limit their use for growth control of plants intended for flower production.
The response of `Bright Golden Anne' chrysanthemum plants grown under CuSO4 spectral filters to exogenous GA3 application was evaluated to determine the relationship between gibberellins (GAs) and carbohydrate levels. The CuSO4 filters removed far red (FR) wavelengths of light and increased red: far red (R:FR), blue: far red (B:FR), blue: red (B:R) ratios, and phytochrome photoequilibrium (Ø) values of transmitted light compared to water (control) filter. Plant height, internode length, and leaf and stem dry weights were significantly reduced by light passing through CuSO4 filters in spring and summer seasons. Weekly applications of exogenous GA3 reversed the reduction in height and internode length induced by CuSO4 filters. Plants grown under CuSO4 filters responded more to exogenous GA3 application with respect to height and internode length, suggesting that the sensitivity to GA was not lowered. Light passing through CuSO4 filters reduced the carbohydrate levels, but the response varied with the season. Weekly GA3 application increased the carbohydrate levels, but did not totally reverse the reduction in carbohydrate levels under the CuSO4 filters. Although GA3 application increased the carbohydrate levels partially in CuSO4 filter-grown plants, the inhibition of GAs may not be solely responsible for reduction of carbohydrate levels under CuSO4 filters, showing that exogenous GAs and carbohydrate levels are not well correlated under CuSO4 spectral filters.
Growth chamber experiments were conducted to investigate the effectiveness of several photoselective plastic films in controlling height of `Sweet Success' cucumber, `Mt. Pride' tomato, and `Capistrano' bell pepper transplants. Four types of treatment films; a control, two far-red light intercepting films (YXE-1 and YXE-10), and a red light intercepting film (SXE-1), with R: FR ratios of 1.0, 2.0, 1.6, and 0.8, respectively, were used as the covering materials of experimental chambers. Photosynthetic photon flux (PPF) was adjusted to be the same in all chambers with cheese cloth. Treatment period for cucumber and tomato was 15 days and that for bell pepper was 20 days. At the end of the treatment, significantly shorter plants were found in both YXE-1 and YXE-10 chambers for all the three tested crops. However, YXE-10 was more effective than YXE-1 in producing compact cucumber, tomato and bell pepper transplants. SXE-4 film produced taller plants than control film. Magnitude of response to filtered light varied with the crop species. Number of leaves was not significantly affected by the light transmitted through photoselective filters, indicating that the height reduction was mainly caused by the reduction in internode length. With the commercial development of photoselective greenhouse covers or shade material in the near future, nursery and greenhouse industry could potentially reduce the cost for growth regulating chemicals, reduce the health risks to their workers and consumers, and reduce environmental pollution.
The use of light quality as an alternate method for controlling ornamental plant growth was evaluated using copper sulfate solutions as optical filters, The light passed through CuSO4 solutions had high red/far-red (R/FR) ratio. Plant height and average internode length were significantly reduced by high R/FR light. Plants grown under high R/FR light had smaller leaves and a lower total leaf area but had thicker leaves, as indicated by specific leaf weight, than the control plants. Fresh and dry weights of leaves, stems and roots were reduced by high R/FR light. Dry matter accumulation in leaves was increased by high R/FR light while it was reduced in stems. Exogenous gibberellic acid (GA) application partially overcame the height reduction under high R/FR light indicating that GA biosynthesis maybe affected by light treatment. Results suggests alteration of light quality could be used in controlling ornamental plant growth as an alternate method to conventional chemical growth regulator applications.
The role of light quality on growth, flowering, and postharvest characteristics of `Nellie White' Easter lilies (Lilium longiflorum Thunb.) was evaluated in two growing seasons using 4% CuSO4 and water (control) as spectral filters. The CuSO4 filter significantly reduced plant height and internode length. However, the height reduction was smaller in the 1994—95 season (9%) than in the 1995—96 growing season (32%). The number of days to flower bud appearance and flower opening, and the number and diameter of flowers were not significantly affected by the spectral filters in either season. The CuSO4 filters reduced flower longevity by 3 days in nonstored plants, and by 5 days when plants were subjected to 1 week storage at 4 °C prior to placing in the postharvest room. Results suggest that spectral filters are effective in controlling height and producing compact Easter lily plants without causing a delay in flowering or reducing number of flowers per plant but flower longevity can be adversely affected.