Amino acids can be used to make plants more resistant to waterlogging

23 Nov 2023
1756

Floods are expected to be one of the factors negatively affecting the social economy in the eastern region of China, where the frequency and magnitude of the effects are expected to increase in the coming years. Summers in Liaoning Province are often characterised by excessive rainfall due to the increased frequency of extreme weather events.

However, the susceptibility of cherry rootstock to fluctuations in soil moisture is widely recognised; in fact, waterlogging can cause the most susceptible plants to die in a single day. Therefore, in order to ensure cherry production even in these areas, certain methods such as effective cultivation practices (e.g., above-ground cultivation and special drainage systems), reoxygenation and activation of plant response mechanisms are necessary.

Sijun Qin.

Examining the impact of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) on the root tolerance of P. sachalinensis, a prevalent rootstock used in the area, was the subject of a study conducted by researchers from Henan and Liaoning Province. An increase in ascorbic acid and proline levels in the roots was observed following treatment with GABA, which mitigated the damage caused by waterlogging.

According to the results of this experiment, rootstock tolerance to conditions of prolonged soil saturation can be improved through the activation of enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidant defence mechanisms by the application of amino acids that can improve the plants' response to unfavourable conditions caused by water logging.

Source: Sijun Qin, Water physiology in root system of cherry rootstock and its regulation management, IX International Cherry Symposium. https://2021.cherries.org.cn/replayEn.html

Images: IX International Cherry Symposium

Melissa Venturi
University of Bologna (IT)


Cherry Times - All rights reserved

What to read next

Soluble solids and acidity in cherries: the role of controlled atmosphere storage

Post-harvest​

09 Sep 2024

One of the systems tested on a smaller scale is the use of controlled atmosphere (CA) in various combinations, as the decrease in oxygen (O2) and increase in carbon dioxide (CO2) play a key role in the metabolism of the fruit, through the respiratory process.

PGI Alicante cherries in trouble with a season expecting half the harvest quantities

Specialties

22 Apr 2024

"This year the forecast is already poor," says Hilario Calabuig president of the Alicante Mountain Cherries PGI Regulatory Council, "although it is still too early for a concrete forecast, we estimate that we will not exceed 50 per cent of a normal harvest.

In evidenza

Understanding fruit cracking in sweet cherry: physiological dynamics, varietal influence and implications for breeding

Breeding

19 Dec 2025

Cracking in sweet cherry fruit can lead to total crop loss. A Ukrainian study highlights genetic and morphological causes, showing how variety and ripening time affect split types. Cultivars like Mliivska žovta, Mirazh and Amazonka showed the best resilience.

Dehydration dynamics of cherries in cold storage and effect of high-pressure humidification after hydrocooling

Post-harvest​

19 Dec 2025

A detailed study highlights how high-pressure humidification in cold storage rooms significantly reduces cherry dehydration after hydrocooling, preserving fruit quality during post-harvest storage and before packaging, even in heterogeneous conditions.

Tag Popolari