EFFECT OF DIFFERENT SHADING LEVELS ON TOMATO PLANTS 1. GROWTH, FLOWERING AND CHEMICAL COMPOSITION

Authors:

A.M. El-Gizawy, H.M. Gomaa, K.M. El-Habbasha, S.S. Mohamed

Abstract:
A field trial was carried out during the late summer on tomato plants to study their performance under shading.

The results are summarized as follows:

Increased shading significantly increased plant height and leaf area, but there was a significant reduction in the number of leaves and dry weight of leaves.
The number of days from sowing to flower appearance increased as the shading level increased, whereas, the number of flowers per plant decreased in all shading rates compared to full sunlight.
Chlorophyll a,b, carotenoids and total pigment level of leaves significantly increased with increased shading. All shading rates led to a significant reduction in the total carbohydrates of leaves, whereas, total nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium tended to show an opposite trend.

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