Growth, fenology and yield of cherry tomato crop in hydroponic cultivation / Crescimento, fenologia e rendimento do tomateiro cereja em cultivo hidropônico

AUTOR(ES)
DATA DE PUBLICAÇÃO

2009

RESUMO

The use of a new production system demand to know the behavior of cultures and establish the most appropriate management. It is necessary to understand the relationships that control the operation of the plant, and then understand the way in which these relations are dazzling together to result in final income. The growth dynamic, the fenological characterization and yield components of the red cherry tomato crop (Lycopersicon esculentum var. cerasiforme), cultivated in hydroponic system during summer-autumn 2008 crop season, were studied through two experiments conducted in plastic greenhouse, in the Campus of the Universidade Federal de Pelotas, RS. The first experiment was carried out to study the effect of different levels of ionic concentration of the nutrient solution on growth and yield components of cherry tomato (number of fruits, fruit mean weight and fruit yield). This experimental factor was assessed in four different levels: standard nutrient solution, containing 100% of the concentration of nutrients recommended by "Japan Horticultural Experimental Station", corresponding to an initial electrical conductivity (ECi) of 2,3 dS m-1, nutrient solution with reductions of 25 and 50% and with increment of 25% in the concentration of nutrients in relation to the standard solution, corresponding to ECis of 1,3; 1,8 and 2,8 dS m-1, respectively. Another experimental factor in this study was the position of flower cluster and its influence on the yield components. The second experiment was conducted to verify the effect of low sink demand on the vegetative growth in plants cultivated with standard nutrient solution. Two treatments were established: low sink demand (no fruit on the plant by removing 11 all inflorescences) and high sink demand (by maintaining of inflorescences and allowing the fruit to the plant). In both experiments, from the data of dry matter and leaf area accumulated during the experimental period, the production and distribution of dry matter among the different organs of the plant and growth index were determined. The results obtained in the first experiment allow to concluded that: the vegetative stage comprised 30,9% of the crop cycle and the number of the flowers is not dependent on the inflorescence position on the main stem; the position of floral cluster in the plant does not affect the yield components number and weight of the fruit, with little influence on the production of fruits per cluster of cherry tomato; the change of the ion concentration of the nutrient solution (in a range from 1,3 to 2,8 dS m-1) does not affect the number of fruits per plant, but an EC higher than 2,3 dS m-1 causes a reduction in mean weight of the fruits; the leaf expansion, the fruit growth and yield of cherry tomato decrease when the ionic concentration of the nutrient solution increases in the range from 1,8 to 2,8 dS m-1 and when it is reduced from 1,8 to 1,3 dS m-1; the nutrient solution of 1,8 dS m-1 EC can be recommended to increase the fruit yield of cherry tomato in hydroponic system in the summer-autumn crop season. The results observed in the second experiment showed that the fruits corresponded to approximately 26% of the total dry matter of plants in which the fruits are allowed. Thus, in red cherry tomato plants, fruits were not the biggest sink of photoassimilates, since the leaves represented approximately 39% of total dry matter of plants which the fruits are allowed. Thus, the leaf fraction was characterized as the largest source and at the same time as the largest sink of photoassimilates. The fruits has competed more strongly with the leaves than the stems by photoassimilates, indicating that stem and leaves are not characterized as a single compartment for storage of photoassimilates.

ASSUNTO(S)

análise de crescimento nft lycopersicon esculentum var. cerasiforme nutrient solution cluster, yield components lycopersicon esculentum var. cerasiforme concentração iônica componentes do rendimento ionic concentration agronomia solução nutritiva cacho floral growth analysis nft

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