Advanced Studies in Fruit Trees under Water Stress

A special issue of Horticulturae (ISSN 2311-7524). This special issue belongs to the section "Biotic and Abiotic Stress".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2023) | Viewed by 10663

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR) 6134 Sciences Pour l’Environnement (SPE), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire Biochimie and Biologie Moléculaire du Végétal, Université de Corse, 20250 Corte, France
Interests: chloroplast ultrastructure; leaf gas exchange; polyploidy; stomatal response; oxidative status; water deficit
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

E-Mail
Guest Editor
Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR) 6134 Sciences Pour l’Environnement (SPE), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire Biochimie and Biologie Moléculaire du Végétal, Université de Corse, 20250 Corte, France
Interests: antioxidant; citrus; fruit parameters; oxidative stress; photosynthetic capacity; water deficit

E-Mail
Guest Editor
Unité Mixte de Recherche (UMR) 6134 Sciences Pour l’Environnement (SPE), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire Biochimie and Biologie Moléculaire du Végétal, Université de Corse, 20250 Corte, France
Interests: osmotic adjustment; oxidative status; photosynthesis; polyploidy; water deficit

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As climate prediction models show increased occurrences of drought episodes, global crop production will continue to be challenged. Climate change is expected to induce an increased frequency of drought episodes related to the elevation of average air temperature, which will adversely affect growth and crop yield, and reduce fruit quality, particularly in arid and semiarid regions. This trend is particularly worrying in the various regions of the world that will experience more frequent periods of intensive drought, resulting in the extension of arid areas. Thus, effective strategies to develop more drought-tolerant varieties of fruit tree, capable of withstanding these environmental changes, are required to maintain sustainable crop production in the future. While drought episodes are most frequently mentioned when talking about water stress, recent studies and recent climatic events have shown that the effect of waterlogging stress in agriculture should not be underestimated.

This Special Issue of Horticulturae will provide a current overview of the most significant research carried out in the field of water stress in fruit trees. We invite researchers to submit papers that highlight the genetic regulation of water stress, and the cellular, molecular, biochemical and physiological mechanisms relevant to water stress management. Original research (both primary and applied) is welcome, in addition to reviews summarising past works around this theme, bringing to light new scientific evidence.

Dr. Jérémie Santini
Dr. Julie Oustric-Matelli
Dr. Radia Lourkisti
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Horticulturae is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • waterlogging stress
  • drought conditions
  • oxidative status
  • primary and secondary metabolites
  • osmotic adjustment

