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Soil Class, Mechanical Impedance and Irrigation: Impact on Physiological Performance in Green Dwarf Coconut

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Abstract

The objective of this study was to assess the physiological aspects of young green dwarf coconut cultivated in greenhouse as a function of soil class and different compaction levels and moisture conditions. The experiment was carried out in a greenhouse, using a randomized complete block design with nine replications and with 32 treatments in a 2 × 4 × 4 factorial scheme, with two soil classes—Typic Kandiudult and Umbric Dystrochrept, four compaction levels and four soil moisture conditions. Leaf predawn water potential (Ψw), net photosynthetic (A), stomatal conductance (gs), transpiration rates (E) and growth traits were higher in coconut grown in Umbric Dystrochrept soil. Moreover, these plants showed the highest values of maximum quantum yield of photosystem II (Fv/Fm) and leaf ‘greenness' (SPAD reading) was higher, but only in the lowest soil moisture condition, when compared with Typic Kandiudult. Higher soil moisture led to a higher Ψw for both soil classes. Close relationship between SPAD reading and the increase in soil moisture as well as between Fv/Fm and the increase in soil moisture for coconuts grown in Typic Kandiudult soil was observed. Furthermore, good correlations were observed between Ψw and the increase in soil moisture in coconuts grown in both soil classes as well as between Fv/Fm and the increase in soil density in coconuts grown in Typic Kandiudult soil. Effects of soil compaction were not observed on other physiological variables. Overall, green dwarf coconut trees grown in Umbric Dystrochrept soil allowed the higher water storage, which may contribute to increases in circumference, plant height, leaf area and dry weight (leaves, stem and root) linked to high photosynthetic rates.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the Horto Municipal de Quissamã, RJ, Brazil, for the coconut tree, CAPES for the research grant and FAPERJ for funding the project (Proc. No. E-26/171.618/2001) and grant to W.P. Rodrigues (E-26/202.323/2017). The authors thank CNPq for the fellowships awarded to E. Campostrini. We are also thankful to Dr. Maria Manuela Chaves Dep. Botânica e Engenharia Biológica. Instituto Superior de Agronomia (ISA), Lisbon, Portugal, for the helpful discussions and grammar correction.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Biologia, Centro de Ciências Agrárias, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Alto Universitário s/nº, Alegre, ES, CEP: 29500-000, Brazil

    Anderson Lopes Peçanha

  2. Laboratório de Solos, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense - UENF, Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Agropecuárias - CCTA, Campos dos Goytacazes, Brazil

    Cláudio Roberto Marciano, Romano Roberto Valicheski & Rejane Siqueira Bernardes

  3. Laboratório de Fisiologia Vegetal, LMGV/UENF/CCTA, Campos dos Goytacazes, Brazil

    Weverton Pereira Rodrigues & Eliemar Campostrini

  4. Laboratório de Biologia Celular e Tecidual, UENF/CCTA, Campos dos Goytacazes, Brazil

    Alena Torres-Netto

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  1. Anderson Lopes Peçanha
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  2. Cláudio Roberto Marciano
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  3. Weverton Pereira Rodrigues
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  4. Romano Roberto Valicheski
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  5. Rejane Siqueira Bernardes
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  6. Alena Torres-Netto
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  7. Eliemar Campostrini
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Contributions

ALP, CRM and EC were involved in study concept and management.ALP, CRM, EC, RRV, RSB and AT-N conducted the experiments. ALP, CRM, EC, RRV and WPR analyzed and interpreted the data. ALP, CRM, EC, RRV and WPR wrote the manuscript. ALP, CRM, EC, RRV and WPR reviewed the manuscript at the final version.

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Correspondence to Eliemar Campostrini.

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Peçanha, A.L., Marciano, C.R., Rodrigues, W.P. et al. Soil Class, Mechanical Impedance and Irrigation: Impact on Physiological Performance in Green Dwarf Coconut. Agric Res 8, 92–101 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40003-018-0356-0

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