Light reflected from red mulch to ripening strawberries affects aroma, sugar and organic acid concentrations.

Strawberry (Fragaria ananassa) fruit size and flavor are important to both growers and consumers. Plastic mulches are frequently used in raised-bed culture to conserve water, control weeds with less herbicides, keep fruit clean and produce ripe berries earlier in the season. The most commonly used plastic mulch color is black. We hypothesized that changing mulch color to reflect more far-red (FR) and red light (R) and a higher FR/R photon ratio would keep those benefits and improve berry size and flavor by altering phytochrome-mediated regulation of pathways in ripening berries. Size and chemical composition of berries developed in sunlight over a specially formulated red plastic were compared with those that developed over standard black plastic mulch. Berries that ripened over red were about 20% larger, had higher sugar to organic acid ratios and emitted higher concentrations of favorable aroma compounds. We conclude that FR and the FR/R ratio in light reflected from the red mulch on the soil surface acted through the natural phytochrome system within the growing plants to modify gene expression enough to result in increased fruit size and improved concentrations of phytonutrient, flavor and aroma compounds.

Light reflected from colored mulches affects aroma and phenol content of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) leaves.

Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) is an herb the leaves of which are used to add a distinct aroma and flavor to food. It was hypothesized that the size and chemical composition of sun-grown basil leaves could be influenced by the color of light reflected from the soil surface and by the action of the reflected light through the natural growth regulatory system within the growing plants. Leaf morphology, aroma compounds, and soluble phenolics were compared in basil that had been grown over six colors of polyethylene row covers. Altering the ratios of blue, red, and far-red light reflected to growing plants influenced both leaf morphology and chemistry. Leaves developing over red surfaces had greater area, moisture percentage (succulence), and fresh weight than those developing over black surfaces. Basil grown over yellow and green surfaces produced significantly higher concentrations of aroma compounds than did basil grown over white and blue covers. Leaves grown over yellow and green mulches also contained significantly higher concentrations of phenolics than those grown over the other colors. Clearly, the wavelengths (color) of light reflected to growing basil plants affected leaf size, aroma, and concentrations of soluble phenolics, some of which are antioxidants.

Effect of Mulch Surface Color on Root-knot of Tomato Grown in Simulated Planting Beds.

The effect of different-colored polyethylene mulches on quantity and spectra of reflected light, plant morphology, and root-knot disease was studied in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) grown in simulated planting beds. Tomato plants were inoculated with Meloidogyne incognita at initial populations (Pi) of 0, 1,000, 10,000, or 50,000 eggs/plant, and grown in a greenhouse for 50 days over white, red, or black mulch. Soil temperature was kept constant among the mulch treatments by placing an insulation barrier between the colored mulch and the soil surface. Soil temperature varied less than 0.5 degrees C between soil chambers at solar noon. Tomatoes grown over white mulch received more reflected photosynthetic light and had greater shoot weights (27%), root weights (32%), and leaf area (20%) than plants grown over black mulch. Plants grown over red mulch received a higher far-red-to-red ratio in the reflected light. Mulch color altered the plant's response to root-knot nematode infection by changing the distribution of mass in axillary shoots. At high Pi, axillary leaf area and leaf weight were greater in tomato grown over white mulch than when grown over red mulch. The root-gall index was lower for plants grown over white mulch than similar plants grown over red mulch.

Colored Mulches Affect Yield of Fresh-market Tomato Infected with Meloidogyne incognita.

The effects of different-colored polyethylene mulches on the quantity and spectra of reflected light, earliness of fruit set, fruit yield and quality, and root-knot disease were studied in field-grown, staked tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum). White mulch reflected more photosynthetic light and a lower far-red-to-red ratio than red mulch, whereas black mulch reflected less than 5 percent of any color. Soil temperatures and fruit yields were recorded for tomato plants inoculated with Meloidogyne incognita race 3 at initial populations of 0, 1,000, 10,000, 50,000, or 100,000 eggs/plant and grown over black, white, or red plastic mulch in both spring and fall. Soil temperatures were lower under white mulch than under red or black mulch. Tomato yields declined as inoculum level increased. Plants grown over red mulch in the spring and inoculated with 50,000 eggs of M. incognita had greater early marketable yields than similarly inoculated plants grown over black or white mulch. Tomato plants inoculated with 100,000 eggs and grown over white mulch or red mulch in the spring had greater total yields per plot than similar plants grown over black mulch (7.39 kg and 7.71 kg vs. 3.65 kg, respectively).

Biomass Partitioning in Tomato Plants Infected with Meloidogyne incognita.