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

23 pages, 51070 KiB  
Article
Assessment of the Drought-Tolerance Criteria for Screening Peach Cultivars
by Valentina Tsiupka, Sergei Tsiupka, Yuri Plugatar, Iliya Bulavin and Larisa Komar-Tyomnaya
Horticulturae 2023, 9(9), 1045; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae9091045 - 16 Sep 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 897
Abstract
The article presents an analysis of the artificial dehydration effect of peach leaf tissues, simulating natural drought, on various physiological, morphological, and anatomical parameters described in the literature, associated with the trait of drought resistance. An investigation aimed to identify the most informative [...] Read more.
The article presents an analysis of the artificial dehydration effect of peach leaf tissues, simulating natural drought, on various physiological, morphological, and anatomical parameters described in the literature, associated with the trait of drought resistance. An investigation aimed to identify the most informative criteria for peach drought resistance which correlate with water loss during dehydration. The results present an assessment of the amount of water loss in 60 peach cultivars selected from different geographical areas and having different genetic origins. Four contrasting genotypes were identified, based on the results of the cluster analysis performed on the cultivar’s water regime. The influence of water regime parameters (leaf water content, water saturation deficit, dynamic of water loss), the morphological and anatomical structure of the leaf, the content of photosynthetic pigments, and the activity of the photosynthetic apparatus on drought resistance were investigated for selected peach cultivars. It was revealed that the most informative criteria for assessing drought resistance were dry and fresh leaf weight, leaf blade length, leaf width, and area (among morphometric parameters); stomatal pore length, stomata density, adaxial and abaxial epidermis thickness, and adaxial cuticle thickness (among anatomical parameters); and Fv/Fm—maximum photochemical quantum yield of PSII, Y(NO)—quantum yield of unregulated non-photochemical light energy dissipation in PS II and Y(NPQ)—controlled quantum losses (among indicators of photosynthetic activity). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Studies in Fruit Trees under Water Stress)
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19 pages, 2994 KiB  
Article
Production and Quality of West Indian Cherry (Malpighia emarginata D. C.) under Salt Stress and NPK Combinations
by Antonio Manoel da Silva Filho, Hans Raj Gheyi, Alberto Soares de Melo, André Alisson Rodrigues da Silva, Semako Ibrahim Bonou, Lumara Tatiely Santos Amadeu, Rener Luciano de Souza Ferraz, Patrícia Silva Costa, Lucia Helena Garofalo Chaves and Rossana Maria Feitosa de Figueirêdo
Horticulturae 2023, 9(6), 649; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae9060649 - 31 May 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1106
Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the effect of fertilization combinations of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) on the production and quality of West Indian cherry grown under salt stress in the second year of production. The study was conducted in a [...] Read more.
This study aimed to evaluate the effect of fertilization combinations of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) on the production and quality of West Indian cherry grown under salt stress in the second year of production. The study was conducted in a protected environment following a randomized block design with treatments distributed in a 2 × 10 factorial arrangement referring to two levels of electrical conductivity of irrigation water (0.6 and 4.0 dS m−1) and 10 NPK fertilization combinations (80-100-100; 100-100-100; 120-100-100; 140-100-100; 100-80-100; 100-120-100; 100-140-100; 100-100-80; 100-100-120 and 100-100-140% of the recommendation in the second year of production), with three replicates and one plant per lysimeter. Production and post-harvest variables evaluated were: the total fruit weight, total number of fruits, mean fruit weight, the polar and equatorial diameter, total soluble solids, pulp pH, titratable acidity, maturity ratio, vitamin C, reducing sugars, total phenolic compounds, total anthocyanins, and flavonoids. The results indicate that irrigation with water having a salinity of 4.0 dS m−1 negatively affected all production variables. The interaction between the ECw of 0.6 dS m−1 and the 100-80-120 NPK fertilization combination increased the total number of fruits and the total fruit weight of West Indian cherry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Studies in Fruit Trees under Water Stress)
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16 pages, 977 KiB  
Article
Phenotyping Olive Cultivars for Drought Tolerance Using Leaf Macro-Characteristics
by Rachid Razouk, Lahcen Hssaini, Mohamed Alghoum, Atman Adiba and Anas Hamdani
Horticulturae 2022, 8(10), 939; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae8100939 - 13 Oct 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1789
Abstract
This work investigates the relationships between leaf traits and olive response to water stress through two complementary field experiments in order to screen genotypes for drought tolerance. The first experiment consisted of the phenotyping of 32 olive varieties for 11 leaf morpho-physiological traits [...] Read more.
This work investigates the relationships between leaf traits and olive response to water stress through two complementary field experiments in order to screen genotypes for drought tolerance. The first experiment consisted of the phenotyping of 32 olive varieties for 11 leaf morpho-physiological traits during a fruit set phase under well-watered conditions. In the second experiment, the yield and vegetative responses of five representative varieties to the withholding of irrigation during the whole fruit growth period were assessed to identify leaf traits that are associated with olive resilience plasticity and that could be used as drought tolerance markers. The results highlighted large phenotypic variability for leaf area (LA, 2.9–9.5 cm2), petiole elasticity (8.0–36.0°), water loss in detached leaves (WLDL, 3.6–11.6%), stomatal density (222.6–470.1 no mm−2), stomatal length (11.4–18.7 µm), trichome density (120.5–204.4 no mm−2), trichome width (103.6–183.4 µm), leaf contents in cuticular wax (CWC, 44.7–606.2 µg cm−2), and soluble sugars (SSC, 15.8–536.9 mg gdw−1). Among these leaf traits, WLDL displayed a significant correlation with the yield stability index (r = −0.973) and water use efficiency (r = −0.939), suggesting its use as relevant drought tolerance phenotypic marker. Likewise, LA, SSC, and CWC were singled out as second-level drought tolerance markers, being strongly correlated with stability of leaf size and leafing intensity in response to water stress. Cluster analysis highlighted 12 distinct levels of drought tolerance within the studied olive collection. Based on the four identified phenotypic markers, “Lechin de Sevilla” alongside “Picholine Marocaine” were found to be the most drought-tolerant varieties, while Frantoio was the most sensitive. This study provides the first, unprecedented, insights into the usefulness of leaf phenotyping in olive drought tolerance screening, with a focus on structural and functional leaf traits. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Studies in Fruit Trees under Water Stress)
