Luca Corelli Grappadelli

Carbohydrate availability affects growth and metabolism in peach fruit

Along with sucrose, sorbitol represents the main photosynthetic product and form of translocated carbon in peach. This study aimed at determining whether peach fruit carbohydrate metabolism is affected by changes in source-sink balance, and specifically whether sorbitol or sucrose availability regulates fruit enzyme activities and growth. In various trials, different levels of assimilate availability to growing fruits were induced in vivo by varying crop load of entire trees, leaf : fruit ratio (L:F) of fruiting shoots, or by interrupting the phloem stream (girdling) to individual fruits. In vitro, fruit tissue was incubated in presence/absence of sorbitol and sucrose. Relative growth rate (RGR), enzyme activities and carbohydrates were measured at different fruit growth stages of various peach cultivars in different years. At stage III, high crop load induced higher acid invertase (AI, EC 3.2.1.26) activities and hexose : sucrose ratios. Both sorbitol and sucrose contents were proportional to L:F, while sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH, EC 1.1.1.14) activity was the only enzyme activity directly related to L:F in both fruit growth stages. Girdling reduced fruit RGR and all major carbohydrates after 4 days and SDH activity already after 48 h, but it did not affect sucrose synthase (SS, EC 2.4.1.13), AI and neutral invertase (NI, EC 3.2.1.27). Fruit incubation in sorbitol for 24 h induced higher SDH activities than in buffer alone. In general, assimilate availability affected both sorbitol and sucrose metabolism in peach fruit, and sorbitol may function as a signal for modulating SDH activity. Under highly competitive conditions, AI activity may be enhanced by assimilate depletion, providing a mechanism to increase fruit sink strength by increasing hexose concentrations.

Changes in vascular and transpiration flows affect the seasonal and daily growth of kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa) berry.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS The kiwifruit berry is characterized by an early stage of rapid growth, followed by a relatively long stage of slow increase in size. Vascular and transpiration flows are the main processes through which water and carbon enter/exit the fruit, determining the daily and seasonal changes in fruit size. This work investigates the biophysical mechanisms underpinning the change in fruit growth rate during the season. METHODS The daily patterns of phloem, xylem and transpiration in/outflows have been determined at several stages of kiwifruit development, during two seasons. The different flows were quantified by comparing the diurnal patterns of diameter change of fruit, which were then girdled and subsequently detached while measurements continued. The diurnal courses of leaf and stem water potential and of fruit pressure potential were also monitored at different times during the season. KEY RESULTS Xylem and transpiration flows were high during the first period of rapid volume growth and sharply decreased with fruit development. Specific phloem import was lower and gradually decreased during the season, whereas it remained constant at whole-fruit level, in accordance with fruit dry matter gain. On a daily basis, transpiration always responded to vapour pressure deficit and contributed to the daily reduction of fruit hydrostatic pressure. Xylem flow was positively related to stem-to-fruit pressure potential gradient during the first but not the last part of the season, when xylem conductivity appeared to be reduced. CONCLUSIONS The fruit growth model adopted by this species changes during the season due to anatomical modifications in the fruit features.

Modulating the light environment with the peach ‘asymmetric orchard’: effects on gas exchange performances, photoprotection, and photoinhibition

The productivity of fruit trees is a linear function of the light intercepted, although the relationship is less tight when greater than 50% of available light is intercepted. This paper investigates the management of light energy in peach using the measurement of whole-tree light interception and gas exchange, along with the absorbed energy partitioning at the leaf level by concurrent measurements of gas exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence. These measurements were performed on trees of a custom-built ‘asymmetric’ orchard. Whole-tree gas exchange for north–south, vertical canopies (C) was similar to that for canopies intercepting the highest irradiance in the morning hours (W), but trees receiving the highest irradiance in the afternoon (E) had the highest net photosynthesis and transpiration while maintaining a water use efficiency (WUE) comparable to the other treatments. In the W trees, 29% and 8% more photosystems were damaged than in C and E trees, respectively. The quenching partitioning revealed that the non-photochemical quenching (NPQ) played the most important role in excess energy dissipation, but it was not fully active at low irradiance, possibly due to a sub-optimal trans-thylakoid ΔpH. The non-net carboxylative mechanisms (NC) appeared to be the main photoprotective mechanisms at low irradiance levels and, probably, they could facilitate the establishment of a trans-thylakoid ΔpH more appropriate for NPQ. These findings support the conclusion that irradiance impinging on leaves may be excessive and can cause photodamage, whose repair requires energy in the form of carbohydrates that are thereby diverted from tree growth and productivity.

