Abstract

`Equinox' tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) were grown during the springs of 2001 and 2002 with black polyethylene-mulch and drip irrigation on an Arredondo fine sand in Gainesville, Fla., to study the influence of water quantity, Ca source, and reduced K on incidence of blossom-end rot (BER), marketable fruit yield, and fruit and leaf Ca concentration. Tensiometers were used to schedule irrigation in main plots when the soil matric potential reached 10 or 25 kPa. Subplot nutritional treatments were no added Ca, Ca(NO3)2, Ca thiosulfate, CaCl2, CaSO4, and K rate reduced by 50%. Interactions between year and treatment were significant. During 2001, total marketable yields were higher with Ca(NO3)2 or CaCl2 compared to plants that received Ca thiosulfate and were higher from plants irrigated at 10 kPa than irrigated at 25 kPa. Number and weight of BER fruit were lower with Ca(NO3)2 and reduced K than with no added Ca and CaSO4. Leaf and fruit Ca concentrations were generally higher with Ca(NO3)2 compared to all other nutritional treatments. Leaf and fruit Ca concentrations were generally higher from plants irrigated at 10 kPa than at 25 kPa. The reduction of NH4+-N, by the supply of N as NO3-, and the addition of supplemental Ca reduced the incidence of BER, and increased the leaf and fruit Ca concentrations. During 2002, marketable yields were higher with CaSO4 than with CaCl2 and reduced K. Weight and number of BER fruit were lower with irrigation at 10 kPa than at 25 kPa. Leaf and fruit Ca concentrations were higher or similar from plants that received Ca(NO3)2 than with all other nutritional treatments. During the 2002 season, rainfall was less and temperatures and daily evapotranspiration (ET) were higher than in the 2001 season. In the 2002 season, 3.28 × 106 L·ha-1 of irrigation was applied as compared to 1.58 × 106 L·ha-1 in 2001. With an average Ca concentration of 76 mg·L-1 in the irrigation water, much more Ca was applied during the higher ET 2002 season. With the higher transpiration and temperature, water uptake and hence, Ca uptake were increased. During both seasons, the lowest Ca concentration was observed at the blossom end of the fruit and the highest Ca at the stem end of the fruit. Fruit Ca concentrations were lower and BER was 5 times higher in the lower ET, higher rainfall (lower irrigation) 2001 season compared to the higher ET, lower rainfall (higher irrigation) 2002 season. These data support that BER was a symptom of Ca deficiency and this deficiency was aggravated by high rainfall, low ET, and the resulting reduced irrigation applied and reduced Ca uptake.

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