The Effect of EC Levels of Nutrient Solution on the Growth, Yield, and Quality of Tomatoes (Solanum Lycopersicum) under the Hydroponic System

Abstract

The objective of this research was to investigate the effect of EC (electric conductivity) levels of nutrient solution on the growth and yield of tomatoes under the hydroponic system. This research was conducted in a plastic house on the experimental farm of Lampung University, Lampung in Indonesia from April to July 2009. The EC treatments to nutrient solutions were S1 (1 dSm-1), S2 (2 dSm-1), S3 (3 dSm-1), S4 (4 dSm-1), and S5 (5 dSm-1) arranged in a completely randomized design with four replications. The results showed that the highest yield was under S3 (120.8 g/plant), followed by S2 (96.6 g/plant), S1 (89.7 g/plant), S4 (88.4 g/plant), and S5 (75.5 g/plant). The yields of tomato responded to EC levels of nutrient solution in the two ranges of lower and higher EC than 3 dSm-1. The yield increased as EC of nutrient solution increased from 0 to 3 dSm-1 probably, due to increase of nutrients. On the other hand, the yield decreased as the EC of nutrient solution increased from 3 to 5 dSm-1 probably, due to increase of water stress. So, it can be concluded that the salinity threshold of the tomatoes was 3 dSm-1. On the other hand, the highest SSC (soluble solid content) was recorded under S5 (7.34 brix), followed by S4 (6.93 brix), S3 (6.44 brix), S2 (6.26 brix), and S1 (6.11 brix). It means that the S5 treatment was the best quality. Among the range of treatments, treatment S3 (3 dSm-1) gave the highest yield, but lower SSC than S4 (4 dmS-1) and S5 (5 dSm-1).