Thinning apples via shading: an appraisal under field conditions

Summary Fruit development and the fate of fruits was followed on ‘Imperial Gala’ apple (Malus × domestica Borkh.) trees thinned chemically or using shading. The percentage fruit drop, fruit growth rates using callipers and electronic gauges, and whole tree gas exchange rates were measured before, during, and after covering with a shading cloth that blocked 90% of solar radiation, applied for 1 week starting 30 d after full bloom (DAFB). While fruits were thinned to similar crop loads and all reached a similar size at harvest, their growth patterns reflected the treatments applied, with fruit growth slowing down and fruit dropping sooner in chemically-thinned trees which were treated earlier, than in the shading treatment, which took place later. Daily fruit growth patterns changed and were greatly reduced under shading, as were the net carbon exchange rates (NCER), both in total per tree and per unit of light intercepted by the trees. Regression analysis of the NCER per unit of light intercepted revealed no difference between the two treatments before and after shading, but a significantly lower relationship during shading. This work supports the hypothesis that C-starvation may induce fruit abscission at approx. 30 DAFB. Fruit growth patterns, and their changes during shading, were consistent with this hypothesis. This method of thinning, may be of interest to reduce the use of chemicals, and in organic fruit growing. However, before it can be adopted, a method to estimate the length of the period of shading is required.

Increasing water stress negatively affects pear fruit growth by reducing first its xylem and then its phloem inflow

Drought stress negatively affects many physiological parameters and determines lower yields and fruit size. This paper investigates on the effects of prolonged water restriction on leaf gas exchanges, water relations and fruit growth on a 24-h time-scale in order to understand how different physiological processes interact to each other to face increasing drought stress and affect pear productive performances during the season. The diurnal patterns of tree water relations, leaf gas exchanges, fruit growth, fruit vascular and transpiration flows were monitored at about 50, 95 and 145 days after full bloom (DAFB) on pear trees of the cv. Abbé Fétel, subjected to two irrigation regimes, corresponding to a water restitution of 100% and 25% of the estimated Etc, respectively. Drought stress progressively increased during the season due to lower soil tensions and higher daily vapour pressure deficits (VPDs). Stem water potential was the first parameter to be negatively affected by stress and determined the simultaneous reduction of fruit xylem flow, which at 95 DAFB was reflected by a decrease in fruit daily growth. Leaf photosynthesis was reduced only from 95 DAFB on, but was not immediately reflected by a decrease in fruit phloem flow, which instead was reduced only at 145 DAFB. This work shows how water stress negatively affects pear fruit growth by reducing first its xylem and then its phloem inflow. This determines a progressive increase in the phloem relative contribution to growth, which lead to the typical higher dry matter percentages of stressed fruit.

Exploring the Potential use of Photo-Selective Nets for Fruit Growth Regulation in Apple

The effect of shading (i.e. reduction of sunlight availability) on fruit growth physiology has been widely studied in apple (Malus domestica Borkh.), but little knowledge exist about fruit growth responses to changes in the light spectrum. The aim of the present research was to study the effect of use of colored nets with differential sunlight transmission in the blue (B, 400-500 nm), red (R, 600-700 nm) and far-red (FR, 700-800 nm) spectra on apple fruit growth and physiological associated responses. Three year old ‘Fuji’ apple trees were covered with 40% photo-selective blue and red shade nets, 40% neutral grey shade net, and 20% neutral white net as control. Red and blue net reduced in the same proportion (27%) the photosynthetically active radiation with respect to control. However, blue net increased by 30% and reduced by 10% the B:R and R:FR the light relations, respectively. Maximal fruit growth rate under blue and grey nets was 15-20% greater than control. Fruit weight under blue net was 17% greater than control, but no significant differences in fruit weight were found among red net and control. Leaf photosynthesis and total leaf area under blue net were 28% and 30% higher than control, respectively; with ensuing positive effect on tree net C assimilation rate and total dry matter production. Results suggest that shifting the B, R, and FR light composition with photo-selective nets could be a useful tool to manipulate the photosynthetic and morphogenetic process regulating the carbohydrate availability for apple fruit growth.

