Español Español

Abstract

Objective: To determine the effect of colored plastic mulches on the foliar micromorphology of husk tomato (Physalis ixocarpa Brot).

Design / methodology / approach: A completely randomized statistical model was used with five treatments (black, white, blue, red and green padding) with three repetitions each, 95% reliability and Tukey's mean test ?0.05. To quantify the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) a portable GreenSeeker® sensor was used, for the measurement of total soluble solids an Atago® brand Digital refractometer, the density and stomatal index, length and width of stomata were determined with a microscope Carl Zeeis with integrated camera and AxionVisionRel measurement software 4.8.

Results: The results did not show significant differences in NDVI and total soluble solids. The micromorphological variables of adaxial stomatal density and adaxial stomatal index, were superior in the blue padding and exceeded the black padding in 95 % and 50 % respectively, the rest of the micromorphological variables were statistically similar, the yield per plant was statistically similar in the black, white, red and green padding, while blue was less yield.

Study limitations / implications: The blue padding improves micromorphological characteristics, but not the yield of the husk tomato crop.

Findings / conclusions: With colored plastic padding, some of the foliar micromorphological characteristics of the husk tomato crop are modified, however, an improvement in these variables does not necessarily improve the crop yield, which is probably due to the radiation absorbed and reflected by colored plastic padding.

Keywords: Physalis ixocarpa, stomatic density, stomatic index, epidermal cells.