Effects of superhydrophobic sand mulching on evapotranspiration and phenotypic responses in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plants under normal and reduced irrigation. Issue 2 (7th April 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Odokonyero, Kennedy; Gallo, Adair; Dos Santos, Vinicius; Mishra, Himanshu
• Is Part Of: Plant-environment interactions. Volume 3:Issue 2(2022)
• Page Start: 74
• Page End: 88
• Publication Date: 2022-04-07
• Subjects: chlorophyll content index -- evapotranspiration -- food–water security -- mulching -- Solanum lycopersicum -- stomatal conductance -- superhydrophobic sand -- transpiration efficiency; Plant ecology -- Periodicals; Plants -- Periodicals; 581.7
• DOI: 10.1002/pei3.10074
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2575-6265

Abstract

Abstract: Irrigated agriculture in arid and semi‐arid regions is a vital contributor to the global food supply. However, these regions endure massive evaporative losses that are compensated by exploiting limited freshwater resources. To increase water‐use efficiency in these giga‐scale operations, plastic mulches are utilized; however, their non‐biodegradability and eventual land‐filling renders them unsustainable. In response, we have developed superhydrophobic sand (SHS) mulching technology that is comprised of sand grains or sandy soils with a nanoscale coating of paraffin wax. Here, we investigate the effects of 1 cm‐thick SHS mulching on the evapotranspiration and phenotypic responses of tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum ) plants as a model system under normal and reduced irrigation inside controlled growth chambers. Experimental results reveal that under either irrigation scenario, SHS mulching suppresses evaporation and enhances transpiration by 78% and 17%, respectively relative to the unmulched soil. Comprehensive phenotyping revealed that SHS mulching enhanced root xylem vessel diameter, stomatal aperture, stomatal conductance, and chlorophyll content index by 21%, 25%, 28%, and 23%, respectively, in comparison with the unmulched soil. Consequently, total fruit yields, total dry mass, and harvest index increased in SHS‐mulched plants by 33%, 20%, and 16%, respectively compared with the unmulched soil. We also provide mechanistic insights into the effects of SHS mulching on plant physiological processes. These results underscore the potential of SHS for realizing food–water security and greening initiatives in arid regions. Abstract : We investigated the effects of superhydrophobic sand (SHS) mulch on evapotranspiration in tomato plants ( Solanum lycopersicum ) grown in percival growth chambers forover 98 days ‐ from saplings to fruition ‐ under normal and reduced irrigation regimes (i.e., 100% and 50% of field capacity, respectively). A broad set of experimental techniques were utilizedto pinpointwhy SHS dramatically improved plant health and fruit yield.