The histological analysis of a tomato fruit pedicel during the ontogenesis as a contribution to understanding the effect of drought on the fruit development and properties

Regulisani deficit navodnjavanja (regulated deficit irrigation - RDI) i delimično sušenje korena (partial root drying - PRD) su tehnike navodnjavanja koje se primenjuju u cilju uštede vode u poljoprivredi. Cilj ovog rada bio je da se ispita uticaj RDI i PRD na prinos plodova i anatomiju provodnog sistema u peteljci ploda na osnovu merenja površine ksilema i floema kao parametara od kojih zavisi hidraulična propustljivost i transport asimilata u toku rastenja i razvića ploda. Dobijeni rezultati ukazuju da je RDI značajno snizio prinos (veličinu i broj plodova), što je posledica redukovane površine ksilema i floema. Redukcija ksilema kod PRD biljaka postoji samo u ranim fazama razvoja plodova, što može dovesti do hidraulične i hemijske izolacije plodova, što se može smatrati adaptivnim odgovorom. Veća površina floema kod PRD biljaka je verovatno uticala na održanje prinosa.Regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) and partial root drying (PRD) are irrigation techniques used to save water in agriculture. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of RDI and PRD on fruit biomass and the anatomy of the vasculature system in the fruit pedicel based upon measurements of xylem and phloem areas as parameters determining hydraulic conductivity and assimilate transport during the fruit development. Data obtained point out that RDI significantly reduced yield (size and fruit number), as a consequence of reduced xylem and phloem areas. In PRD treated plants, the xylem was reduced only in the early developmental stages what could result in hydraulic and chemical isolations of the fruit, which can be considered an adaptive response. A larger phloem area in PRD plants most likely influenced yield maintenance