Melhoramento para elevada qualidade pós-colheita: validação do método de selecção de genótipos promissores

Abstract

Breeding for better keeping quality: validation of the selection method of promising genotypes. Water stress is one of the most important postharvest quality problems, resulting in shorter vase life and reduced consumer‟s satisfaction. This problem is enhanced in plants grown at high RH (RH > 85%) due to stomatal malfunctioning leading to shorter postharvest longevity. Previously, a subset of a segregating tetraploid population (60 genotypes) cultivated in a greenhouse under noncontroled RH was characterized for stomatal responsiveness to water stress (i.e. desiccation). The population screening revealed extreme differences of relative water content (RWC) after 4 h leaf desiccation. This study aims at the validation of a selection method for promising genotypes with good stomatal responsiveness to desiccation (i.e. high RWC after 4 h desiccation) when grown under contrasting HR conditions. Therefore, five genotypes with expected good stomatal response to desiccation were selected for this study. These genotypes were grown under moderate RH (60%) and high RH (90%). The RWC was significantly different within the five studied genotypes. K099 was the most tolerant genotype to desiccation, with a RWC after 4 h desiccation 19% higher than the least tolerant genotype. Genotypes cultivated at high RH had on average only 10% lower RWC, as compared to genotypes grown at moderate RH, confirming a good stomatal response. The postharvest longevity varied between 12 (K119) and 25 (K099) days and it was not significantly affected by the two different RH during growth. It is concluded that the analysis of the stomatal responsiveness in leaves of cut roses is an efficient method that allows, in the early stages of the selection process, to identify tolerant genotypes to high RH.