Effects of Melatonin Dose on Fruit Yield, Quality, and Antioxidants of Strawberry Cultivars Grown in Different Crop Systems

Volkan Okatan, Mehmet Atilla Aşkın, Mehmet Polat, Ibrahim Bulduk, Ayşen Melda Çolak, Sultan Filiz Güçlü, İbrahim Kahramanoğlu, Alessio Vincenzo Tallarita () and Gianluca Caruso
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Volkan Okatan: Horticulture Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Eskisehir Osmangazi University, 26160 Eskisehir, Turkey
Mehmet Atilla Aşkın: Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies, European University of Lefke, Via Mersin 10, 99770 Gemikonagi, Turkey
Mehmet Polat: Horticulture Department, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Isparta University of Applied Sciences, 32260 Isparta, Turkey
Ibrahim Bulduk: Department of Chemistry, School of Health, Usak University, 64200 Usak, Turkey
Ayşen Melda Çolak: Department of Horticulture, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Science, Usak University, 64200 Usak, Turkey
Sultan Filiz Güçlü: Atabey Vocational High School, Isparta University of Applied Sciences, 32260 Isparta, Turkey
İbrahim Kahramanoğlu: Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies, European University of Lefke, Via Mersin 10, 99770 Gemikonagi, Turkey
Alessio Vincenzo Tallarita: Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80055 Naples, Italy
Gianluca Caruso: Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, 80055 Naples, Italy

Agriculture, 2022, vol. 13, issue 1, 1-14

Abstract: Melatonin acts as a seed germination activator, plant growth regulator, leaf senescence retardant, and, in general, has a multifunctional role as a ‘defence molecule’; furthermore, by interacting with other molecules, such as phytohormones and gaseous molecules, it greatly enhances plant adaptation to different environments. However, there are not enough studies about the use of melatonin on horticultural crops, and even fewer studies have outlined the differences related to this phytohormone use between protected environment and in open field. The two latter systems have different growing conditions that could lead to diversified application doses. As the choice of melatonin dose depends on all crop system components, the present research aimed to assess the effects of three melatonin concentrations (1 ppm, 5 ppm and 10 ppm) plus an untreated control, on yield, quality, and antioxidants of four strawberry cultivars (i.e., Kabarla, Fortuna, Sweet Ann, Festival) grown either in greenhouse or in open field. Research was conducted to assess the yield parameters were better affected by greenhouse than open field, and mean fruit weight was the highest in cultivar Sweet Ann. In open field 10 ppm showed the highest values of fruit number and yield, but in greenhouse did not differ from 5 ppm which led to the highest fruit number. At all melatonin doses, cultivar Kabarla demonstrated the highest yield, compared to the other cultivars, with the maximum value of about 46 t·ha −1 . Plant dry weight was 90% higher under greenhouse than in open field conditions, and 52% or 132% higher with cultivar Kabarla in comparison with Fortuna and Sweet Ann, respectively. The melatonin dose of 10 p.p.m showed 56% higher plant dry weight in comparison to the untreated control. Fortuna showed higher values of fruit dry matter, soluble solids, and glucose than Sweet Ann. The fruit dry matter was 7% lower at 10 ppm melatonin than in the untreated control. Fructose was higher under 1 ppm melatonin with 245 mg·g −1 d.w. compared to the untreated control with 220 mg·g −1 d.w. in Festival, whereas in Fortuna was the highest in the control fruits, the latter also showing the highest titratable acidity in Fortuna and Sweet Ann. The highest phenolics content was recorded under 10 ppm melatonin in open field, and with 5 ppm in greenhouse; the phenolics content was the highest under 1 ppm melatonin dose in Kabarla and 5 ppm in Fortuna. Under the protected environment 5 and 10 p.p.m. melatonin elicited the highest accumulation of ascorbic acid; 10 ppm were more effective in Fortuna and Sweet Ann, and 5 ppm in Festival. The most enhanced antioxidant activity was recorded under 5 p.p.m. melatonin dose in Fortuna and Festival. The present study confirms that the dose of melatonin to apply to strawberry crop closely relates both to cultivar and crop system.

Keywords: Fragaria × ananassa Duch.; greenhouse; open field; sugars; titratable acidity; ascorbic acid; phenolics; antioxidant activity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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