Grafted Tomatoes Removed More Soil Phosphorus than Nongrafted Tomatoes under High-phosphorus Conditions

Abstract

Nonpoint-source phosphorus (P) from agricultural fields is a contaminant of surface waters, and high soil P fertility exacerbates this problem. Many vegetable growers and gardeners have a history of applying more P than is necessary for optimum plant growth. Avoiding unnecessary P applications is an important part of the long-term solution to reducing P loading in water. When soil P levels are very high, management practices that result in more intense P removal are recommended to reduce these levels and the potential for aquatic ecosystem contamination with P. Growers may apply soluble starter fertilizer containing P to encourage rapid transplant establishment; however, the effectiveness of this practice is unknown for soil P levels considered high or very high. Grafting tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) onto vigorous rootstocks may help the plant remove more P from the soil than nongrafted plants. This study investigated the effects of organic starter P fertilizers applied to three hybrids of nongrafted tomato and the same hybrids grafted onto ‘Estamino’ rootstock in field-grown conditions during three site-years with high preplant P fertility. The yield, fruit P concentration, and amount of P removed from the field were measured to elucidate starter P and grafting impacts on P removal. Starter P was not impactful on all responses. Grafting increased the total yield by 11.6%, fruit P concentration in a genotype-dependent manner (average of 12.6%), and net P removal from the field by 28.4% (6.0 kg P/ha). Net P removal was positively correlated with the total yield (r = 0.821) and fruit P concentration (r = 0.502), suggesting that practices to increase the yield or P concentration independently increase net P removal.