Flowers contain the developing reproductive organs of plants and are sensitive to environmental stressors. Those reproductive organs within the plant can experience irreparable damage from temperatures too high or too low for that specific species and genotype. Certain environmental conditions are required for successful flower development. For many crops, reaching high-temperature thresholds will cause flower abortion and has been determined in plant species like pea, peonies, tomatoes, and avocados. Most perennial species typically reach anthesis once a year, in the spring. Flower initiation and early stages of flower development may occur in the previous summer (apples) or later towards the end of winter (citrus). Flowers appear to abort sensitive reproductive organs more frequently than other organs when flowers are exposed to conditions outside their adaptations.
Protecting Flowers and Young Fruit
Flowers and Their Environment
We will discuss several techniques proven to provide substantial protection to flowers and young fruits when used appropriately.
1. Mulching
Mulch is an economic, aesthetic, and environmental advantage to agriculture which provides
- a reduction in soil evaporation and weed growth,
- conservation of soil moisture,
- control of soil temperatures, and
- improvement of soil microbial activities.
Mulch spreading uses various covering materials laid on top of the soil, minimizing moisture loss while reducing the weed population to enhance crop yield. The positive effects associated with mulching include temperature regulation of the soil and the roots within the soil. Furthermore, mulching improves the physical conditions of the soil by minimizing nutrient losses and soil erosion.
Mulch is available in different varieties that are essential for the intended purpose. For example, coarse mulches provide higher temperature regulation due to the absorption of solar radiation under favorable conditions, while organic living mulches enhance soil quality by positively influencing the impact of nutrient levels.
A. Plant growth, development, and yield
Many analysis studies show the positive effects of mulch use on germination, survival of newly developed plants, and seedling transplant contributing to crop plants’ overall performance versus un-mulched treatments, demonstrating that mulching is advantageous for maximum yield with meager input resources. Using straw mulching combined with wide precision planting is suitable to compensate for winter wheat grain yield reduction and increase grain quality.
B. The economic significance of mulching
Mulch materials deliver eco-friendly agrarian products for sustainable food production that improve soil health and overall crop performance at a reasonably low cost compared to other artificial ground cover materials.
C. Drawbacks of mulching
Some mulching materials are thought to acidify the soil; however, there is no sound scientific evidence concerning soil acidification from mulching. Conversely, the bark of some trees and wood chips are believed to be the primary source of acidification. Nonetheless, most studies have concluded that mulches have no harmful effects on soil acidification.
Photo Credit: Tristen Joens, Apical Lab Administrator
2. Adequate Water
Water is deemed the most crucial resource for sustainable agricultural development globally. Powerful synergistic effects can emerge when water-efficiency techniques are conjoined with other agronomic practices such as supporting soil health and fertility, weed management, and avoiding diseases.
3. Fertilizer
The circumstance of antagonism or synergism among nutrients illustrates how fertilizer formulations of characteristic nutrient composition can exploit the overall nutrition of plants. According to Xu et al., 2020, fertilization plays a vital role in fostering initial development and enhancing the quality of rootstock. Seeds can be daubed with specific nutrients occurring in inadequate amounts in the seed before the next sowing (Fig. 1). Coating seeds with nutrients enables the emerging radicle to drive early contact with nutrients discharged from the coating formulation onto the seed surface. Research shows a strong prospectus that coating seeds with ‘germination-boosting’ nutrients provide the impelling force required to establish early plant vigor.
4. Pruning
Several pruning varieties exist, including thinning, topping, raising, and reduction. Each type is used for different purposes. Thinning removes a branch from its point of origin. Furthermore, thinning can improve light penetration and growth management. Topping is a revolutionary technique that removes most branches down to the trunk. Topping is typically employed when training immature trees to grow in specific ways. Raising involves cutting low-hanging branches to produce headroom for pedestrians, parked cars, or entryways. Reduction means trimming back a tree’s volume, generally for safety reasons, such as creating space for power lines. Improper pruning practices lead to the poor appearance of the trees, which leaves behind a large wound that will expose the tree to parasitic fungi and foreign invaders during healing, thereby diminishing the tree’s overall resilience and health.
5. Root bags
Controlling tree size can be done using root-restrictive bags to encourage earlier flowering and fruiting, which improves cropping efficiency.
FURTHER READING
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