Tolerance of lowbush blueberries (Vaccinium angustifolium Ait.) to drought stress. I. Soil water and yield component analysis

A 2-yr field study examining the effects of drought conditions on the vegetative and reproductive components of the lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Ait.) was completed at the Nova Scotia Wild Blueberry Institute (NSWBI), Debert, NS, in 1998 and 1999. Drought and irrigation treatments were applied over 2 yr in either or both the vegetative and cropping years of production. In general, during the 2-yr study of the vegetative stage, soil moisture levels in the uppermost 0- to 15-cm depth were low (5 to 22%) due to lack of rainfall and increased plant demand. Although berry weight was not affected by drought treatments, berry number was > 50% higher in response to irrigation in both the vegetative and cropping years. From yield component analysis, it was concluded that node number increased at the expense of floral zone length in response to drought-stress. It appeared that the wild blueberry has adapted to partition its resources into vegetative growth under soil moisture limiting conditions, and into reproductive growth when moisture levels are sufficient. Key words: Yield, path analysis, irrigation, drought

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320 Does Water Availability Influence Photosynthesis and Yield Components of the Lowbush Blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Ait.)?

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.34.3.498a ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 34 (3) ◽

pp. 498A-498

Author(s):

V.M. Glass ◽

D.C. Percival ◽

J.T.A. Proctor

Keyword(s):

Nova Scotia ◽

Drought Stress ◽

Water Availability ◽

Growth And Yield ◽

Stem Length ◽

Vaccinium Angustifolium ◽

Supplemental Irrigation ◽

Node Number ◽

Zone Length ◽

Lowbush Blueberry

Drought is the most limiting factor of crops worldwide. Sound management of any crop is based on a knowledge of its physiology as well as response to drought. Therefore, water use management has become an agricultural priority, with increased research focusing on plant growth and yield under limited water conditions. The lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Ait.) is the most important horticultural crop in Nova Scotia in acreage, export sales, and value to the economy. A study initiated at the Nova Scotia Wild Blueberry Inst., Debert (45°26′N, 63°27′W), N.S., during the 1998 growing season investigated the effects of water availability on the growth and development of the lowbush blueberry. Treatments consisting of supplemental irrigation (i), drought stress (d), and a control (c) were applied to plants in their cropping phase of production. Net photosynthetic rates (Pn) were highest during bloom (i: 11.9, d: 9.7, c: 9.8 μmol·m-2·s-1) and then declined throughout the season. No significant (P = 0.05) treatment effect on Pn was observed. Stem sample analysis before harvest showed no significant differences (P = 0.05) between stem length, node number, flowering node number, flowering zone length, or number of fruit per stem. Samples from 1-m2 quadrats indicated the drought-stressed plots produced the lowest yield (378 g·m-2) compared with the supplemental irrigation (449 g·m-2) or control (512 g·m-2) plots. Results from this study suggest drought stress on the lowbush blueberry does not produce significant differences in the number of fruit set; it does result in smaller fruit.

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Effects of Drought Stress on Photosynthetic and Physiological Parameters of Tomato

Journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science ◽

10.21273/jashs04725-19 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 145 (1) ◽

pp. 12-17 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Guoting Liang ◽

Junhui Liu ◽

Jingmin Zhang ◽

Jing Guo

Keyword(s):

Soil Moisture ◽

Drought Stress ◽

Crop Yields ◽

Physiological Parameters ◽

Practical Significance ◽

Horticultural Crop ◽

Photosynthetic Gas Exchange ◽

Moisture Contents ◽

Effects Of Drought ◽

Nonstomatal Limitation

Drought has become an important factor limiting crop yields in China. As an important greenhouse horticultural crop in China, the research of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L. cv. Jinpeng No.10) is of great theoretical and practical significance. In the study, four different relative soil moisture contents (74% to 80%, 55% to 61%, 47% to 52%, and 25% to 30%) were used to induce drought stress. We investigated changes in photosynthetic gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, and other related physiological parameters in response to different relative soil moisture contents. Drought inhibited the photosynthesis of tomato significantly, as shown by a clear decline in the net photosynthetic rate. Our results indicated stomatal limitation and nonstomatal limitation were responsible for the photosynthesis reduction.

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DROUGHT STRESS DYNAMICS OF WILD BLUEBERRY (VACCINIUM ANGUSTIFOLIUM AITON)

Acta Horticulturae ◽

10.17660/actahortic.2003.618.41 ◽

2003 ◽

pp. 353-362 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

D. Percival ◽

A. Murray ◽

D. Stevens

Keyword(s):

Drought Stress ◽

Vaccinium Angustifolium ◽

Wild Blueberry

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Poor seed quality, reduced germination, and decreased seedling vigor in soybean is linked to exposure of the maternal lines to drought stress

10.1101/590059 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Chathurika Wijewardana ◽

K. Raja Reddy ◽

L. Jason Krutz ◽

Wei Gao ◽

Nacer Bellaloui

Keyword(s):