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13 pages, 1197 KiB  
Article
Anthocyanin Composition in Cabernet Sauvignon Grape Skins: Effect of Regulated Deficit Irrigation in a Warm Climate
by Gonzalo Aris, Italo F. Cuneo, Claudio Pastenes and Alejandro Cáceres-Mella
Horticulturae 2022, 8(9), 796; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae8090796 - 01 Sep 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1442
Abstract
The influence of regulated deficit irrigation on the anthocyanin composition in Cabernet Sauvignon grape skins throughout ripening and when grown in a warm geographic area for two consecutive seasons was investigated. The assay was carried out on own-rooted Cabernet Sauvignon plants maintained under [...] Read more.
The influence of regulated deficit irrigation on the anthocyanin composition in Cabernet Sauvignon grape skins throughout ripening and when grown in a warm geographic area for two consecutive seasons was investigated. The assay was carried out on own-rooted Cabernet Sauvignon plants maintained under three irrigation regimes (i.e., T1 = 12 L h−1 (90% of ETp), T2 = 6 L h−1 (60% of ETp) and T3 = 2 L h−1 (30% of ETp)) from veraison until harvest. The results showed that the concentration of total anthocyanins varied among the three groups. In terms of the different fractions of anthocyanins, mild water stress generated slight changes with a different behavior between the 2014 and 2015 seasons, although the pattern of accumulation was similar. The trihydroxylated anthocyanins were much higher in concentration than the dihydroxylated counterparts in both seasons, with no significant differences among irrigation treatments. The water status did not produce differences in terms of the different anthocyanin proportions at harvest, which could indicate that the different irrigation treatments did not induce a greater accumulation of one or another type of anthocyanin. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Studies in Fruit Trees under Water Stress)
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23 pages, 7889 KiB  
Article
Comparison of Waterlogging Tolerance of Three Peach Rootstock Seedlings Based on Physiological, Anatomical and Ultra-Structural Changes
by Fangjie Xu, Huaqing Cai, Xianan Zhang, Mingshen Su, Huijuan Zhou, Xiongwei Li, Minghao Zhang, Yang Hu, Chao Gu, Jihong Du and Zhengwen Ye
Horticulturae 2022, 8(8), 720; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae8080720 - 10 Aug 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1958
Abstract
Peach (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch) is a typical shallow-rooted fruit plant with a high respiratory intensity and oxygen demand, which makes it highly susceptible to oxygen-deficient soil conditions resulting from waterlogging. Rootstock waterlogging resistance is essential to the performance of cultivated peaches [...] Read more.
Peach (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch) is a typical shallow-rooted fruit plant with a high respiratory intensity and oxygen demand, which makes it highly susceptible to oxygen-deficient soil conditions resulting from waterlogging. Rootstock waterlogging resistance is essential to the performance of cultivated peaches under waterlogging stress. In comparison to Prunus persica var. persica (‘Maotao’, M) and Prunus davidiana (Carr.) C. de Vos (‘Shantao’, S), Prunus persica f. Hossu (‘Hossu’, H) exhibited superior leaf photosynthetic electron transfer efficiency, a higher rate of mycorrhizal fungi infection in both fine roots and mesophyll palisade cells, as well as earlier air cavity formation in both leaf midvein and fine roots under waterlogging stress. Furthermore, under non-waterlogging conditions, Hossu had greater leaf superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, higher proline content, and a greater content of starch granules in the pith and xylem ray cells of stems and roots than rootstocks M and S. As a result, Hossu’s tolerance to waterlogging may be due to its higher photosynthetic efficiency, improved tissue oxygen permeability, higher energy metabolism, and increased intracellular mycorrhizal fungus infection rates in both root parenchyma cells and mesophyll palisade cells. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Studies in Fruit Trees under Water Stress)
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11 pages, 14208 KiB  
Article
Calibration of Thermal Dissipation Probes for Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.)
by Fouzia Alla, Kawtar Jdaini, Hanane M’hamdi, Hamza Mechchate, Mashail N. AlZain, Nurah M. Alzamel, Omar Noman, Jamal Mimouni and Mohammed Aziz Elhoumaizi
Horticulturae 2022, 8(2), 107; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae8020107 - 25 Jan 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2285
Abstract
The quantification of water flow through the stem is vital for date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) to promote a good water stress management. The thermal dissipation probe (TDP) method developed by Granier is widely used to evaluate transpiration of forest trees; however, [...] Read more.
The quantification of water flow through the stem is vital for date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.) to promote a good water stress management. The thermal dissipation probe (TDP) method developed by Granier is widely used to evaluate transpiration of forest trees; however, there are contradictory reports regarding its reliability. Considerable errors in estimated sap flux density, which might be due to a lack ofspecies-specific calibrations. The TDP method uses a mathematical model that is based on an empirical equation to estimate sap flux density, which is claimed to be applicable to all tree species, independently of wood structure and anatomy. At the laboratory, we compared the rate of water uptake by cut stems with sap flux estimates derived from the TDP method to assess the validity of the method.Our calibration results were considerably different compared to the Granier’s original equation. Moreover, sap flux density was overestimated by 18.2 ± 0.5% when the original calibration parameters of Granierare employed. However, using new calibration parameters improved the accuracy of sap flow measurements. Our results indicated that it is not appropriate to use a general equation for different species. Therefore, previous estimations of date palm’s water requirement through thermal dissipation probes should be revised. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Studies in Fruit Trees under Water Stress)
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