The effects of UV-B irradiation on development and quality of tomato, cucumber and eggplant seedlings

The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of UV-B irradiation on development and quality of tomato, cucumber and eggplant seedlings. Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L. cv. Alsancak-RN), cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. cv) and eggplant (Solanum melongena L. cv.) seedlings were subjected to UV-B irradiation 0 kJ m-2 day-1, 10.8 kJ m-2 day-1 and 16.2 kJ m-2 day-1 for 10 days (76.5 min day-1-114.75 min day-1) when they reached to the first true leaves stage. In this research, seedling length, number of leaves, root coolar diameter, root length, root and upper age and dry weights, leaf area, chlorophyll content in leaf and color measurement values were determined. The content of chlorophyll in the tomato seedling was increased in low dose UV-B application and decreased at 16.2 kJ m-2 day-1 UV-B irradiation. It was determined that high dose UV-B irradiation caused an increase in the amount of dry matter in the root. Chlorophyll amount in cucumber seedlings increased in low dose UV-B application. Leaf number and leaf area increased in low dose UV-B application, decreased in high dose UV-B application. Decrease was observed on the root coolar diameter, root length, upper plant part dry matter with UV-B irradiations. Low dose UV-B applied eggplant seedlings decreased choroma value. It has been determined that UV-B applications reduce L* color value, root collar diameter and leaf area in eggplant seedlings. UV-B irradiation caused plant development and morphological changes on the seedling depending on the dose and plant species