Influence of irrigation and soil matric potential on yield and cracking of tomato [Lycopersicon lycopersium (L.) fawell]

摘要

The effects of different irrigation treatments under drip and furrow irrigation, and their respective soil water tension regimes on both the productive response of tomato and fruit cracking appearance were studied in three experiments carried out during 1991-92, 1992-93 and 1994. Six cultivars were tested in these experiments, two cherry tomatoes (Evita 52~(R) and Gardener's Delight~(R)), two for fresh consumption (Aguilas~(R) and Cesar~(R)) and two suitable for processing (Guay~(R) and Rio Grande~(R)). The cherry and freshly consumed cultivars were grown in greenhouses with drip irrigation. The processing cultivars were grown under floating cover with furrow irrigation. Irrigation treatments were based on ET_c, and were 0.5, 1 and 1.5 ET_c; 0.4, 0.8 and 1.2 ET_c 0.5 and 1 ET_c respectively for each of the three experiments. Soil water tension was measured with tensiometers during the whole treatment period. Higher amounts of irrigation increased yields in two of the three experiments. Radial cracking was the most frequently type observed in these experiments. Fruit cracking was considerable after high fluctuations of soil matric potential following high negative values of this parameter with the furrow irrigation treatment. Differences in fruit cracking were also detected between the irrigation treatments. With drip irrigation cracking was less, but increased when a great fluctuation in the soil matric potential was induced after a high negative value lasting for some days. as was the case with furrow irrigation. Differences in cultivar susceptibility to fruit cracking were detected in the three experiments. The occurrence of cracking was greater during high temperature regimes.