Vol. 79 No: 1

Title:
Effect of night salinity level on water use, physiological responses, yield and quality of tomato

Authors:
P SANTAMARIA, V CANTORE, G CONVERSA and F SERIO

pp: 59-66

Abstract:
The aim of the research work was to evaluate the effects of two levels of electrical conductivity (EC) of the nutrient solution, i.e. high night and low day EC v continuously low EC, on water consumption, physiological responses, yield, and fruit quality of two tomato cultivars (Diana and Naomi). The use of a nutrient solution with high EC during the night (6.dS m^-1) did not modify plant growth. The daily water consumption of tomato plants was not modified by the nutrient solution EC, however water consumption during the night was on average 9-19&percent; of the total daily uptake. Both at the second cluster setting stage and beginning of harvests, the high night and low day EC treatment decreased stomatal conductance (13&percent;) and leaf net CO2 assimilation (8&percent;). The values of `Diana' and `Naomi' of yield of tomato (4.5 and 3.0.kg plant^-1, respectively, for `Diana' and `Naomi') or mass of fruits, fruit dry mass, titratable acidity, and ascorbic acid were not influenced by the nutrient solution EC. However, in the cherry tomato type (`Naomi') the number of fruits within optimal size values (<40.mm), which is of crucial importance for their marketability, was higher with high EC in the night hours. The total soluble solids were higher with low/high (day/night) EC than continuously low EC (7.0 v 6.6 °Brix for `Naomi' and 4.6 v 4.3 for `Diana'), so nutrient solutions with high night and low day EC appear to improve the quality of fruits of soilless grown tomato plants without affecting fruit yield.

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