Effects of shading and soil compaction on the growth, leaf area and biomass allocation of tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum)

Edison  D. Macusi,; Rancil  Quin  Salang,

Effects of shading and soil compaction on the growth, leaf area and biomass allocation of tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum)

Abstract:

Plants are often exposed to stressors such as shading and soil compaction, influencing their morphology and physiology. This study aimed to determine the effects of shading (e.g. using black, white and transparent cloths) and disturbance on the growth, leaf area, and biomass allocation of plants using tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum). The establishment of the study area and gathering of field data were conducted for one month at Davao Oriental State College of Science and Technology (DOSCST), Mati City, Davao Oriental. In the shading experiment, the leaf weight ratio (LWR) of the plants was revealed to be directly proportional to their exposure to sunlight. A similar trend was observed on the specific leaf area (SLA) and leaf area ratio (LAR) values, with the SLA and LAR values higher on the plots with the most shading and decreasing with increasing exposure to sunlight. In the disturbance experiment, the LWR and SLA were observed to be inversely proportional to the intensity of disturbance with higher values reported on the undisturbed plot. A general pattern was observed in terms of biomass allocation in the plant parts; the stems have the bulk of the weight, followed by the leaves while the roots have the least weight. In the shading experiment, the highest biomass was observed on the white fabric-covered plot and the least on the black fabric-covered plot. In the disturbance experiment, the undisturbed plot was observed to have higher biomass than the disturbed plot. These have implications in terms of crop cultivation.

References:

Agnew, M. I. and Carrow, R. N. (1985). Soilcompaction and moisture stress preconditioning in Kentucky Bluegrass I. Soil aeration, water use, and root responses. Agronomy Journal, 77, 872-878.
Almeida S. M. Z., Soares, A. M., Castro, E. M., Vieira, C. V. and Gajego, E. B. (2005). Alterações morfológicas e alocação de biomassa em plantas jovens de espécies florestais sob diferentes condições de sombreamento. Ciência Rural, 35, 62-68.
Beemster, G. T. S. and Masle, J. (1996). Effects of soil resistance to root penetration on leaf expansion in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.): composition, number and size of epidermal cells in mature blades. Journal of Experimental Botany,47, 1651–1662.
Björkman, O. and Holmgren, P. (2006). Photosynthetic adaptation to light intensity in plants native to shaded and exposed habitats. Physiologia Plantarum, 19, 854-859.
Callaway, R. M. (2007). Positive Interactions and interdependence in plant communities. Dordrecht, NL: Springer.
Cornelissen, J. H. C., Lavorel, S., Garnier, E.,Díaz, S., Buchmann, N., Gurvich, D. E., Reich, P. B., Steege, H., Morgan, H. D., Heijden, M. G. A., Pausas, J. G. and Poorter, H. (2003). A handbook of protocols for standardised and easy measurement of plant functional traits worldwide. Australian Journal of Botany, 51(4), 335-380.
DeJong-Hughes, J., Swan, J. B, Moncrief, J. F. and Voorhees, W. B. (2001). Soil compaction: causes, effects and control (revision). University of Minnesota Extension Service BU-3115-E.
Givnish, T. J. (1988). Adaptation to sun and shade: a whole-plant perspective. Australian Journal of Plant Physiology, 15, 63-92.
Grime, J. P. (2001). Plant strategies, vegetationprocesses, and ecosystem properties.Second edition. New York, USA: John Wiley & Sons. 417.
Kasperbauer, M. J. (1987). Far-red lightreflection from green leaves and effects on phytochrome-mediated assimilate partitioning under field conditions. Plant Physiology, 8, 350-354.
Koolen, A. J. and Kuipers, H. (1983). Agricultural soil mechanics. Berlin, DE: Springer.
Kozlowski, T. T. (1999). Soil compaction and growth of woody plants. Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research, 14, 596-619.
Maughan, T., Drost, D., Black, B. and Day, S.(2017). Using shade for fruit andvegetable production. All Current Publications, 1654.
Passioura, J. B. (2002). Soil conditions andplant growth. Plant, Cell and Environment, 25, 311– 318.
Rozendaal, D. M. A., Hurtado V. H. and Poorter, L. (2006). Plasticity in leaf traits of 38 tropical tree species in response to light; relationships with light demand and adult stature. Functional Ecology, 20, 207–216.
Scholefield, D. and Hall, D. M. (1985). Constricted growth of grass roots through rigid pores. Plant Soil, 85, 153-162.
Unger, P. W. and Kaspar, T. C. (1994). Soil compaction and root growth: a review. Agronomy Journal, 86, 759-766.
Valladares, F. and Niinemets, U. (2008). Shade tolerance, a key plant feature of complex nature and consequences. Annual Review of Ecology Evolution and Systematics,39(1), 237- 257.
Vojtech, E., Turnbull, L. A., and Hector, A. (2007). Differences in light interception in grass monocultures predict short-term competitive outcomes under productive conditions. Public Library of Science One, 499(2