Enhancing Cauliflower Seedling Quality through Plug Tray Surface Covering and Root-zone Temperature Control
Journal
HORTTECHNOLOGY
Journal Volume
35
Journal Issue
6
Start Page
917
End Page
919
ISSN
1063-0198
Date Issued
2025-12
Author(s)
鳳山熱帶園藝試驗分所
Hsuan-Ping Chen
鳳山熱帶園藝試驗分所
鳳山熱帶園藝試驗分所
鳳山熱帶園藝試驗分所
Abstract
During tropical summers, plug tray root-zone temperatures often surface covering and bottom cooling to improve the quality of cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis) seedlings. A surface covering with 25 degrees C cooling reduced root-zone fluctuations from 14.5 to 8.0 degrees C, producing the highest vegetation indices, particularly the modified simple ratio (mSR) and single-image normalized difference vegetation index (SI-NDVI), correlated strongly and negatively with the SQI (r = -0.79, -0.69) and DQI (r = -0.78, -0.67). A lower mSR and SI-NDVI corresponded with improved seedling quality, demonstrating their utility as nondestructive indicators of vigor. Surface covering and root-zone cooling can mitigate the thermal stress in tropical nurseries.
Subjects
Dickson quality index
multispectral imaging
surface covering
seedling quality
root temperature control
vegetation indices
Publisher
American Society for Horticultural Science
Type
journal article