Vol. 74 No: 2

Title:
Response of tomato plants to saline water as affected by carbon dioxide supplementation. I. Growth, yield and fruit quality

Authors:
J.-H. LI, M. SAGI, J. GALE, M. VOLOKITA and A. NOVOPLANSKY

pp: 232-237

Abstract:
Tomato plants (Lycopersicon esculentum (L.) Mill. cv. F144) were irrigated with low concentrations of mixed salts; the highest level (E.C. 7 dS m^-1) simulated conditions used to produce quality tomatoes in the Negev highlands. CO₂ enrichment (to 1200 mmol mol^-1, given during the daytime) increased plant growth at the early stage of development. However, later growth enhancement was maintained only when combined with salt stress. In the absence of CO₂ supplementation, overall growth decreased with salt (7 dS m^-1) to 58% and fresh biomass yields to 53% of the controls. However, under elevated CO₂ concentrations total plant dry biomass was not reduced by salt stress. CO₂ enrichment of plants grown with 7 dS m^-1 salt increased total fresh fruit yields by 48% and maintained fruit quality in terms of total soluble salts, glucose and acidity. Fruit ripening was about 10 d earlier under CO₂ enrichment, regardless of salinity treatment. It is suggested that a combined utilization of brackish water and CO₂ supplementation may enable the production of high-quality fruits without incurring all the inevitable loss in yields associated with salt treatment.

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