ISHS Acta Horticulturae 487: VI International Symposium on Processing Tomato & Workshop on Irrigation & Fertigation of Processing Tomato
THE INFLUENCE OF POULTRY MANURE AND IRRIGATION DURING FRUIT-SETTING CRITICAL PERIOD ON PROCESSING TOMATOES. |
| Authors: | C.A. Argerich, L.M. Poggi, V.M. Lipinski |
| Keywords: | Lycopersicum esculentum, poultry manure, irrigation, quality, yield components |
| Abstract:
Fruit setting critical period for irrigation (Cp) is the one that spans from initiation of flowering till 40 days afterwards. Problems of hydric stress in this period affects yield. Poultry manure, particularly broiler (BPM), is frequently used in Mendoza, Argentina where organic matter in soils is very poor (less than 1%). In this region, irrigation is by furrows with slopes between 0.2 and 0.3 %. Growers are more familiar with hours of irrigation than any other kind of water measure. The most common period of time between irrigations for farms given by the irrigation delivery system is seven days. The objective of this study was to evaluate soil incorporation of BPM and different amounts of irrigation water irrigation every seven days during Cp on plant productivity of processing tomatoes. Trials were established two years in a sandy-loam soil that was previously subsoiled. BPM was spread at 15 t/ha in the soil and then incorporated by disc harrow 0.10 m deep in 12 m2 plots 30 days before planting. Irrigation was applied to furrows with 0.2 % slope; the treatments were 12, 18 and 24 hours of irrigation every seven days between flower initiation till 42 days afterwards (six irrigations, 68.81 and 90% of the ETp during Cp, respectively) with and without the application of BPM. Before and after this period, irrigation was the same for all treatments. Experimental design was Factorial (three irrigations x two soil treatments) in randomized block design with six replicates. Seedlings four true leaves old in 280 cells containers were planted in single rows 1.4 m apart, 0.3 m between plants in the first days of November. Harvest was made by hand once the crop arrived 90 % maturity. Soil water depletion between irrigation treatments was characterized by 0.45 m deep tensiometers and canopy temperature by infrared thermometer. Average infiltration per irrigation by treatment was 39, 45 and 49 mm for 12, 18 and 24 hs of irrigation, respectively. BPM x Irrigation interaction was significant in Total and Red fruits per ha. Total and red tomatoes yield were increased exponentially in presence of BPM and lincarly, without BPM by increasing hours of irrigation during Cp Number of fruits per m2 was significantly increased 25 % by BPM and linearly from 12 to 24 hours of irrigation with an increment of 1.8 % fruits per m2 per increased hour of irrigation. Irrigation significantly reduced Blossom end rot fruits and fruit firmness but fruit size and solids were not affected either by BPM or Irrigations during Cp. | |
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