Vol. 70 No: 3

Title:
Comparison of Mineral Absorption and Nutrient Composition of Heat-Tolerant and Non Heat-Tolerant Tomato Plants at Different Root-Zone Temperatures

Authors:
G.O. NKANSAH and T. ITO

pp: 453-460

Abstract:
Differences in water and mineral absorption and leaf mineral content between a heat-tolerant tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv. Shuki) and a non heat-tolerant one (cv. Sataan) were compared at four root-zone temperatures (RZT); 15, 20, 25 and 30°C. Experiments were conducted at two air temperatures; high (40/23°C) and low (22/16°C) day/night temperatures. Increasing RZT increased water and mineral uptake (N, P, K, and Ca) and total leaf N, P, K and Mg contents at the high and low air temperatures, however, the uptake was more pronounced at the higher air temperature. A significantly greater mineral uptake was recorded for ‘Shuki’ than for ‘Sataan’, at the high day/night air temperature, but no significant differences were observed at the low day/night air temperatures. On the other hand, leaf P, K, Ca, and Mg contents of ‘Sataan’, was higher than that of ‘Shuki’, the heat-tolerant type, at all RZT and at the high day/night air temperatures and this may be attributed to a tissue dilution effect. This experiment showed that heat-tolerant tomato cultivars may have different needs for fertilizer and management practices compared with non heat-tolerant types. Significant linear relationships were observed between leaf area and water and mineral uptake.

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