A multivariate approach for assessing leaf photo-assimilation performance using the IPL index.

The detection of leaf functionality is of pivotal importance for plant scientists from both theoretical and practical point of view. Leaves are the sources of dry matter and food, and they sequester CO2 as well. Under the perspective of climate change and primary resource scarcity (i.e. water, fertilizers and soil), assessing leaf photo-assimilation in a rapid but comprehensive way can be helpful for understanding plant behavior under different environmental conditions and for managing the agricultural practices properly. Several approaches have been proposed for this goal, however, some of them resulted very efficient but little reliable. On the other hand, the high reliability and exhaustive information of some models used for estimating net photosynthesis are at the expense of time and ease of measurement. The present study employs a multivariate statistical approach to assess a model aiming at estimating leaf photo-assimilation performance, using few and easy-to-measure variables. The model, parameterized for apple and pear and subjected to internal and external cross validation, involves chlorophyll fluorescence, carboxylative activity of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCo), air and leaf temperature. Results prove that this is a fair-predictive model allowing reliable variable assessment. The dependent variable, called IPL index, was found strongly and linearly correlated to net photosynthesis. IPL and the model behind it seem to be (1) reliable, (2) easy and fast to measure and (3) usable in vivo and in the field for such cases where high amount of data is required (e.g. precision agriculture and phenotyping studies).

Application of a Sensory-Instrumental Tool to Study Apple Texture Characteristics Shaped by Altitude and Time of Harvest

BACKGROUND Texture is important in the preferences of apple consumers. Of the pre-harvest factors affecting fruit quality and especially texture, altitude and subsequent climatic conditions are crucial, determining differences in the physiological mechanisms of fruit growth, ripening stage and chemical composition, as demonstrated by several studies. This work applies a detailed sensory-instrumental protocol developed in a previous paper to investigate the impact of altitude, time of harvest and their cross-effect on sensory characteristics of apple, with a focus on texture. RESULTS Sensory differences were found in relation to altitude, although the profile results were mainly affected by the time of harvest. Fruit from lower altitude was described as juicier, crunchier and sweeter than samples from higher altitude, which were floury, sourer and more astringent. Texture performance, soluble solids content and titratable acidity corroborated this sensory description. Moreover, anatomical data showed that fruit from lower altitude had a larger volume, a higher number of cells and a higher percentage of intercellular spaces. CONCLUSION We demonstrated that differences between fruit from various altitudes can be perceived through human senses, and that the proposed sensory-instrumental tool can be used to describe such differences. This study brings more understanding about the impact of altitude and time of harvest on apple sensory properties. This work could support apple producers, from semi-mountainous regions (Alps, Tyrol, etc.), in advertising and valorising their products with their specific characteristics in a more efficient manner.

Photosynthetic Performance and Vegetative Growth in a New Red Leaf Pear: Comparison of Scion Genotypes Using a Complex, Grafted-Plant System

Leaf photosynthetic performance of a new red-skinned inter-specific hybrid pear variety called ‘PremP009’ (PIQA®BOO®) is presently unknown and therefore was compared to the Asian pear variety ‘Hosui’. The seasonal growth patterns and the final dry matter accumulation of all tree components were also investigated for both genotypes in their first year of growth after grafting. Leaf gas exchange and tree growth comparisons were assessed using an innovative grafted plant system, which involved a bi-axis tree with the presence of combinations of identical or mixed (one of each genotype) ‘PremP009’ and ‘Hosui’ scion genotypes grafted onto a single clonal rootstock (‘Buerre Hardy’ BA29). This experimental grafted plant system allowed a technique for comparing leaf photosynthesis of two scion genotypes on the same root system, thereby avoiding between-plant differences in plant water relations. ‘PremP009’ had higher leaf photosynthesis and higher leaf mass compared with ‘Hosui.’ However, by the end of the first year of growth, primary shoots of ‘PremP009’ were shorter with fewer nodes, corresponding to less dry weight gain in primary shoot leaves and stems. This vegetative behavior of ‘PremP009’ is likely a response to the smaller individual leaf area in the early season affecting light capture that greatly limits dry matter accumulation of young trees. HIGHLIGHTS - The bi-axis grafting technique never showed before in a scientific paper presents a strategic system for a comparative study of red/green leaf photosynthetic performance and related dry matter partitioning.