THE INFLUENCE OF SALINE IRRIGATION ON TOMATO PROTECTED CULTIVATION

Six very common hybrids on the Spanish Mediterranean coast and 48 highly homozygotic lines, were cultivated in Campo de Cartagena (Murcia), Spain, under a non-heated polyethylene plastic-house.
Two repetitions were carried out; one of them was irrigated with sweet water, of 750 μ mhos/cm classified as C2–S1 and the other one with well water of 3076 μ mhos/cm classified as C4–S2.

Saline water irrigation produced a 42 % average production decrease which was highly significative for all the studied genotypes, although the effects were slightly minor on the lines than on the hybrids.
The two production components, average fruit weight and fruit number were not equally intense for production reduction; whilst saline water produced a 33 % decrease on average fruit weight, fruit number only suffered a 12 % reduction.
Interactions were detected for fruit weight between irrigation system and genotypes.
The use of saline water reduced the percentage of hollow fruits from 6 % to 0 % as well as fruit vascular necrosis from 18 % to 2 %. On the contrary, the incidence of blossom-end rot increased, particularly on two of the hybrids.
Saline irrigation also affected the plants vegetative development, reducing their height, their vigour and their stem thickness.

Symposium on Protected Cultivation of Solanacea in Mild Winter Climates

J. Costa, J. Cuartero, M.J. Díez, F. Nuez, G. Palomares

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1986.191.10