Tomato meets the dietary nutrient and antioxidant requirements of diverse populations. Being a C3 crop and an important vegetable, it is likely to be influenced by increased CO2 concentrations under climate change situation. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of elevated CO2 on overall physiology, water relations, growth, yield, and fruit quality of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) cv. Arka Ashish. Plants were grown at elevated CO2 [550 (EC550) and 700 (EC700) ppm of CO2] in open top chambers. Increased assimilation rate, decreased stomatal conductance and transpiration rate were observed at elevated CO2 (EC) concentrations. Reduced leaf osmotic potential and increased water potential were observed at EC compared with the control (380 ppm of CO2) in flowering and fruiting stages. Lower total chlorophyll content was recorded at EC700. Plant height was significantly higher at EC550 compared with EC700. Higher number of branches was observed at EC700 as compared with plants grown at EC550 and the control. Leaf area was lower at EC700 compared with EC550 but specific leaf mass was higher at EC700. Due to higher leaf dry mass and root dry mass, the plants grown at EC700 exhibited higher total dry mass compared to EC550 and the control. Increased number of flowers and fruits together with higher fruit set led to higher fruit yield at both EC concentrations. The highest yield increase was observed at EC700. The fruits showed a lower content of phenols, flavonoids, ferric reducing antioxidant potential, total soluble solids, and titratable acidity in plants grown at EC as compared with the control. The ascorbic acid content was high at both EC700 and EC550. Carotenoids and lycopene content was low at EC700 compared to higher content observed at EC550 and the control., H. Mamatha, N. K. Srinivasa Rao, R. H. Laxman, K. S. Shivashankara, R. M. Bhatt, K. C. Pavithra., and Obsahuje bibliografii
Net photosynthetic rate growth and flower and firoit settíng pattems were studied in two cultivars of bell-pepper (Ccpsicum annuum L. cv. Arka Mohini, a detenninate type and Arka Basant, an indetenninate type) grown at two different night temperatures. and growdi were higher at high night temperature (27/22 <*C, day/night) dian at low night temperature (27/17 °C) in bodl cultivars. The flower and fitiit numbers were higher in die plants grown at 27/17 °C than at 27/22 oC.
The effect of defolíation on net photosynthetic rate (Pn), dry matter production and fruit growth was studied in bell-pepper (Capsicum annuum L. cv. Arka Gaurav). Considerable differences in were observed between defoliated and non-defoliated plants. Defolíation influenced the total dry matter production, leaf area and the relative growth rate of the plants. The bell-pepper has the capacity to compensate photosynthetically for a certain degree of defolíation without reducing the biological yield. No significant differences in the dry matter of fruits per plant were foímd between defoliated and non-defoliated plants.
The effects of plant water stress imposed at vegetative, flowering, and fruiting stages of four cultivars of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) on net photosynthetic rate (PN), stomatal conductance (gs), transpiration rate (E), osmotic adjustment, and crop water stress index (CWSI) were investigated. Osmotic adjustment was the highest in cv. Arka Meghali, followed by cv. RFS-1. CWSI was lowest in cv. Arka Meghali and highest in cv. Pusa Ruby. Significant reduction in gs, E, and PN was observed in all the cultivars. The maximum reduction in E was observed in cv. Arka Saurabh during the fruiting stage (62.4 %) and maximum reduction in PN at the flowering stage in Pusa Ruby (53.1 %). Maximum PN was observed in Arka Meghali under water stress. The values of internal CO2 concentration (Ci) did not follow the decrease in gs which might be taken as an indication of mesophyll (non-stomatal) limitation to PN. Magnitude of PN decrease accompanying gs reductions varied in the four cultivars. Arka Meghali which had highest rate of gas exchange efficiency (PN/gs) under water deficits can be recommended for rainfed cultivation. and N. K. Srinivasa Rao, R. M. Bhatt, A. T. Sadashiva.