Journal of Environmental Biology

Towards enhanced low temperature stress tolerance

in tomato : An approach

Y.K. Meena¹*, D.S. Khurana¹, Nirmaljit Kaur² and Kulbir Singh¹

¹Department of Vegetable Science, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana -141 004, India

²Department of Botany, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana -141 004, India

*Corresponding Author E-mail: yogendra-coavs@pau.edu

Key words

Low temperature

Phenolic compounds

Physiological traits

Stress tolerance?

Tomato yield

Publication Data

Paper received : 13.02.2017

Revised received : 12.06.2017

Re-revised received : 24.12.2017

Accepted : 11.01.2018 ?????      

Abstract

Aim: The aim of the present study was to find suitable concentration of phenolic compounds to ameliorate the effect of low temperature stress in tomato under open field conditions during winter season. ??????   

Methodology: The average minimum temperatures were below 10oC from mid December to mid February during both the years. The experimental plants were given foliar application twice, first 15 days after transplanting followed by another spray after a fortnight of five different phenolic compounds viz., salicylic acid, sulfo salicylic acid, benzoic acid, methyl salicylic acid and acetyl salicylic acid with different concentrations of 0.1 mM, 0.5 mM and 1.0 mM in order to evaluate their effect on morphological, physiological, yield and quality traits.?? ????       

Results: The results obtained revealed that low temperature during winter season significantly reduced the growth and physiological traits (leaf are a index, specific leaf area, relative growth rate, net assimilation rate and relative water content), yield attributes (number of flower per cluster, number of fruits and fruit yield) and quality parameters (lycopene, β-carotene and α-tocopherol) and increased specific leaf weight and electrolyte leakage. However, application of phenolic compounds significantly enhanced the growth, yield, quality and decreased electrolyte leakage and specific leaf weight under stress. Among all treatments, SA (1.0 mM) was found most effective to enhance low temperature stress tolerance in tomato.?? ?????????          

Interpretation: Cold stress is one of the environmental cues that limits the crop production. Phenolic compounds play a significant role as signaling molecules in conferring cold stress tolerance in plants. It may thus be concluded that foliar application of salicylic acid (SA) (1.0 mM) enhanced low temperature stress tolerance in tomato.

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