Citrus is grown globally throughout the subtropics and semi-arid to humid tropics. Abiotic stresses such as soil water deficit negatively affect plant growth, physiology, biochemistry, and anatomy. Herein, we investigated the effect(s) of three water regimes (control, moderate drought, and severe drought) on the physiological and anatomical structure of 10 different citrus rootstocks with different degrees of tolerance to drought stress. Brazilian sour orange and Gadha dahi performed well by avoiding desiccation and maintaining plant growth, plant water status, and biochemical characters, while Rangpur Poona nucellar (C. limonia) and Sunki × bentake were the most sensitive rootstocks at all stress conditions. At severe water stress, the highest root length (24.33 ± 0.58), shoot length (17.00 ± 1.00), root moisture content (57.67 ± 1.53), shoot moisture content (64.59 ± 1.71), and plant water potential (−1.57 ± 0.03) was observed in tolerant genotype, Brazilian sour orange. Likewise, chlorophyll a (2.70 ± 0.06), chlorophyll b (0.87 ± 0.06) and carotenoids (0.69 ± 0.08) were higher in the same genotype. The lowest H2O2 content (77.00 ± 1.00) and highest proline content (0.51 ± 0.06) were also recorded by Brazilian sour orange. The tolerance mechanism of tolerant genotypes was elucidated by modification in anatomical structures. Stem anatomy at severe drought, 27.5% increase in epidermal cell thickness, 25.4% in vascular bundle length, 30.5% in xylem thickness, 27.7% in the phloem cell area, 8% in the pith cell area, and 43.4% in cortical thickness were also observed in tolerant genotypes. Likewise, leaf anatomy showed an increase of 27.9% in epidermal cell thickness, 11.4% in vascular bundle length, 21% in xylem thickness, and 15% in phloem cell area in tolerant genotypes compared with sensitive ones. These modifications in tolerant genotypes enabled them to maintain steady nutrient transport while reducing the risk of embolisms, increasing water-flow resistance, and constant transport of nutrients across.
BACKGROUND: Undeviating climatic instabilities have increased the incidents of drought. Crop performance and yield attributes of tomatoes are negatively affected by drought stress. Biochar is an organic amendment that can increase crop yield and nutritional value under water-deficient conditions by retaining water and providing nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and other trace elements).RESULTS: The present study was designed to investigate the effects of biochar on tomato plant physiology, yield, and nutritional quality under deficit moisture regimes. Plants were subjected to two biochar levels (0.1% and 0.2%) and four moisture levels [100%, 70%, 60%, and 50% field capacities (FCs)]. Drought stress, especially 50D (50% FC), severely affected the plant morphology, physiology, yield, and fruit quality attributes. However, plants grown in biochar-amended soil showed significant increase in the studied attributes. Plant height, root length, fresh and dry weight of root, the number of fruits per plant, fruit fresh and dry weight, ash percent, crude fat, crude fiber, crude protein, and lycopene contents were increased in plants grown in biochar-amended soil under control and drought stress.CONCLUSION: Biochar at 0.2% application rate depicted a more pronounced increment in the studied parameters than 0.1% and can save 30% water without compromising tomato crop yield and nutritional value.
Pomegranate is an ancient fruit and is under cultivation through prehistoric times. Ancient and modern medical sciences have acknowledged and utilized the medicinal capabilities of pomegranate. One of the major factors limiting yield in pomegranate production is fruit splitting/cracking, losses due to fruit cracking could be as high as 40-60 percent in a given production year. Appearance of splits/cracks on fruit skin greatly reduce the yield and quality of produce. Cracked skin exposes arils to severity of environment, inset/pests, birds, microorganisms and bacterial/fungal pathogens. Stage of cracking is also an important factor as premature cracking greatly reduces yield and cracking at harvest stage reduces fruit quality, post-harvest life. This review highlights causes of fruit cracking in pomegranate and attempt is made for suggesting the best possible control for fruit cracking. In pomegranate environmental, genetic, diseases, physiological, and nutritional factors influence cracking. Varieties show variant intensity of cracking in same environmental and cultural conditions, genes responsible for cracking are reported in many fruit crops. Improper cultural practices and severity in environmental conditions, increased air temperature, moisture imbalance, hot dry winds, heavy rainfall following a dry spell and difference in day and night temperature also influence cracking. It can be reduced by selecting best suitable plants, using good orchard management and advanced production technology. This review addresses both researchers and growers as it provides necessary information about recent studies and points out the areas that need to be explored. For growers it suggests the best possible control and awareness about selection of right cultivars.
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