Articles
Stomatal traits in pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) grown Puglia, southeastern Italy: varietal and seasonal variability
Article number
1464_7
Pages
45 – 52
Language
English
Abstract
This study, conducted in the Puglia region over the 2019-2020 period investigated the stomatal variability in 27 pomegranate (Punica granatum L.) Puglia accessions.
All accessions were grown in the germplasm repository of the Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences (DiSSPA), University of Bari Aldo Moro, located at the ‘Martucci’ educational and experimental station in Valenzano (Bari, Italy). The aim was to characterize stomatal traits, specifically stomatal density (SD) and stomatal surface (area) (SS), as tools for further physiological and breeding studies.
Leaf samples were collected in summer from three plants per accession.
Stomatal impressions were obtained from both the abaxial and adaxial surface using nail polish imprints and observed under light microscopy.
No stomata were detected on the adaxial surface.
Results showed significant variability among accessions, with SD ranging from 384 stomata mm‑2 in ‘De Marco’ to 751 stomata mm‑2 in ‘Comune San Giorgio’ and ‘Sanrà Cantina’. SS ranged from 120 μm2 in ‘A Dente San Giorgio’ and ‘Capurso Acido Surico’ up to 263 μm2 in ‘Tardivo Acido’. Seasonal differences were also significant, with lower SD and SS recorded in 2019 compared to 2020. The large variability observed, such as the high SD in ‘Comune San Giorgio’ and the large SS in ‘Tardivo Acido’, highlights the potential for selecting genotypes best suited to different climatic conditions.
These findings provide valuable insights for breeding and selection aimed at enhancing pomegranate resilience under water-limited and high-temperature environments.
All accessions were grown in the germplasm repository of the Department of Soil, Plant and Food Sciences (DiSSPA), University of Bari Aldo Moro, located at the ‘Martucci’ educational and experimental station in Valenzano (Bari, Italy). The aim was to characterize stomatal traits, specifically stomatal density (SD) and stomatal surface (area) (SS), as tools for further physiological and breeding studies.
Leaf samples were collected in summer from three plants per accession.
Stomatal impressions were obtained from both the abaxial and adaxial surface using nail polish imprints and observed under light microscopy.
No stomata were detected on the adaxial surface.
Results showed significant variability among accessions, with SD ranging from 384 stomata mm‑2 in ‘De Marco’ to 751 stomata mm‑2 in ‘Comune San Giorgio’ and ‘Sanrà Cantina’. SS ranged from 120 μm2 in ‘A Dente San Giorgio’ and ‘Capurso Acido Surico’ up to 263 μm2 in ‘Tardivo Acido’. Seasonal differences were also significant, with lower SD and SS recorded in 2019 compared to 2020. The large variability observed, such as the high SD in ‘Comune San Giorgio’ and the large SS in ‘Tardivo Acido’, highlights the potential for selecting genotypes best suited to different climatic conditions.
These findings provide valuable insights for breeding and selection aimed at enhancing pomegranate resilience under water-limited and high-temperature environments.
Authors
A. Chiriacò, S. Pitardi, M. Pellegrino, A. Pesole, A. Mazzeo, G. Ferrara
Keywords
pomegranate, stomatal density (SD), stomatal area (SS), water use efficiency (WUE), climate adaptation, accession
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