Gas Exchange and chlorophyll fluorescence of “Golden Delicious” and “Fugi” apple trees protected by a grey anti-hail cover
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resumo
The frequency and severity of hail events in some apple growing areas of the Iberian Peninsula may
increase in the future in the context of climate change. One technological option to minimise potential
damages is the use of over-tree netting. Moreover, anti-hail nets can also provide additional benefits by
reducing plant stress, sunburn and wind speed. In this work, carried out during 2016, was tested the
application of a grey anti-hail net in a commercial orchard with two cultivars (Golden Delicious and Fuji) of
apple tree (Malus domestica Borkh.). Although it reduced the photosynthetically active radiation, the grey
net had no negative effects on the photosynthetic performance of both apple tree cultivars during the
summer season. On contrary, the anti-hail net contributed to the improvement of net photosynthetic rate of
“Fuji” plants close to harvest, namely during the afternoon period, reducing the degree of photosynthesis
depression from the morning to the afternoon. A strictly association was observed between photosynthesis
and stomatal conductance, although non-stomatal limitations to photosynthesis, that include changes in
effective photochemical quantum yield of PSII and in electron transport rate, also occur in open sky plants.
Therefore, the use of a grey anti-hail net on apple orchards appears as an interesting tool for the
protection of apple trees against hail ensuring an adequate photosynthetic activity.
