Abstract
ABSTRACT Agricultural production has become a challenge in arid and semi-arid regions due to the scarcity of water for irrigation, so brackish water is commonly used. The present study aimed to evaluate the physiological and production responses of cherry tomato cultivars under salinity levels of the nutrient solution in a hydroponic system. The experiment was conducted in a split plot and 5 × 3 factorial scheme with four repetitions. The factors corresponded to different values of electrical conductivity of the nutrient solution (ECns 2.5, 4.0, 5.5, 7.0 and 8.5 dS m-1) and cultivars (Samambaia, Tomate Vermelho and Caroline). The increase in nutrient solution salinity negatively affected the gas exchange, electrolyte leakage and photosynthetic pigments of the cherry tomato cultivars, mainly with the prolongation of stress. The photosynthetic system was efficient up to 4.0 dS m-1, but, above this electrical conductivity in the nutrient solution, there was photoinhibition or photodamage in the cherry tomato plants at 30 days after transplanting. The cherry tomato cultivars Samambaia and Caroline were the most adapted to brackish solutions, while Tomate Vermelho was the most susceptible.
Highlights
Brazil occupies the 9th place globally in tomato production, with 3.91 million tons per year and, among the Brazilian states, Paraíba occupies the 13th place with a production of 13.7 thousand tons (IBGE, 2017)
The present study aimed to evaluate the physiological and production responses of cherry tomato cultivars under salinity levels of the nutrient solution in a hydroponic system
The factors corresponded to different values of electrical conductivity of the nutrient solution (ECns 2.5, 4.0, 5.5, 7.0 and 8.5 dS m-1) and cultivars (Samambaia, Tomate Vermelho and Caroline)
Summary
Brazil occupies the 9th place globally in tomato production, with 3.91 million tons per year and, among the Brazilian states, Paraíba occupies the 13th place with a production of 13.7 thousand tons (IBGE, 2017). In Brazil, the quality of water used in irrigation has been one of the most limiting factors for tomato production, especially in the semi-arid region, where most springs have high salt concentrations In this region, water salinity is highly variable and can reach electrical conductivity, for example, of 4.78 dS m-1 (Medeiros et al, 2017), which causes serious damage to the crop, which is considered moderately sensitive to water salinity, with a threshold of 2.5 dS m-1 (Ayers & Westcot, 1999). Water salinity is highly variable and can reach electrical conductivity, for example, of 4.78 dS m-1 (Medeiros et al, 2017), which causes serious damage to the crop, which is considered moderately sensitive to water salinity, with a threshold of 2.5 dS m-1 (Ayers & Westcot, 1999) This threshold value depends on the cultivar and on the management strategies used (Silva et al, 2018)
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