ISHS Acta Horticulturae 659: VII International Symposium on Protected Cultivation in Mild Winter Climates: Production, Pest Management and Global Competition
WATER AND NUTRIENT USE OF GREENHOUSE TOMATOES GROWN IN "TEZONTLE" MEDIA AND IN SOIL IN CENTRAL MEXICO |
| Authors: | J.Z. Castellanos, J.L. Ojodeagua, P. Vargas-Tapia, J.J. Muñoz-Ramos |
| Keywords: | volcanic rock, substrate, picon, balance, fertilizer, fertigation, water use efficiency |
| Abstract:
Despite several advantages of soil-less media cultivation, more than 80% of the production of greenhouse tomatoes in Mexico is conducted in soil. Similar trends occur in Spain and other Mediterranean countries. With the advent of grafting technology, which improves plant vigor and root disease resistance, it appears that these trends will continue in the future in these regions. Tomatoes produced in open hydroponic systems use a higher amount of water and nutrients as compared to soil. The objective of this study was to evaluate water, N, P, K, Ca and Mg use by tomato grown in tezontle (porous volcanic material) as substrate, as compared to the production in soil. In tezontle media a total input of 159.2, 64.5, 351.3, 206.5 and 64.9 g m-2 of N, P2O5, K2O, Ca and Mg, respectively were used to produce a tomato yield of 34.7 kg m-2, during a production cycle of eight months. Nutrient losses in leachate were: 41, 36, 42, 40 and 57% respectively for the above mentioned nutrients. Water was applied to the tezontle treatment at a rate of 1,147 L m-2, with a drainage of 29.1%. In the soil treatment a total of 91.0, 64.6, 144.1, 101.0 and 28.8 g m-2 of N, P2O5, K2O, Ca and Mg respectively were applied for the production of 33.8 kg m-2. The amount of water consumed in this treatment was 801 L m-2. Water use efficiency (WUE) for the substrate was 30.2 g L-1 whereas 42.2 g L-1 was obtained for soil. These results indicate the potential for saving water and fertilizer under soil conditions, as compared to hydroponic open systems. | |
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