ISHS Acta Horticulturae 779: International Symposium on Growing Media
TOMATO YIELD DEPENDENT ON SUBSTRATE TYPE AND VOLUME |
| Authors: | B. Benko, J. Borošić, B. Novak, N. Toth, I. Žutić, M. Romić |
| Keywords: | Lycopersicon esculentum, rockwool, perlite, expanded clay, coconut fibres |
| Abstract:
Reduction of substrate volume per plant by 1/3 (from 3.75 to 2.5 L/plant), without considerable yield decrease, would result in financial saving. Three substrates were used for planting in 2003: rockwool, coconut fibres and expanded clay. In the following year, coconut fibres were replaced by perlite. pH- and EC-values of the nutrient solution were measured periodically in the main container and in the root zone. pH-values varied between 5.6 and 6.8 in the container and between 5.9 and 7.8 in the root zone. EC-values ranged from 2.0 to 2.9 dS/m in the container, and from 2.0 to 7.9 dS/m in the root zone. Yields of marketable fruits and their average mass were determined, separately for the first three clusters and total. Reduction of substrate volume per plant had no significant influence on yield decrease in the first trial year whereas a significantly higher yield per plant was achieved in 2004 on the larger volume of substrate (9.5% higher compared to smaller substrate volume). The highest yield in both years (13.89 and 12.75 kg/plant), significantly higher than the yield on expanded clay, was obtained on rockwool, which is therefore recommended as growing substrate. Throughout the harvest period fruit weight varied from 167 to 178 g during 2003 and between 193 and 209 g in 2004. | |
Download Adobe Acrobat Reader (free software to read PDF files) | |
