Journal of Agriculture
and Environmental Sciences

Development of Tomato on Different Substrates and Irrigation Volumes Undershade House Conditions
Alejandro Moreno-Reséndez, Víctor Martínez-de-Vicente, César Márquez-Quiroz, José Luis Reyes-Carrillo, José Luis Puente-Manríquez, Norma Rodríguez-Dimas, Cándido Márquez-Hernández

Abstract
The development of tomato saladette was evaluated in different substrates of vermicompost:perlite [VC:P (v:v), with ratios 1:1; 1:2; 1:3 and 1:4] and different volumes of irrigation, under shade net conditions. In substrates three volumes of water were applied: daily watering with 0.50 and 0.75 L and watering every other day with 0.75 L. Seeds were sown 24/02/2013 in polyestyrene trays with 200 cavities, padded with Peat moss: seedlings were transplanted 56 days after sowing in 18 L black plastic bags and placed in a line to double array and “tresbolillo” arrangement at 5.3 pots•m-2. From the interaction among watering volumes and substrates 12 treatments were generated, each with four replicates. The evaluated variables were soluble solids content, polar and equatorial diameters, pulp thickness, number of locules, fruit weight and yield. The experimental design was split-plots in a randomized block design with watering volumes as a large plot and substrates as a small plot. Data were statistically analyzed by ANOVA and means were separated by the LSD0.05 test. The outstanding results for polar and equatorial diameters, fruit weight and yield were registered in T7, with 5.56 and 3.81 cm, 44.58 g and 1.703 kg•pot-1, respectively.The VC was able to retain moisture and satisfy the nutrient demand of tomato without applying synthetic fertilizers

Full Text: PDF     DOI: 10.15640/jaes.v4n2a14