Phosphorus-deficiency stress in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) plants: early detection based on chosen physiological parameters and statistical analyses

Abstract

Enhancing plant productivity and mitigating the impact of environmental stressors require a thorough understanding of phytomonitoring and physiological features indicative of plant health. This study delves into the response of cucumber plants to phosphorus deficiency employing diverse tools to identify key indicators and unravel the underlying mechanisms. Under phosphorus deficiency, a rapid response in older leaves was observed through the analysis of chlorophyll and carotenoid content. Molecular-level changes in photosynthetic performance were found to be age-dependent, as revealed by multidimensional statistical methods, highlighting the interconnectedness of examined features with the experimental setup timing. This can assist in understanding the long-term fluctuations in traits linked to phosphorus deficiency, facilitating early detection of stress.

Keywords

• chlorophyll fluorescence
• confocal microscopy
• greenhouse cucumber
• leaf area index
• multivariate statistical analyses
• photosynthetic pigment