Soil Moisture ◽

Drought Stress ◽

Seed Germination ◽

Seed Quality ◽

Germination Rate ◽

Moisture Stress ◽

Seedling Vigor ◽

Soil Moisture Stress ◽

Effects Of Drought ◽

F1 Generation

AbstractEffects of environmental stressors on the parent may be transmitted to the F1 generation of plants that support global food, oil, and energy production for humans and animals. This study was conducted to determine if the effects of drought stress on parental soybean plants are transmitted to the F1 generation. The germination and seedling vigor of F1 soybean whose maternal parents, Asgrow AG5332 and Progeny P5333RY, were exposed to soil moisture stress, that is, 100, 80, 60, 40, and 20% replacement of evapotranspiration (ET) during reproductive growth, were evaluated under controlled conditions. Pooled over cultivars, effects of soil moisture stress on the parents caused a reduction in the seed germination rate, maximum seed germination, and overall seedling performance in the F1 generation. The effect of soil moisture stress on the parent induced an irreversible change in the seed quality in the F1 generation and the effects on seed quality in the F1 generation were exasperated when exposed to increasing levels of drought stress. Results indicate that seed weight and storage reserve are key factors influencing germination traits and seedling growth. Our data confirm that the effects of drought stress on soybean are transferable, causing reduced germination, seedling vigor, and seed quality in the F1 generation.

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Tolerance of lowbush blueberries (Vaccinium angustifolium Ait.) to drought stress. II. Leaf gas exchange, stem water potential and dry matter partitioning

Canadian Journal of Plant Science ◽

10.4141/p03-028 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 85 (4) ◽

pp. 919-927 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

V. M. Glass ◽

D. C. Percival ◽

J. T.A. Proctor

Keyword(s):

Soil Moisture ◽

Drought Stress ◽

Gas Exchange ◽

Water Potential ◽

Stomatal Density ◽

Leaf Gas Exchange ◽

Water Status ◽

Stem Water Potential ◽

Vaccinium Angustifolium ◽

Stem Water

A 2-yr field study examining the effect of soil moisture on plant water status, photosynthesis and gas exchange parameters in lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Ait.) was conducted at the Nova Scotia Wild Blueberry Institute (NSWBI), Debert, NS. Drought and irrigation treatments were applied over two years in either or both the vegetative and cropping years of production. Midday stem water potential values indicated that all treatments resulted in drought stress. Mean stem water potential values ranged from -1.41 to -1.45 MPa. Predawn stem water potentials in the vegetative growth season indicated that although some recharging and recovery of water loss occurred overnight, the drought-stressed plants did not fully return to pre-stress levels under the moisture-limiting conditions. Higher chlorophyll a and b levels were observed in the single-season drought treatment. Leaves of irrigated plants in both sprout and crop years had the highest stomatal density. There were no differences in photosynthetic rate (Pn) among treatments despite the lower stomatal conductance resulting from limited soil moisture. Key words: Photosynthesis, stomate, stem water potential

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THE BIOLOGY OF CANADIAN WEEDS. 2. SPIRAEA LATIFOLIA

Canadian Journal of Plant Science ◽

10.4141/cjps74-023 ◽

1974 ◽

Vol 54 (1) ◽

pp. 141-147 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

I. V. HALL ◽

R. A. MURRAY ◽

L. P. JACKSON

Keyword(s):

Soil Moisture ◽

Moisture Content ◽

New Brunswick ◽

Prince Edward Island ◽

Soil Moisture Content ◽

Mechanical Damage ◽

Growing Season ◽

Eastern Canada ◽

Vaccinium Angustifolium ◽

Lowbush Blueberry

Spiraea latifolia (Ait.) Borkh., broad-leaved meadowsweet (Rosaceae), is a weed of pastures, lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Ait. and V. myrtilloides Mich.) fields and cranberry (V. macrocarpon Ait.) bogs of Eastern Canada, especially where soil moisture content is high during the growing season. Where S. latifolia occurs, other vegetation is lacking or depressed. Much time is lost in harvesting lowbush blueberries due to jamming of the S. latifolia stems among the tines of the rake or in cranberries due to mechanical damage to the harvesters. In Canada, S. latifolia occurs in Newfoundland, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, and Manitoba.

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EFFECT OF SOIL MOISTURE AND FERTILIZER ON THE POTENTIAL AND ACTUAL YIELD OF LOWBUSH BLUEBERRIES

Canadian Journal of Plant Science ◽

10.4141/cjps84-094 ◽

1984 ◽

Vol 64 (3) ◽

pp. 683-689 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

GEORGE R. BENOIT ◽

WALTER J. GRANT ◽

AMR A. ISMAIL ◽

DAVID E. YARBOROUGH

Keyword(s):

Soil Moisture ◽

Field Capacity ◽

Moisture Stress ◽

Fertilizer Application ◽

Flower Buds ◽

Vaccinium Angustifolium ◽

Bud Formation ◽

Lowbush Blueberry ◽

Berry Size ◽

Significant Difference

Lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Ait.) plants were evaluated under greenhouse and field conditions to determine the effect of soil moisture stress and fertilizer applied during the year of bud formation on plant growth and development. Greenhouse plants grown under water treatments of 0.2 (about field capacity), 0.6, 1.0 and 5.0 bars did not differ significantly in number of stems per plant or flower buds per stem. A significant increase in the number of flowers per stem was detected for the 0.2- and 0.6-bar treatments over the 1.0- and 5.0-bar treatments. A highly significant trend was an increase in flowers per plant related to an increase in water application. Established field plants had no significant difference in the number of flowers between the unirrigated control and the 0.6- or 0.2-bar treatments. The number and total weight of berries increased significantly with increased water availability during the vegetative growth year but individual berry size remained the same. Irrigation during the year of bud formation may result in increased yield during the crop year. No significant fertilizer application effect was detected on the parameters evaluated.Key words: Vaccinium angustifolium, flower buds

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