Articles
PHYSIOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF HAZELNUT TREES GROWN IN DIFFERENT TRAINING SYSTEMS
Article number
845_32
Pages
233 – 238
Language
English
Abstract
A three-year (2004-2006) study to evaluate some physiological aspects of hazelnut trees grown in different training systems was performed in two orchards of Tonda Gentile delle Langhe cultivar located in a hilly area of the Piedmont region (North-Western Italy). In the first orchard two training systems, free vase (monotrunk form) and bush with three stems, were compared, in the second tree-shape was used as training system.
Sunlight intensity through the canopy was measured using a portable solar bar.
Measurements were taken on four replicate plants for each training system, inserting the bar at two heights above the soil and orienting it towards the cardinal points in the central hours of the day in mid June and mid July.
Fertility and yield were determined on four branches, of the same plants, oriented towards the cardinal points in order to evaluate the influence of light penetration.
In addition, a sample of leaves was collected from both shoots situated in a sunny and a shaded part of the canopy which was South oriented.
Samples were submitted to the cryostabilization method and the following parameters were determined on slices obtained with glass blades: leaf lamina thickness, palisade tissue percentage on total lamina, layers of palisade tissue and stomata density.
Mean values of percentage of incident PAR was 24.5% for tree shape system, 17.0% for bush and 11.6% for free vase. The light infiltration showed an influence on yield.
In fact, clusters drop and blanks are higher in the shaded part of the canopy.
Shaded environment markedly influences leaf anatomy.
Sunny leaves showed a higher stomata density (224.9 no/mmq) and a more developed palisade tissue (48.9% of leaf thickness) that results also in a higher amount of chlorophyll, in comparison with shaded leaves (115.7 no/mmq of stomata density, 28.7% of palisade tissue).
Sunlight intensity through the canopy was measured using a portable solar bar.
Measurements were taken on four replicate plants for each training system, inserting the bar at two heights above the soil and orienting it towards the cardinal points in the central hours of the day in mid June and mid July.
Fertility and yield were determined on four branches, of the same plants, oriented towards the cardinal points in order to evaluate the influence of light penetration.
In addition, a sample of leaves was collected from both shoots situated in a sunny and a shaded part of the canopy which was South oriented.
Samples were submitted to the cryostabilization method and the following parameters were determined on slices obtained with glass blades: leaf lamina thickness, palisade tissue percentage on total lamina, layers of palisade tissue and stomata density.
Mean values of percentage of incident PAR was 24.5% for tree shape system, 17.0% for bush and 11.6% for free vase. The light infiltration showed an influence on yield.
In fact, clusters drop and blanks are higher in the shaded part of the canopy.
Shaded environment markedly influences leaf anatomy.
Sunny leaves showed a higher stomata density (224.9 no/mmq) and a more developed palisade tissue (48.9% of leaf thickness) that results also in a higher amount of chlorophyll, in comparison with shaded leaves (115.7 no/mmq of stomata density, 28.7% of palisade tissue).
Publication
Authors
N. Valentini, M. Caviglione, A. Ponso, C. Lovisolo, G. Me
Keywords
training systems, light penetration, fertility, yield, cryostabilization method
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