Effects of pruning and nutrition on growth and yield of hydroponic tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill)

• Main Author: Fulton, Craig Mark
• Other Authors: Kempen, Estelle
• Format: Others
• Language: en_ZA
• Published: Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University 2011
• Subjects: Dissertations > Agronomy; Theses > Agronomy; Tomatoes > Pruning; Hydroponics; Tomatoes > Nutrition; Lycopersicon esculentum Mill; Tomatoes > Yields
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/17940

Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. === ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The potential importance of soilless production, particularly in tomatoes, in an increasingly water scarce South Africa prompts a need for research under local conditions. In soilless production systems the application and availability of nutrients is closely linked to that of water, necessitating the research of methods to increase water and fertiliser use efficiency in soilless production systems, while diminishing environmental pollution and maintaining, or ultimately improving, tomato yield and quality. Poor management of hydroponic fertigation water results in pollution, and wastes precious water and expensive fertiliser. Pruning is an important cultural practise for ensuring high productivity of hydroponic tomatoes. Adapting pruning practises to climatic conditions could be a cheap and effective manner to improve productivity without increasing inputs. Improving water and fertiliser use efficiency is crucial to ensuring sustainable production of intensive crops, such as the tomato. Three experiments were carried out to investigate the effects of pruning and fertilisation on growth and yield and water and fertiliser use efficiency of hydroponic tomatoes. In the first experiment the effect of EC (electrical conductivity), irrigation frequency and growing media on water use, nutrient uptake, yield and quality of greenhouse tomato was examined. A factorial design with split plots was used. Two EC treatments (1 and 2 mS.cm-1) in factorial arrangement with 3 irrigation treatments (5x, 10x, 20x) were applied to the main plots. Plants grown in different growing media (coir, sand, sawdust) represented the split plots. Plants grown at EC 1 mS.cm-1 were still able to uptake sufficient nutrients to achieve leaf nutrient contents associated with optimal production. Also, increasing the absolute nutrient concentration had a small effect on nutrient uptake. The organic media, coir and sawdust, reduced available N early in the tomato crop life, and tomatoes grown in coir had reduced Ca uptake compared to plants grown in sand and sawdust. Coir grown plants used more water compared to sand and sawdust grown plants. Plants grown at EC 1 mS.cm-1 used less water compared to plants grown at EC 2 mS.cm-1. Tomatoes grown at an EC 1 mS.cm-1 did not differ significantly from higher EC plants in terms of marketable and green fruit yield. Plants cultivated at the lower EC had significantly lower percentage soluble solids content (Brix) compared to the higher EC treatment. The second experiment examined the effect of leaf and fruit pruning on fruit size, total yield and marketable yield of tomatoes. Plants were grown using the high wire system and pruned to two stems. Three different leaf pruning treatments were applied: no leaf pruning, pruning every 2nd young leaf after 1m plant height, and pruning every 2nd young leaf after 2m plant height. Two fruit pruning treatments were also applied: no fruit pruning and trusses pruned to 4 fruits. The experiment used a factorial design. Leaf pruning treatments had no effect and this was probably due to too late a removal of young leaves. Fruit pruning resulted in no significant difference between treatments in terms of marketable yield. Plants with unpruned trusses did have a significantly higher total yield, higher early yield, lower average marketable fruit weight, and higher yield of unmarketable fruit (particularly small fruit compared to the pruned treatment). From these results it can be concluded that fruit pruning isn’t necessary on short tomato crops but this may be different over a longer cropping cycle. The third experiment determined the combined effects of different EC and stem pruning practices on nutrition, growth and early yield of hydroponically grown tomatoes in coir. A factorial design was used, with two EC treatments (1 and 2 mS.cm-1) in factorial arrangement with 2 stem pruning treatments (single and double). Stem pruning had little effect on plant growth but did alter plant development. Plants pruned to two stems produced significantly more trusses, but did not produce a significantly higher DM or leaf area compared to single stem plants. Stem pruning’s major effect appears to be influencing fruit load; this may in the long term result in differences in plant growth and nutrition. EC 1 mS.cm-1 plants produced significantly lower leaf area and organ dry masses but had a significantly higher marketable yield compared to EC 2 mS.cm-1 plants. Over fertilisation in young tomatoes can negatively impact on early yield, whereas lower fertiliser application in early tomato growth improves early yield but limits canopy development which may limit plant productivity in the long term. These differences in growth are believed to be