EFFECT OF WATER AND SUBSTRATE CULTURE ON FRUIT QUALITY OF TOMATOES GROWN IN GREENHOUSES

The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of hydroponic and substrate types of soilless culture on fruit quality of the tomato variety “Gökçe 191 F₁” grown under greenhouse conditions during 1996–1997. Flowing water culture (F.W.C.), a type of water culture, was provided using 6 meter long PVC pipes having a diameter of 16 cm.
Pots filled with peat-perlite in a ratio of 3:1 and pumice were used as types of substrate culture.
Quality characteristics like average fruit weight, average fruit diameter, 1st, 2nd, 3rd grade fruit yield, total soluble solids (TSS), titratable acidity (TA), pH, and EC of the juice were determined.
Fruits were also examined for colour, vitamin C content, fruit flesh firmness and dry matter content.

The results obtained indicated that yield, TSS, EC value of juice, vitamin C and dry matter contents were higher in substrate culture compared to flowing water culture while higher fruit weight was recorded in flowing water culture.
First grade fruit yield and pH of fruit juice was highest in fruit grown by the water flowing culture system, which was followed by peat-perlite and pumice culture.

International Symposium Greenhouse Management for Better Yield & Quality in Mild Winter Climates

F. Sen, A. Sevgican

Greenhouse, tomatoes, quality, substrate culture, water culture

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1999.491.53