Comparative effects of gibberellin A₃, glycine betaine, and Si, Ca, and K fertilizers on physiological disorders and yield of pomegranate cv. Wonderful

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Damage from cracking, russeting, and sunscalds causes significant yield losses in pomegranate worldwide and may result from stressful environmental conditions. Although foliar sprays with minerals or growth regulators could be an important orchard management, little is known on the effectiveness of glycine betaine, silicon (Si)-based fertilizers or the response of cv. Wonderful to gibberellin A 3 (GA 3 ). RESULTS: During a 2-year study, foliar spraying with GA 3 at 75 or 150 mg L −1 applied in July substantially reduced cracking, russeting, and sunscald symptoms and increased fruit size, yield, and 100-aril weight, without affecting the % edible portion or % juice, suggesting that arils and skin increased similarly. Nevertheless, they reduced the skin red coloration, especially at the higher dose. GA 3 at 75 mg L −1 applied in September resulted in a low number of harvested fruit as a result of delayed maturation. Spraying with glycine betaine at seven repeated times at biweekly intervals starting in July, reduced sunscald symptoms, red coloration, and maturity index only in the year with high damage. Foliar sprays with calcium chloride or Si-based fertilizer containing potassium, applied as in the glycine betaine treatment, did not affect the occurrence of physiological disorders, whereas Si-based fertilizer containing potassium and calcium increased cracking and decreased sunscald only in the year with high damage.CONCLUSION: Spraying with GA 3 at 75 mg L −1 in July could have a significant impact on a grower's income by reducing damage from physiological disorders, improving yield with a minimum decrease in red skin coloration. The efficacy of nutrient-related fertilizers and glycine betaine were not constant, and this would be useful to evaluate at earlier application times and under stress conditions.

Effects of continuous monoculture on rhizosphere soil nutrients, growth, physiological characteristics, hormone metabolome of Casuarina equisetifolia and their interaction analysis

“…tZOG is one of the plant cytokinins, which is beneficial to improve the proliferation capacity of plant cells, as well as to improve the photosynthetic capacity of plants [ 47 ]. GA 3 can enhance plant resistance to external environmental stress, reduce ABA content in plants, promote plant growth, and increase plant yield [ 48 , 49 ]. The level of abscisic acid is a response of plants to adversity stress, and under long-term adversity stress, ABA accumulation in plants increase, plant resistance decrease, and plants gradually age [ 50 ].…”

Improving the fruit quality of Sichuan-pepper (Zanthoxylum bungeanum Maxim.) ‘Dahongpao’ by optimized GA 3 treatments

“…In shaping plant morphological characteristics and enhancing population photosynthesis, Gong et al (2021) revealed that EDAH (1.5 mL L -1 )+DA-6 (1 mL L -1 ) treatment in a certain concentration could improve the yield of summer maize (Zea mays L.) Ali et al (2022) sprayed the 24epibrassinolide (EBL) solution in a certain concentration on strawberry (Fragaria ×ananassa Duchesne ex Rozier) plants, finding that EBL treatment could not only improve the vegetative growth of such fruits but also improve the yield and quality. Spraying plant growth regulators on Punica granatum (Drogoudi and Pantelidis, 2022), Prunus (Time et al, 2021), Vitis (Li et al, 2022), Prunus armeniaca (Roussos et al, 2021) and other commercial crops has also been found to significantly improve fruit yield and quality. Hence, the application of plant growth regulators has emerged as a significant method for improving fruit quality.…”