Growing highbush blueberries (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) in a protected environment : how much does a microclimate matter?

Smrke, Tina (author), Vodnik, Dominik (author), Veberič, Robert (author), Šircelj, Helena (author), Lenarčič, David (author), Jakopič, Jerneja (author)

In a two-year experiment, the aim of our study was to evaluate the physiological and chemical response of highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L.) ‘Duke’ plants to changed microclimatic conditions that may occur during production in a protected environment—in this case, high tunnels and a hail net. Measurements were performed from 7.00 a.m. to 7.00 p.m. on days with different weather conditions in 2020 and 2021. In the second year of the experiment, both photosynthetic pigments and phenolics were measured in the leaves. The air temperature, relative humidity, photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD), substrate temperature, and water content were dramatically altered by the protected environment. Along with an increased air temperature and VPDl (leaf vapor pressure deficit), significant reductions in net photosynthesis (Pn), stomatal conductance (gs), and Fv’/Fm’ (actual PS II efficiency) were detected under both protected environments, with higher values under the high tunnel. Elevated zeaxanthin and AZ/VAZ concentrations were detected in the leaves from 7.00 a.m. to 12.00 p.m., after which these concentrations reduced and continued to do so until the evening. Significance was also observed between high-tunnel and hail-net conditions. Individual and total phenolic concentrations in the leaves did not significantly change during the daytime, but significantly higher values were detected under the hail net. Our results indicate that, regarding photosynthetic pigments and phenolics, modified microclimatic conditions, i.e. elevated air temperature and reduced light quantity under different types of protected environments strongly affect the physiological status of highbush blueberry ‘Duke’ plants and the chemical composition of leaves.

• Language: English
• Keywords: Vaccinium corymbosum L., Duke, high tunnel, hail net, photosynthesis, fluorescence, phenolics, photosynthetic pigments
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2023
• Number of pages: Str. 260-272
• Numbering: Vol. 160
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-147894
• UDC: 578
• ISSN on article: 0254-6299
• DOI: 10.1016/j.sajb.2023.07.023
• COBISS.SI-ID: 158872835
• Publication date in RUL: 14.07.2023

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: South African journal of botany
• Shortened title: S. Afr. j. bot.
• Publisher: Elsevier, South African Association of Botanists
• ISSN: 0254-6299
• COBISS.SI-ID: 875285

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: ameriška borovnica, visoki tuneli, zaščiteni prostor, protitočne mreže, fotosinteza, fenoli, fenolne spojine, fotosintetični pigmenti