Articles
Effects of vertical air velocity on growth, morphology, and acclimatization of tomato seedlings
Article number
1426_73
Pages
535 – 542
Language
English
Abstract
Plant physiology, morphology, and growth can be affected by air velocity through effects on transpiration and thigmomorphogenesis.
The objective of this study is to investigate vertical airflow as a tool to manipulate seedlings grown in indoor growing systems.
Tomato seedlings were grown in a growth chamber at a density of 658 plants m‑2. Four static air velocity treatments included: 1) 0.5 m s‑1 (control); 2) 1.0 m s‑1; 3) 2.0 m s‑1; and 4) 4.0 m s‑1. In addition, four dynamic treatments were delivered for a total of eight treatments: 5) hourly alternating between 0.5 and 4.0 m s‑1 from day 10 to 21; 6) 0.5 m s‑1 from day 10 to 17, followed by hourly alternating between 0.5 and 4.0 m s‑1 from day 18 to 21; 7) 0.5 m s‑1 from day 10 to 14, followed by 4.0 m s‑1 from day 15 to 21; and 8) 0.5 m s‑1 from day 10 to 17, followed by 4.0 m s‑1 from day 18 to 21. On day 20, morphology and growth were measured in a subsample of plants.
In addition, a subsample of plants was moved into a greenhouse to monitor the growth rate for an additional week.
On day 20, increasing air velocity from 0.5 to 4.0 m s‑1 decreased plant height, leaf area, and shoot fresh mass of tomato seedlings linearly.
Increasing air velocity from 0.5 to 4.0 m s‑1 also increased transpiration rate and stomatal conductance by 115 and 133%, respectively; however, no changes in net photosynthetic rate or shoot dry mass were observed.
For dynamic treatments, treatment 8 had a similar dry mass to the control, while for dynamic treatment, treatment 7 had a lower dry mass than the control.
After 7 days in the greenhouse, total height, fresh mass, and dry mass decreased with treatments grown under increasing air velocities up to day 20.
The objective of this study is to investigate vertical airflow as a tool to manipulate seedlings grown in indoor growing systems.
Tomato seedlings were grown in a growth chamber at a density of 658 plants m‑2. Four static air velocity treatments included: 1) 0.5 m s‑1 (control); 2) 1.0 m s‑1; 3) 2.0 m s‑1; and 4) 4.0 m s‑1. In addition, four dynamic treatments were delivered for a total of eight treatments: 5) hourly alternating between 0.5 and 4.0 m s‑1 from day 10 to 21; 6) 0.5 m s‑1 from day 10 to 17, followed by hourly alternating between 0.5 and 4.0 m s‑1 from day 18 to 21; 7) 0.5 m s‑1 from day 10 to 14, followed by 4.0 m s‑1 from day 15 to 21; and 8) 0.5 m s‑1 from day 10 to 17, followed by 4.0 m s‑1 from day 18 to 21. On day 20, morphology and growth were measured in a subsample of plants.
In addition, a subsample of plants was moved into a greenhouse to monitor the growth rate for an additional week.
On day 20, increasing air velocity from 0.5 to 4.0 m s‑1 decreased plant height, leaf area, and shoot fresh mass of tomato seedlings linearly.
Increasing air velocity from 0.5 to 4.0 m s‑1 also increased transpiration rate and stomatal conductance by 115 and 133%, respectively; however, no changes in net photosynthetic rate or shoot dry mass were observed.
For dynamic treatments, treatment 8 had a similar dry mass to the control, while for dynamic treatment, treatment 7 had a lower dry mass than the control.
After 7 days in the greenhouse, total height, fresh mass, and dry mass decreased with treatments grown under increasing air velocities up to day 20.
Publication
Authors
B.M. Huber, R. Hernández
Keywords
controlled environments, transplant production, tomato, air velocity, vertical farming, indoor propagation
Groups involved
- Division Precision Horticulture and Engineering
- Division Greenhouse and Indoor Production Horticulture
- Working Group Nettings in Horticulture (subgroup of Protected Cultivation in Mild Winter Climates)
- Working Group Light in Horticulture
- Working Group Organic Greenhouse Horticulture
- Working Group Vegetable Grafting
- Working Group Modelling Plant Growth, Environmental Control, Greenhouse Environment
- Working Group Protected Cultivation, Nettings and Screens for Mild Climates
- Working Group Computational Fluid Dynamics in Agriculture
- Working Group Design and Automation in Integrated Indoor Production Systems
- Working Group Mechanization, Digitization, Sensing and Robotics
- Working Group Greenhouse Environment and Climate Control
- Division Landscape and Urban Horticulture
- Commission Agroecology and Organic Farming Systems
- Division Vegetables, Roots and Tubers
- Working Group Vertical Farming
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