Interaction Ni x Ca in control of blossom-end rot of tomato

• Grant number: 15/23927-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: June 01, 2017
• End date: July 31, 2019
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Agronomy - Soil Science
• Principal Investigator: Wanderley Jose de Melo
• Grantee: Fernando Giovannetti de Macedo
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Jaboticabal. Jaboticabal , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 19/06500-1 - INTERACTION OF NICKEL AND NITROGEN IN POTATO CROP FOCUSING ON REDUCING N-FERTILIZER APPLICATION, BE.EP.PD

Abstract

The tomato is the most important vegetable crop in the world and the second most important in Brazil. However, it is considered a high-risk crop because of the necessity for high capital investment along with high susceptibility to biotic and abiotic factors. One cause of damage is Blossom-End Rot (BER), a physiological disorder related to calcium (Ca) deficiency. Although BER is attributed to Ca, this element in isolation is an ineffective preventative measure. There is evidence of the influence of nickel (Ni) in the hormonal balance of the plant and the interaction Ca x Ni can act together to prevent BER. To evaluate this hypothesis, two experiments with tomatoes will be carried out in pots in a greenhouse. The experiments will be randomized in a 2x4 factorial design with two Ca doses (0.35 and 0.70 g kg-1), which will match the first factor in both experiments. The second factor will consist of 4 Ni doses (0.0, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mg kg-1) applied directly on substrate in the first experiment and 0.0; 0:08; 0:42 and 0.84 mM Ni applied as spray to the leaves in the second experiment. During the experiment, the following tomato agronomic traits will be evaluated: plant height, stem diameter, number of nodes, stomatal conductance and growth stage of the plants. The leaves will be evaluated for macro and micronutrients, activity of glyoxalase enzymes and urease, and the concentration of hormone gibberellin, abscisic acid and ethylene. The fruits will be evaluated by colorimeter and will have productivity, BER incidence and the levels of Ca and Ni measured. Ca substrate will be evaluated by fractionation and availability. Data will be submitted to analysis of variance with subsequent application of average test in a factorial design. (AU)

Scientific publications

(4)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

MACEDO, FERNANDO GIOVANNETTI; SANTOS, ELCIO FERREIRA; LAVRES, JOSE. Agricultural crop influences availability of nickel in the rhizosphere; a study on base cation saturations, Ni dosages and crop succession. RHIZOSPHERE, v. 13, MAR 2020. (15/23927-8, 12/18226-2)

MACEDO, FERNANDO GIOVANNETTI; DE MELO, WANDERLEY JOSE; CECILIO FILHO, ARTHUR BERNARDES; SANTOS, ELCIO FERREIRA; CRUZ, RENATA BEATRIZ; BELLOTI, MARIANA. Nickel reduces blossom-end rot even under calcium deficiency conditions; evidence from physiological responses of the NI-CA interaction. JOURNAL OF PLANT NUTRITION, v. N/A, p. 12-pg., 2022-12-19. (15/23927-8, 19/06500-1)

MACEDO, FERNANDO GIOVANNETTI; DE MELO, WANDERLEY JOSE; DELARICA, DENISE DE LIMA; CRUZ, RENATA BEATRIZ; SANTOS, ELCIO FERREIRA; DE MELO, GABRIEL MAURICIO PERUCA; MATTIUZ, BEN HUR; DA CRUZ, MARA CRISTINA PESSOA; CECILIO FILHO, ARTHUR BERNARDES. Nickel increases productivity, Ca accumulation and reduces blossom-end rot in tomato. ARCHIVES OF AGRONOMY AND SOIL SCIENCE, v. 68, n. 11, p. 11-pg., 2021-05-08. (15/23927-8)

MACEDO, FERNANDO GIOVANNETTI; MONTANHA, GABRIEL SGARBIERO; PEREIRA DE CARVALHO, HUDSON WALLACE; DE MELO, WANDERLEY JOSE. Nickel Influences Urease Activity and Calcium Distribution in Tomato Fruits. ACS AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY, v. 1, n. 1, p. 6-pg., 2021-02-19. (20/07721-9, 15/23927-8, 15/19121-8)