primarily related to differences in N and P nutrition. === AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die potensiële belang van grondlose produksietegnieke, veral by tamaties, in Suid-Afrika wat toenemend meer water skaars raak, motiveer dat navorsing onder plaaslike toestande gedoen moet word. By grondlose produksie stelsels word die toediening en die beskikbaarheid van voedingstowwe nou gekoppel aan dié van water. Navorsing rakende metodes wat water en kunsmis gebruiks doeltreffendheid sal verhoog en terselfdertyd besoedeling van die omgewing voorkom asook die opbrengste en kwaliteit van tamaties behou of verbeter is dus van uiterste belang. Swak bestuur van bemesting in hidroponiese stelsels gee aanleiding tot water besoedeling en vermorsing van kosbare water en duur kunsmis. Snoei is 'n belangrike kulturele praktyk om hoë produktiwiteit by hidroponiese tamaties te verseker. Die aanpassing van snoei praktyke by klimaatstoestande is 'n goedkoop en doeltreffende manier om produktiwiteit te verbeter sonder om insette te verhoog. Die verbetering van water en kunsmis gebruiks doeltreffendheid is dus noodsaaklik om te verseker dat intensiewe gewasse, soos tamaties, volhoubaar geproduseer word. Drie eksperimente is uitgevoer om die effek van snoei en bemesting op die groei, opbrengs en water en kunsmis gebruiks doeltreffendheid van hidroponiese tamaties te ondersoek. In die eerste eksperiment is die effek van die EG, besproeiings frekwensie en groeimedium op die water gebruik, voedingstofopname, opbrengs en kwaliteit van tamaties ondersoek. 'n Faktoriaal ontwerp met gesplete plotte is gebruik. Twee EG behandelings (1 en 2 mS.cm-1), 3 besproeiings behandelings (5x, 10x, 20x per dag) en 3 groei media (kokos, sand, saagsels) is ondersoek. Selfs by ‘n EG van 1 mS.cm-1 was die voedingstof opname van plante vergelykbaar met waardes wat geassosieer word met blaar ‘n voedingstof inhoud wat voorgeskryf vir optimale produksie. die verhoging van die absolute voedingstof konsentrasie het ook 'n klein uitwerking op voedingstofopname gehad. In die organiese media - kokos en saagsels – het die beskikbare N vroeg in die seisoen verminder, en die tamaties wat in kokos gegroei het, het ook ‘n verminderde Ca opname getoon in vergelyking met die plante wat in sand en saagsels gegroei het. Die plate wat in kokos gegroei het, het meer water gebruik in vergelyking met plante wat in sand en saagsels gegroei het. Plante besproei met ‘n voedingsoplossing van 1 mS.cm-1 EG het minder water gebruik as die plante wat besproei met ‘n voedingsolossing by ‘n EG van 2 mS.cm-1. Tamaties wat gekweek word by 'n EG van 1 mS.cm-1 het nie beduidend verskil van hoër EG plante in terme van bemarkbare en groen vrugte nie. Plante wat gekweek is by die laer EG het ‘n aansienlike laer persentasie oplosbare vastestof inhoud (Brix) in vergelyking met die hoër EG-behandeling gehad. Die tweede eksperiment het die effek van blaar- en vrug snoei op die vruggrootte, totale opbrengs en bemarkbare opbrengs van tamaties ondersoek. Plante is vertikaal opgelei tot by die horisontale draad en na twee stamme gesnoei. Drie verskillende blaar snoei behandelings is toegepas: geen blaar snoei, snoei elke 2de jong blaar na 1m plant hoogte en snoei van elke 2de jong blaar na 2m plant hoogte. Twee vrug snoei behandelings is ook toegepas: geen vrugte gesnoei en trosse gesnoei tot 4 vrugte. ‘n Faktoriale ontwerp is vir hierdie eksperiment gebruik. Blaar snoei behandelings het geen effek gehad nie, waarskynlik omdat die jong blare te laat verwyder was. Met die vrug snoei behandelings was daar geen beduidende verskil tussen die behandelings in terme van bemarkbare opbrengs nie. Plante waarvan die trosse nie gesnoei was nie het 'n aansienlik hoër totale opbrengs gelewer, asook ‘n hoër vroeë opbrengs maar ‘n laer gemiddelde bemarkbare vrug massa en ‘n hoër persentasie onbemarkbare vrugte (baie klein vrugte in vergelyking met die gesnoeide behandeling). Vanuit hierdie resultate kan daar afgelei word dat vrug snoei nie nodig is tydens ‘n kort groeiperiode vir tamaties nie, alhoewel dit wel ‘n rol mag speel gedurende ‘n langer groeiperiode. Met die derde eksperiment is die gekombineerde effek van verskillende EG en stam snoei praktyke op voeding, groei en vroeë opbrengs van hidroponies verboude tamaties bepaal. 'n faktoriale ontwerp is gebruik, met twee EG behandelings (1 en 2 mS.cm-1) en 2 stam snoei behandelings (enkel en dubbel). Stam snoei het ‘n geringe uitwerking op die groei van die plant gehad, maar het wel die ontwikkeling van plante verander. Plante gesnoei na twee stamme het aansienlik meer trosse gehad, maar nie 'n hoër DM of blaar oppervlak as die enkele stam plante nie. Stam snoei se grootste effek blyk te wees op die aantal vrugte per plant en dit kan op die lang termyn lei tot verskille in die groei van plante en hul voeding. EG 1 mS.cm-1 plante het ‘n aansienlik laer blaaroppervlakte en droë massas geproduseer, maar het 'n aansienlik hoër bemarkbare opbrengs in vergelyking met EG 2 mS.cm-1 plante gelewer. Oorbemesting kan 'n negatiewe impak op die vroeë opbrengste van tamaties hê, terwyl laer bemesting in die vroeë stadiums van groei vroeë opbrengs bevoordeel maar blaaroppervlak ontwikkeling beperk wat dan ook produktiwiteit beperk in die lang termyn. Hierdie verskille in groei word hoofsaaklik toegeskryf aan verskille in die N-en P-voeding.