EFFECTS OF TWO NUTRIENT SOLUTIONS AT DIFFERENT CONDUCTIVITIES ON SOME GROWTH PARAMETERS OF TOMATO PLANTS

An experiment was carried out with tomato plants planted in small volume tray containers filled with rockwool slabs.
Lucy variety was employed.
Seedlings were raised in perlite until second true leaf and thereafter transferred to rockwool cubes.
At anthesis, plants were moved to the final growing position on rockwool slabs.
Two basic nutrient solutions were used – Cooper and Plantan.
The major difference between them was the applied nitrogen forms.
Cooper contained only nitrate while in Plantan ammonium dominated over nitrate nitrogen.
Each solution was modified into six concentrations, ranging from 1 to 3.5 mS.cm.
It was determined that, independent of nutrient concentrations, overall performance of plants was better in Cooper solution.
Plantan caused reduction in stem and leaf growth.
Leaves were smaller with marginal scorches and necrotic brown spots between veins.
Stems were also affected by necrosis.
Some fruits developed blossom end rot.
These plants gave considerably lower yield compared to those fed by Cooper solution and that was much pronounced with higher concentrations and advancement of growing season.

I Balkan Symposium On Vegetables and Potatoes

K. Miliev

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1997.462.97