ISHS Acta Horticulturae 323: Symposium on Soil and Soilless Media under Protected Cultivation in Mild Winter Climates
THE INFLUENCE OF SOLUTION HEATING AND INTERMITTENT SOLUTION CIRCULATION ON TOMATOES IN NUTRIENT FILM CULTURE |
| Author: | C.D. Economakis |
| Abstract:
Tomato plants (c.v "Dombito") were grown over a nine month period in nutrient film culture (N.F.T), in an unheated glass-house on the island of Crete. The nutrient solution was either unheated or maintained at a minimum temperature of 22°C during the whole growing period; in both cases two regimes of intermittent solution circulation were applied, and compared with a continuous flow control treatment. Solution heating affected positively plant growth and earliness, while intermittent flow had a minor effect. The unheated solution plants produced higher total yields and bigger fruit sizes, and their maxima were obtained under continuous circulation. The heated solution plants which produced lower yields and smaller fruit sizes had their maxima under intermittent circulation. | |
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