Oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) yield is strongly decreased by water deficit, and crop-management solutions are urgently required considering the emerging difficulties in breeding for drought-tolerant varieties. Film-forming antitranspirants (polymers) are agrochemicals that, applied to the crop canopy, mechanically block the stomata and decrease canopy transpiration. In this study, the drought-protection efficacy of an adaxial-surface application at the flowering stage of two film-forming treatments (poly-1-p-menthene and di-1-p-menthene) was investigated in pot-grown, droughted oilseed rape over two glasshouse experiments. Over the drought period, the two compounds reduced leaf stomatal conductance (P<0.001), and as the soil moisture deficit increased, they sustained carbon assimilation and improved water-use efficiency with differing efficacy. Following the antitranspirant treatments, ABA concentration in leaves and reproductive organs was severely reduced and this was accompanied by significant improvements in leaf and flower-pod water potential. Drought significantly decreased the seed dry matter production of oilseed rape plants, by 39% on average. The treatments significantly increased seed dry matter by 13% (poly-1-p-menthene) and 17% (di-1-p-menthene), on average, compared with the unsprayed droughted plants, as a result of a significant increase in number of pods per plant, by 11% and 13%, respectively. The results suggest that film-forming compounds may be a useful crop-management tool to avoid severe drought-induced yield losses in oilseed rape by improving water-use efficiency and plant water status, thus alleviating ABA signalling under water deficit.

Canopy application of film antitranspirants over the reproductive phase enhances yield and yield-related physiological traits of water-stressed oilseed rape (Brassica napus) / Faralli, M.; Grove, I. G.; Hare, M. C.; Boyle, R. D.; Williams, K. S.; Corke, F. M. K.; Kettlewell, P. S.. - In: CROP & PASTURE SCIENCE. - ISSN 1836-0947. - 67:7(2016), pp. 751-765. [10.1071/CP15421]

Canopy application of film antitranspirants over the reproductive phase enhances yield and yield-related physiological traits of water-stressed oilseed rape (Brassica napus)

Faralli M.;
2016-01-01

Abstract

Oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) yield is strongly decreased by water deficit, and crop-management solutions are urgently required considering the emerging difficulties in breeding for drought-tolerant varieties. Film-forming antitranspirants (polymers) are agrochemicals that, applied to the crop canopy, mechanically block the stomata and decrease canopy transpiration. In this study, the drought-protection efficacy of an adaxial-surface application at the flowering stage of two film-forming treatments (poly-1-p-menthene and di-1-p-menthene) was investigated in pot-grown, droughted oilseed rape over two glasshouse experiments. Over the drought period, the two compounds reduced leaf stomatal conductance (P<0.001), and as the soil moisture deficit increased, they sustained carbon assimilation and improved water-use efficiency with differing efficacy. Following the antitranspirant treatments, ABA concentration in leaves and reproductive organs was severely reduced and this was accompanied by significant improvements in leaf and flower-pod water potential. Drought significantly decreased the seed dry matter production of oilseed rape plants, by 39% on average. The treatments significantly increased seed dry matter by 13% (poly-1-p-menthene) and 17% (di-1-p-menthene), on average, compared with the unsprayed droughted plants, as a result of a significant increase in number of pods per plant, by 11% and 13%, respectively. The results suggest that film-forming compounds may be a useful crop-management tool to avoid severe drought-induced yield losses in oilseed rape by improving water-use efficiency and plant water status, thus alleviating ABA signalling under water deficit.
2016
7
Faralli, M.; Grove, I. G.; Hare, M. C.; Boyle, R. D.; Williams, K. S.; Corke, F. M. K.; Kettlewell, P. S.
Canopy application of film antitranspirants over the reproductive phase enhances yield and yield-related physiological traits of water-stressed oilseed rape (Brassica napus) / Faralli, M.; Grove, I. G.; Hare, M. C.; Boyle, R. D.; Williams, K. S.; Corke, F. M. K.; Kettlewell, P. S.. - In: CROP & PASTURE SCIENCE. - ISSN 1836-0947. - 67:7(2016), pp. 751-765. [10.1071/CP15421]
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11572/335422
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