| Summary: | The study sought to identify the effects of deficit irrigation on the yield and quality of tomatoes. A greenhouse experiment was conducted during the summer of 1999 and repeated in winter 2000 using nine treatments. Two threshold soil moisture deficit levels, 65% and 80% depletion of plant available water, were factorially combined with 5 irrigation timing patterns: (i) no water stress (ii) stress throughout season, (iii) stress during flowering and fruit set, (iv) stress during fruit growth and (v) stress during fruit ripening. The treatments were set up in a randomized complete block design with 4 replicates. Crop yields, maximum and minimum equatorial diameter and fruit heights were measured. The quality parameters included: soluble solids, pH and the color index. Water stress throughout the growing season significantly reduced yield and fruit size but increased the level of soluble solids. No water stress throughout the growing season or stress only during the flowering stage provided highest tomato yield.
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