Abstract
Vegetable production requires high nutrient input for ensuring high quality and high yield. As this is ecologically disadvantageous, it is necessary to determine if nitrogen (N) fertilization can be reduced without negative effects on productivity. For quality reasons, the effects of reduced N supply on taste, valuable compounds and storage life must be elucidated in parallel. This study examines whether reducing the N supply of cocktail tomatoes by 50% to recommendations affects the yield and quality of tomato fruits. Three varieties with different skin colors, yellow-orange (‘Apresa’), red (‘Delioso’) and brown (‘Bombonera’), were grown in soil in a greenhouse and harvested at the red-ripen stage. Quality parameters were assessed at harvest and after eight-day storage. Total yield decreased exclusively with ‘Bombonera’ due to reduced fruit weight. Firmness of the fruit pulp, concentrations of minerals, soluble solid contents, total acidity, total phenolics and liposoluble pigments of fruits were not influenced. However, storage affected chemical compositions positively, as shown by increased antioxidants. Descriptive sensory analyses revealed no impact of reduced N supply. From the perspective of the yield, quality and shelf life of fruits, reducing the N supply by 50% offers opportunities for the three cocktail tomato varieties in soil cultivation.
Highlights
IntroductionPublisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations
A a sub-optimal nitrogen supply is known to alter the metabolism of plants and thereby sub-optimal nitrogen supply is known to alter the metabolism of plants and thereby their their allocation of resources
In order to achieve achieve environmentally sound fertilization while maintaining yield and quality, this environmentally sound fertilization while maintaining yield and quality, this experiment experiment examined for tomato crops, cultivated in soil in a greenhouse, whether this examined for tomato crops, cultivated in soil in a greenhouse, whether this balance could balance could be achieved by reducing the N supply by 50% at the onset of fruit ripening
Summary
Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Nitrogen (N) is the most important mineral element for plants and, as a constituent of amino acids and proteins, often limiting for their growth processes [1]. In the context of plant production, N influences the appearance and internal quality of plant products, their yield and their shelf life. The supply of N is decisive for the quality of food crops; the application of fertilizer in crop cultivation is essential for profitable plant production
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