Articles
Genotype, environment, and interactive effects on olive tree photosynthesis and fruit ripening
Article number
1384_39
Pages
299 – 306
Language
English
Abstract
Multi-environment trials are used to efficiently quantify the relative influence of genetic and environmental factors and their interaction on agronomic traits.
In this sense, the effect of genetic and environmental factors on olive tree physiology and fruit maturity is critical to determining the variation of the cultivars and their stability across environments.
The response to environmental conditions, such as temperature, can determine olive tree physiological events and fruit ripening.
We established a multi-environmental trial (plants grown in the field under ambient conditions and other plants grown in a nethouse with enhanced air temperature) to investigate the impact of air temperature on tree height, trunk diameter, photosynthetic rate, and fruit ripening in six Greek olive cultivars, Chalkidikis, Koroneiki, Maronias, Mastoidis, Megaritiki, and Valanolia. Most of the variability found for growth parameters, tree height, and trunk diameter was attributed to environmental influence.
Specifically, we observed a higher increase in tree height and trunk diameter in the field compared to nethouse conditions.
On the contrary, most of the variability was due to the genetic nature of photosynthetic parameters. Koroneiki showed the highest photosynthetic rate, while Megaritiki had the highest stomatal conductance, intercellular CO2 assimilation, and transpiration.
With respect to phenological stages, all the cultivars in both environmental conditions reached about 50% of the final fruit size in July.
In August, Koroneiki, Maronias and Mastoidis reached the 90% of the final fruit size in both treatments, while Megaritiki and Chalkidikis reached the same stage sooner in the nethouse conditions compared to the field.
In September, Chalkidikis and Maronias reached the harvest maturity stage in both conditions, while Koroneiki was found in the same stage earlier in the nethouse than in the field.
In conclusion, multi-environmental trials enhance the identification of genotypes adapted to environmental threats.
In this sense, the effect of genetic and environmental factors on olive tree physiology and fruit maturity is critical to determining the variation of the cultivars and their stability across environments.
The response to environmental conditions, such as temperature, can determine olive tree physiological events and fruit ripening.
We established a multi-environmental trial (plants grown in the field under ambient conditions and other plants grown in a nethouse with enhanced air temperature) to investigate the impact of air temperature on tree height, trunk diameter, photosynthetic rate, and fruit ripening in six Greek olive cultivars, Chalkidikis, Koroneiki, Maronias, Mastoidis, Megaritiki, and Valanolia. Most of the variability found for growth parameters, tree height, and trunk diameter was attributed to environmental influence.
Specifically, we observed a higher increase in tree height and trunk diameter in the field compared to nethouse conditions.
On the contrary, most of the variability was due to the genetic nature of photosynthetic parameters. Koroneiki showed the highest photosynthetic rate, while Megaritiki had the highest stomatal conductance, intercellular CO2 assimilation, and transpiration.
With respect to phenological stages, all the cultivars in both environmental conditions reached about 50% of the final fruit size in July.
In August, Koroneiki, Maronias and Mastoidis reached the 90% of the final fruit size in both treatments, while Megaritiki and Chalkidikis reached the same stage sooner in the nethouse conditions compared to the field.
In September, Chalkidikis and Maronias reached the harvest maturity stage in both conditions, while Koroneiki was found in the same stage earlier in the nethouse than in the field.
In conclusion, multi-environmental trials enhance the identification of genotypes adapted to environmental threats.
Authors
A.-M. Volakaki, I. Manolikaki, G. Koubouris
Keywords
climate change, plant phenotyping, breeding
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