ISHS Acta Horticulturae 747: VIII International Symposium on Protected Cultivation in Mild Winter Climates: Advances in Soil and Soilless Cultivation under Protected Environment
EFFECT OF TWO NUTRIENT SOLUTION FORMULAE IN THE NUTRITIONAL DIAGNOSIS AND YIELD OF TOMATO GROWN IN SOILLESS CULTURE SYSTEM |
| Authors: | M. Hoyos, A. Rodríguez-Delfín |
| Keywords: | Lycopersicon esculentum Mill, nutrients, cultivar, substrate, SRA, DRIS, NBI |
| Abstract:
In this study, two nutrient solution formulae (1 and 2) for the cultivation of two indeterminate tomato cultivars grown in two natural substrates (sand and pumice) were compared. The formulae were applied according to the crop phenological state, these being: vegetative growth, beginning of fruit set and full fruit setting. The nutrient solutions were applied through drip irrigation system and were not recycled. The trial was realized under open field conditions. The crop time was 209 days and the harvest took 118 days. The nutritional diagnosis was determined by leaf analysis in the following phases: beginning of fruit set, beginning of harvest, full fruit setting and at the end of the cropping period. There were higher concentrations of N, P, K and Ca with the formula 2 while the Mg concentration was similar with both formulae. At the end of the cropping period, Fe concentration increased and the rest of the micronutrients (Mn, B, Zn and Cu) were maintained in adequate concentrations. For the nutritional diagnosis the sufficiency range approach (SRA) and the diagnosis and recommendation integrated system (DRIS) were used. The yield reached with formula 2 (123.40 t/ha) was significantly higher than with formula 1 (117.35 t/ha). Although there were not significant differences in the number, fresh weight and diameter of the fruits there were higher with formulation 2. Higher major nutrient concentrations increase the yield but the deficiency or/and excess of one or more nutrients could cause an imbalance that could affect the production. | |
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