Applying sunflower oil to rapeseed plants reduces water loss
de Godoi, R.G.P. and Kettlewell, P.S. (2023) Applying sunflower oil to rapeseed plants reduces water loss. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture. ISSN 0022-5142
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Abstract
Background Hydrophobic polymers are used as antitranspirants to block stomata and reduce water loss from plants and thus drought stress, but the use of current commercial products is limited because they are expensive. Plant oils may be much cheaper hydrophobic polymers if they have similar efficacy to commercial antitranspirant products. Two experiments with pot-grown rapeseed plants were conducted to compare sunflower oil with the commercially-available antitranspirant di-1-p-menthene (DPM) for efficacy in reducing water loss, and to test for a linear response to increasing oil concentration. Results Sunflower oil at the same concentration as DPM (0.5%) was similar in efficacy in reducing the rate of water loss, measured as both rate of weight loss of the plant and rate of stomatal conductance decline. There was a linear response to increasing concentrations of oil, as found in previous research with DPM on rapeseed, with a slower rate of water loss the greater the concentration. Conclusion If other plant oils are equally or more effective in reducing water loss as sunflower oil, there may be potential for plant oils to be used as low-cost antitranspirants to reduce drought damage on large-scale commodity crops, and also by smallholder farmers in low-income countries using locally-produced plant oils.
| Item Type: | Article |
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| Keywords: | antitranspirant, stomatal blocker, transpiration, drought, water stress |
| Divisions: | Agriculture and Environment (from 1.08.20) |
| Depositing User: | Mrs Rachael Giles |
| Date Deposited: | 08 Sep 2023 15:01 |
| Last Modified: | 08 Sep 2023 15:01 |
| URI: | https://hau.repository.guildhe.ac.uk/id/eprint/17979 |
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