Interactive Influences of Salinity Stress and Leaf Thinning on the Growth, Yield, Water use Efficiency, and Fruit Quality of Cherry Tomatoes

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis research has experimentally investigated the interactive influences of salinity stress and leaf thinning on the growth, yield, water use efficiency, and fruit quality of cherry tomatoes cultivated under soilless conditions. The experiment was conducted in a plastic house (width of 5 m and length of 11 m) located in Gifu University. The seedlings were transplanted in a randomized complete block design with six plants per treatment, and a total of 36 plants in 18 pots (two plants per pot). The experiment received salinity treatment (no-salinity and salinity with electrical conductivity (EC) of 0.8 dS m−1 and 3.0 dS m−1, respectively) and leaf thinning treatment (no leaf thinning, basal leaf thinning and intersegment leaf thinning except the closest two). The experimental results showed that salinity stress negatively affected the growth, yield, marketable yield and water use efficiency of cherry tomatoes, but positively affected the fruit quality. Basal leaf removal significantly decreased the biomass, chlorophyll, and yield but significantly improved the fruit quality; that basal leaf removal coupled with salinity stress showed no influence on plant growth, but reduced the yield and greatly improved the fruit quality. Besides, tender leaves around truss removal significantly decreased the biomass, chlorophyll, yield, and water consumption, but improved the fruit quality; that tender leaves around truss removal coupled with salinity stress greatly decreased the biomass, chlorophyll, yield, and water consumption, but significantly improved the fruit quality.