Growth and Photosynthetic Characteristics of Two Strawberry Cultivars in Response to Furostanol Glycosides Treatments

Furostanol glycosides represent a large group of steroid compounds of plant origin with a broad spectrum of biological activities (anabolic, antioxidant, anti-fungal and nematicidal). Most of the research exhibits this effect in stress induced response on different pathogen attacks and only a few studies show the effect of glycoside on plants growth and development. In order to investigate the effects of furostanol glycoside treatment on rooting, growth performance and photosynthetic system efficiency, young unrooted strawberry plants (cv. ‘Real’ and ‘Magic’) were immersed in different concentrations (0.03 mM, 0.3 mM, 3 mM) of G1 solution (glycoside extracted from Lycopersicon sp.) and G2 (extracted from Digitalis sp.) and morphometric parameters were determined. The results showed that immersion in 0.3 mM glycoside solution improved the quality of strawberry planting material by increasing the number and length of roots, as well as by stimulating formation of new leaves. Moreover, the influence of foliar spraying with G1 and G2 on plants growth, assimilator pigments content and photosynthesis was determined. Foliar spraying with both glycosides solutions improved radicular growth and development, but dimensions of foliar apparatus increased only in G1 treated variants. Although both glycoside treatments induced an increase in assimilator pigments content, photosynthetic rate decreased as a consequence of stomatal limitations associated with better efficiency of water use and of internal CO2, which suggests that these chemicals may have an antitranspirant action.