The effect of abiotic stress on the flowering and productivity of zucchini

Abstract

Zucchini (Cucurbita pepo subsp. pepo L.) is an important vegetable species that is used inhuman nutrition around the world. It is rich in water, fiber, proteins and vitamins, and characterized by significant health benefits. The production of zucchini is carried out from early spring to late autumn; however, in recent years, due to the occurrence of extreme drought, low air humidity, high temperatures, a lack of pollinators, the yield has been halved, or it can be completely absent. This trial was conducted in Smederevska Palanka, during two vegetative seasons (2019, 2020), in an open field and the greenhouse. The experiment was conducted on10 different genotypes of zucchini, during a period from May to September, and six characteristics related to flowering and yield were observed. The aim of this experiment was to evaluate the effects of environmental stresses on flowering, fruit setting, and yield. The appearance of the first female flower was 22% earlier on the plants growing in the green house compared to the open field. Additionally, the setting of fruits, during July and August, was 81%higher on the plants grown in the greenhouse. This was more pronounced during the first year of the experiment (total precipitation during the experiment in 2019 was 297.7 mm, in 2020461.7 mm). High temperatures, drought, and reduced air humidity have a negative effect on pollination of flowers, fruit setting, and yield per plant. Finding more resistant genotypes to abiotic stress is one of the ways to overcome the consequences caused by climate change