Tomato plants were inoculated with Meloidogyne incognita at initial populations (Pi) of 0, 1, 10, 50, 100, and 200 (x 1,000) eggs per plant and maintained in a growth chamber for 40 days. Total fresh biomass (roots + shoots) at harvest was unchanged by nematode inoculation with Pi of 1 x 10 eggs or less. Reductions in fresh shoot weight with increasing Pi coincided with increases in root weight. Total fresh biomass declined with Pi above 1 x 10 eggs, whereas total dry biomass declined at Pi above 1 x 10 eggs. The greatest reduction percentages in fresh shoot biomass induced by root-knot nematodes occurred in the stem tissue, followed by the petiole + rachis; the least weight loss occurred in the leaflets. Although biomass varied among shoot tissues, the relationship between biomass of various shoot tissues and Pi was described by quadratic equations. The linear and quadratic coefficients of the equations (stem, petiole + rachis, or leaflets on Pi) did not differ among tissues when calculations were based on standardized values. Meloidogyne incognita-infected plants had thinner leaves (leaf area/leaf weight) than did uninfected plants. Reductions in leaf weight and leaf area with nematode inoculation occurred at nodes 5-15 and 4, 6-14, respectively. Losses in plant height and mass due to nematodes reflected shorter internodes with less plant mass at each node.

Reflected Far-Red Light Effects on Chlorophyll and Light-Harvesting Chlorophyll Protein (LHC-II) Contents under Field Conditions.

The influence of various colors of soil cover (mulch) on the farred/red (FR/R) ratio in upwardly reflected light and on concentrations of chlorophyll (Chl) and light-harvesting Chl protein (LHC-II) were measured under field conditions. The FR/R ratios above green surfaces were higher than over white surfaces. Even though plants (Gossyplum hirsutum L. cv PD-1) were grown in full sunlight, those that received higher FR/R ratios in upwardly reflected light were taller and had thinner leaves with higher concentrations of Chl and LHC-II. A controlled environment experiment showed FR/R control of Chl and LHC-II concentrations. The results illustrate the importance of spectral distribution of reflected light on plant growth and a potential means of altering the chemistry of leaf crops under field conditions.

Far-Red Light Reflection from Green Leaves and Effects on Phytochrome-Mediated Assimilate Partitioning under Field Conditions.

The influence of plant spacing and row orientation on spectral distribution of light received by growing soybean (Gylcine max [L.] Merr.) plants was measured under field conditions. Light absorption, reflection and transmission of individual leaves showed that most of the blue and red was absorbed while most of the far-red was either reflected or transmitted. Plants growing in the field received different ratios of far-red relative to red, depending on nearness and/or orientation of other vegetation. Plants grown in close-spaced rows, or high population densities, received higher far-red/red ratios than did those grown in wide rows, or sparse populations. Heliotropic movements of the leaves also contributed to the far-red reflection patterns associated with row orientation. Under field conditions, differences in far-red/red ratios associated with nearness of competing vegetation became more pronounced with low solar angle near the end of the day. Plants exposed to far-red for 5 minutes at the end of each day in controlled environments, and those grown in close-spaced rows in the field, developed longer internodes and fewer branches. Red, far-red photoreversibility in the controlled environment study indicated involvement of phytochrome. Dry matter partitioning among plant components in the field was related to far-red/red light ratio received during growth and development.

Chloroplast Structure and Starch Grain Accumulation in Leaves That Received Different Red and Far-Red Levels during Development.

An important step in understanding influence of growth environment on carbon metabolism in plants is to gain a better understanding of effects of light quality on the photosynthetic system. Electron microscopy was used to study chloroplast ultrastructure in developing and fully expanded leaves of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv Burley 21). Brief exposures to red or far-red light at the end of each day during growth under controlled environments influenced granum size, granum number and starch grain accumulation in chloroplasts, and the concentration of sugars in leaf lamina. Far-red-treated leaves had chloroplasts with more but smaller grana than did red-treated leaves. Red light at the end of the photosynthetic period resulted in more and larger starch grains in the chloroplasts and a lower concentration of sugars in leaves. Chloroplast ultrastructure and starch grain accumulation patterns that were initiated in the expanding leaves were also evident in the fully expanded leaves that received the treatment during development. It appears that the phytochrome system in the developing leaves sensed the light environment and initiated events which influenced chloroplast development and partitioning of photosynthate to adapt the plant for better survival under those environmental conditions.

Post-harvest treatment and the accumulation of nitrite and N'-nitrosonornicotine in burley tobacco.

