ABSTRACT

Covering fig trees with color nets changed the quality of light that reach trees. This study was carried out to assess the effects of shade provided by blue and yellow protection nets on leaf attributes and fruit quality of fig trees under rain-fed conditions. The experiment lasted for three months and was a split-plot treatment arrangement in a randomized complete block design with three replications. ‘Sabz’ and ‘Siah’ fig trees were covered with color nets or left uncovered (as the control group). The results showed that yellow nets reduced the net photosynthetic activity by 15.86 µmol CO₂ m⁻² s⁻¹, but increased leaf chlorophyll and carotenoid content in both cultivars. Leaf temperature decreased in both cultivars when covered with yellow nets. The shade provided by blue nets increased stomatal conductance in the leaves of ‘Sabz’ fig trees. When covered with yellow shade nets, ‘Sabz’ fig trees had the highest relative water content and the lowest ion leakage in both cultivars. The color nets reduced dry fruit diameter in ‘Sabz’ figs and reduced total soluble solids in both cultivars. Also, titratable acidity decreased in fruits as a result of using yellow nets on both cultivars. Yellow nets increased antioxidant activity and anthocyanin content in fruits of the ‘Siah’ cultivar significantly, as compared with the ‘Sabz’ cultivar. The photo-selective, light-dispersive shade nets proved to be interesting tools that can reduce drought stress on trees under rain-fed conditions.