The effect of deficit irrigation on yield and yield components of greenhouse tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) in hydroponic culture in Ahvaz region, Iran

Abstract

This study was carried out at the greenhouse complex of the Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Iran in 2017. In this research, the effect of regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) and partial root zone drying (PRD) methods on tomato in hydroponics culture was investigated. The treatments consisted of five treatments, RDI irrigation at 85 and 70% of plant water requirement and PRD irrigation at 85 and 70% of the water requirement of the plant, and control treatment was carried out in a completely randomized design with four replications. The results showed that different irrigation methods and levels did not significantly differentiate plant components until the fruiting stage, and after the fruiting stage, different levels and different irrigation methods were determined. Accordingly, different levels and methods of deficit irrigation were applied to weight of fresh and dry leaf, leaf area, leaf area index (LAI), specific leaf area (SLA), leaf area ratio (LAR), biomass weight and harvest index (HI) Did not have any significant effect but on dry weight biomass, fruit weight, number of fruits, water use efficiency (WUE) and water use efficiency biomass (WUEB) have significantly effect. The highest fruit weight and water use efficiency were observed in PRD85 treatment and their least level was observed in PRD70 treatment. According to the results, deficit irrigation with partial root zone drying in 85% of the water requirement of the plant (PRD85) was selected as the best method for hydroponic cultivation of tomato.