Effect of waterlogging stress on the growth, development and symptomatology of cape gooseberry (Physalis peruviana L.) plants

Abstract

Waterlogging stress in cape gooseberry plants 393 Rev. Acad. Colomb. Cienc. Ex. Fis. Nat. 38(149) AbstractClimate change has altered normal rainfall cycles; causing the flooding of arable land and, thus, affecting agricultural production in Colombia. Two-month-old cape gooseberry plants, propagated by seeds, were subjected to different durations of continuous waterlogging in a greenhouse: 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 days, with evaluations up to 50 days. The plants were placed in ditches covered with polyethylene and filled with water up to 5 cm above the substrate surface of the pots. The parameters evaluated were: plant height, leaf area, stem diameter, dry weight of the aerial part, root and reproductive organs, and general symptoms following a wilting scale. The 6 and 8-day-waterlogged plants were the most affected by the flooding conditions, presenting the lowest values for all the measured variables. Due to the oxygen stress in the root zone, the plants showed yellowing, epinasty, necrosis and abscission of the leaves, more so in the 8-day-waterlogged plants.Key words: Hypoxia, leaf area, dry weight, symptoms. Efecto del estrés por anegamiento sobre el crecimiento, desarrollo y sintomatología de plantas de uchuva (Physalis peruviana L.) ResumenEl cambio climático ha alterado el ciclo normal de las lluvias, inundando así las tierras arables y afectando la producción agrícola en Colombia. Plantas de uchuva, de 2 meses de edad, y propagadas por semilla, fueron sometidas bajo invernadero a diferentes duraciones de anegamiento continuo: 0, 2, 4, 6 y 8 días y evaluaciones hasta 50 días. Las plantas se colocaron en zanjas cubiertas con polietileno que se llenaron con agua hasta 5 cm por encima de la superficie del sustrato contenido en las macetas. Los parámetros evaluados fueron: altura de planta, área foliar, diámetro del tallo, pesos secos de parte aérea, raíz y órganos reproductivos y escala de síntomas generales de marchitamiento. Las plantas anegadas durante 6 y 8 días presentaron los valores más bajos para todas las variables evaluadas. Debido al estrés por falta de oxígeno en la rizósfera las plantas mostraron amarillamiento, epinastia, necrosis y abscisión de hojas, sobre todo en las de 8 días anegadas.Palabras clave: hipoxia, área foliar, peso seco, síntomas.

Effect of Nitrogen Nutritional Statuses and Waterlogging Conditions on Growth Parameters, Nitrogen Use Efficiency and Chlorophyll Fluorescence in Tamarillo Seedlings

“…Likewise, when plants were subjected to three different periods of waterlogging, the stem diameter was also lower in comparison to plants without stressful conditions (Table 2). Aldana et al (2014) also reported similar observations when a significant reduction in plant height and stem diameter was seen after subjecting cape gooseberry (another Solanaceae species) seedlings to eight-day waterlogging periods. Also, Florez-Velazco et al (2015) also evaluated the effect of the interaction between waterlogging vs. nutritional N status and found that a series of short periods of oxygen deficiency in the soil caused a decrease in the shoot length of lulo plants (another Solanaceae species) cultivated with two levels of N (10 vs. 150 mg N L -1 H2O), highlighting that the most significant reduction was observed in plants that were always nitrogen-deficient.…”

“…Malik et al (2002) also reported that even short periods (as short as 3 d) of waterlogging have important long-term effects on the growth of young wheat plants. On the other hand, Ezin et al (2010) and Aldana et al (2014) also observed that leaf growth and plant height varied according to the flooding duration in tomato and cape gooseberry plants, respectively.…”

“…In general, studies about physiological responses of some Andean fruit trees species also belonging to Solanaceae family to waterlogging stress conditions have gained importance in recent years in Colombia due to their export potential as fresh fruit (Aldana et al, 2014;Florez-Velasco et al, 2015;Cardona et al, 2016). For that reason, it is important to enlarge the available knowledge on the interaction between nutritional status and waterlogging stress conditions (duration and/or frequency) for the economic and agricultural improvement of tamarillo plants in waterlogging affected areas.…”

“…Flooding has some severe consequences on plant growth and its survival strategies (Phukan et al, 2016). In this sense, the following physiological disorders have been reported under waterlogging: a lower plant growth (Aldana et al, 2014), leaf chlorophyll content (Rao and Li, 2003), and total plant dry weight (Florez-Velasco et al, 2015), as well as changes in the plant water status (Striker et al, 2005). Also, waterlogging can alter biomass allocation in plants (Wu et al, 2015) Plant nutritional status can significantly influence the plant acclimation to stressful environmental conditions.…”

Steady shallow water table did not decrease leaf expansion rate, specific leaf weight, and specific leaf water content in tomato plants

“…Hypoxic condition in shallow water table triggered alteration of plant morphology such as decreasing leaf area, reducing leaf expansion rate, and reducing leaf water content (Bradford and Hsiao, 1982;Ashraf, 2012;Aldana et al, 2014). Continuous observation of LA is useful for analyzing plant growth and development during stress condition.…”