Concentrations (dry-weight basis) of nitrate, nitrite and N'-nitrosonornicotine (NNN) in Burley tobacco were determined during successive processing stages of experimental homogenized-leaf-cured (HLC) material, after conventional air curing and during prolonged storage ('ageing') of HLC and air-cured tobaccos. During homogenized leaf curing, less than 6 micrograms/g nitrite-N and less than 10 micrograms/g NNN were found in tobacco frozen immediately after aerobic incubation of homogenates at 40 degrees C for 0, 4, 8, 20 and 25 h. Up to 550 micrograms/g nitrite-N and 850 micrograms/g NNN occurred in tobacco incubated similarly for 20 h, then allowed to stand 1 h without aeration. Samples of two genetic Burley lines of high and low alkaloid content were similarly incubated, allowed to stand 1 h, dried and 'aged' for up to one year in partially anaerobic environments. NNN contents were positively correlated with 'at-harvest' alkaloid content, and NNN increased at each subsequent stage of processing, reaching a maximum of 1 800 micrograms/g in the high-alkaloid line after one year of 'ageing'. Small increases of NNN that reached a final concentration of 50 micrograms/g occurred in tobaccos that were air-cured, then 'aged'.

Localization of Stem Elongation Control in Cucumis sativus L.

Reciprocal grafts, and applications of gibberellin (GA) and indoleacetic acid (IAA) were used to localize the site of control for stem elongation in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.). Dwarf and tall plants were reciprocally grafted to determine influence of stems and roots on stem elongation. At 21 days there were no significant differences in length between stems grafted to their own roots and those grafted to roots of the other type. GA(3), GA(4+7), and IAA were applied to seedlings with and without live apical buds. Seedlings with live apical buds responded to level of added GA, but not to added IAA. GA(4+7) was more effective than GA(3). Hypocotyls of tall plants responded more to both GA treatments than did those of the dwarves when both types had live apical buds. When either GA(4+7) or IAA was applied to seedlings with dead apical buds, elongation of the hypocotyl responded to level of the growth regulator, but there was no difference in response between the dwarf and tall plants.

Morphology and Photosynthetic Efficiency of Tobacco Leaves That Received End-of-Day Red and Far Red Light during Development.

Shaded leaves in plant canopies receive a higher proportion of far red relative to red light than is received by unshaded leaves. Brief end-of-day irradiations with red or far red light, acting through the phytochrome system, reversibly control morphological development of tobacco plants. Leaves that received far red light for 5 minutes at the end of each day during development were longer and narrower than those that received end-of-day red light. The far red treated leaves weighed less, had fewer stomata, and had less chlorophyll per unit area of leaf. Net CO(2) assimilation rates did not differ significantly between red- and far red-treated leaves on an area basis; however, the far red-treated leaves assimilated significantly more CO(2) on a leaf weight basis.

Chemical composition of tobacco leaves altered by near-ultraviolet and intensity of visible light.

Low energies of near-ultraviolet radiation (300-400 nanometers), applied simultaneously with visible radiation to Nicotiana tabacum L. during daily illumination periods, increased levels of chlorogenic acid isomers, total soluble phenolics, alkaloids, and soluble sugars in expanding leaf lamina compared with controls that had near-ultraviolet filtered out. However, total nitrogen concentrations decreased. The responses to near-ultraviolet were interrelated with intensity of visible light. The presence of near-ultraviolet (which accounted for less than 4% of the total light energy) along with visible light resulted in component concentration differences similar to those caused by much greater increases of visible light without near-ultraviolet.

Spectral Distribution of Light in a Tobacco Canopy and Effects of End-of-Day Light Quality on Growth and Development.

Shifts in spectral distribution of light were determined within and below a canopy of field-grown burley tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L. cv. Burley 21). The leaves transmitted much far red light relative to red and blue light. Thus, shaded leaves received more far red light, relative to red and blue, than was received by unshaded leaves. Under field conditions, tobacco plants within rows grew taller than did those at the west end of rows.Developmental effects of end-of-day red and far red light were studied in the controlled environment laboratory. Plants that received far red light last, each day, resembled plants shaded by other plants. The far red-irradiated plants developed longer internodes, were lighter green in color, and had thinner leaves than the red-irradiated ones. Plants of both treatments had the same number of leaves on the main axis. However, the red-irradiated plants developed branches from axils of lower leaves, while no branching occurred on plants that received far red radiation last each day.

Effect of photoperiod and end-of-day light quality on alkaloids and phenolic compounds of tobacco.

Tobacco plants (Nicotiana tabacum L.) were grown on long or short photoperiods followed by 5 minutes of red or far red radiation each day. Plants that received 16-hour photoperiods had a significantly higher concentration of total alkaloids and total phenolics than those that received 8-hour photoperiods. Significantly higher total alkaloid content was found in plants that received red rather than far red radiation last each day. Within each photoperiod, plants that received far red had higher concentrations of soluble phenols, particularly of chlorogenic acid. The interactions among these variables upon alkaloid and phenolic contents are discussed.