Greenhouse Tomato Cultivation Research Articles

Rule-based year-round model predictive control of greenhouse tomato cultivation: A simulation study

Rule-based year-round model predictive control of greenhouse tomato cultivation: A simulation study

Duration, not timing during the photoperiod, of far-red application determines the yield increase in tomato

Supplementary far-red light may increase fruit yield in greenhouse tomato cultivation. Apart from end-of-day applications, research has focussed on the effects of far-red light during the entire photoperiod, while few studies focused on the timing of far-red application. In this study, we assessed the impact of timing and duration of far-red application on fruit yield and quality in a high-wire tomato crop. Two commercial tomato cultivars were grown under 226 μmol m−2 s−1 of red and white supplementary LED lighting. Far-red light (63 μmol m−2 s−1) was additionally supplied during either the first or the second half of the photoperiod. These treatments were compared to a negative control, where no far-red light was supplied, and a positive control, where far-red light was supplied during the whole photoperiod. A yield component analysis was conducted to identify the parameters responsible for changes in fruit yield. We determined that fruit yield, total fruit dry weight and fruit production per unit of supplementary PAR light (400–700 nm) increased linearly with the duration of far-red application. Fruit yield was increased to a similar extent whether far-red was supplemented in the first or in the second half of the photoperiod. While different light treatments included 0, 14, or 28 % far-red in their cumulative supplementary photon flux density, there were no significant differences in their fruit production per unit of supplementary radiation (400–800 nm). Supplementary far-red increased fruit dry weight per unit of cultivation area by 23 % to 25 % as a result of increasing both plant dry weight (10 % to 12 %) and dry weight partitioning to the fruits (10 % to 14 %). The increase in fruit yield was less than the corresponding increase in total fruit dry weight due to a simultaneous increase in fruit dry matter content. Total soluble solids and pH of the fruits were hardly affected by far-red application. We concluded that supplementary far-red increased tomato fruit yield without compromising fruit quality, with this increase being determined by the duration of far-red application, not by its timing during the photoperiod.

Evaluation of the green lacewing, Mallada signatus as a biological control agent for the invasive tomato potato psyllid, Bactericera cockerelli

Evaluation of the green lacewing, <i>Mallada signatus</i> as a biological control agent for the invasive tomato potato psyllid, <i>Bactericera cockerelli</i>

A Study of Irrigation Management in Smart Farming and IoT for Greenhouse Tomato Production

In this study of the relevant literature, we look at the development of smart farming and precision agriculture in greenhouse tomato cultivation, paying particular attention to the role that the Internet of Things (IoT) and automated irrigation systems have played thus far. Five terms were used to compile this literature review: automated watering systems, greenhouses, the Internet of Things, tomatoes, and smart farming. This article summarizes recent advancements in smart farming tech, their impact on greenhouse tomato farming, and their potential to boost future crop yield and quality. The evaluation starts by introducing 'smart farming' and its significance in agriculture, followed by a review of the greenhouse sector and an overview of the Internet of Things (IoT) within it, with subsequent examination of the pros and cons of employing smart farming and IoT in greenhouse tomato cultivation through specific industry technology examples. The following overview section discusses the benefits of cultivating tomatoes in a smart greenhouse, techniques for achieving optimal results in greenhouse tomato farming, and includes case studies to demonstrate the advantages of automated irrigation for smart greenhouse tomato cultivation, while this literature review analyzes the current state of innovative farming technology and its effect on greenhouse tomato cultivation, covering smart farming, greenhouse cultivation, the Internet of Things, tomato cultivation, and automated irrigation, summarizing significant results and recommendations for future research, including promising increases in crop yield and quality.

Greenhouse tomato farmers' knowledge, perceptions, and management of tomato bacterial wilt (Ralstonia solanacearum) disease

A major constraint to tomato cultivation is bacterial wilt disease. The use of greenhouses to cultivate tomato is vital to controlling the bacterial wilt disease. Bacterial wilt can be successfully managed when farmers are well-informed with better knowledge of bacterial wilt in tomatoes. This study was conducted to assess farmers’ knowledge and experiences on the cultivation practices, prevalence, detection, spread, and control of bacterial wilt disease in tomato in greenhouses in the Volta, Eastern, Central, and Greater Accra regions of Ghana. Questionnaires were administered for fifty (50) greenhouse farmers, purposefully selected using a database of greenhouse tomato producers in southern Ghana provided by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA). Frequency data was analyzed using descriptive statistical analysis. The majority (86%) of respondents had formal education. Most of the greenhouses in operation were in the Greater Accra Region, and none was under cultivation in the Volta region at the time of the study. Most respondents have been involved in greenhouse tomato cultivation for barely three years. The frequency of greenhouse tomatoes production varied from one region to the other. Only 28% of greenhouse farmers knew the test to detect the disease with 64% of greenhouse farmers without any knowledge about how the disease spreads. 62% of respondents used roughing and burying of the infected plants to control the disease. Out of the 54 greenhouses (domes) surveyed, 12 were infected with the bacterial wilt disease. Greenhouse farmers had little knowledge on the spread, detection, and control of the bacterial wilt disease of tomato. The findings of this study would lead to the design of targeted training programs on cultivation practices, detection, spread and management of bacterial wilt of tomato to increase yield and boost income levels of greenhouse tomato farmers in Ghana. Key words: bacterial wilt, tomatoes, spread, detection, control, greenhouse, farmers, constraints

Effects of Soluble Organic Fertilizer Combined with Inorganic Fertilizer on Greenhouse Tomatoes with Different Irrigation Techniques

A reasonable fertilization rate and appropriate irrigation technology can lead to the green development of greenhouse tomatoes. The purpose of this study was to explore suitable irrigation technology for greenhouse tomatoes and the appropriate application rate of the soluble organic fertilizer and inorganic fertilizer combination. In 2021 and 2022, the effects of different irrigation techniques and fertilization treatments on tomato plant growth, fruit quality, yield, and efficiency were studied. The irrigation techniques in this study were drip and Moistube irrigation, and there were seven types of fertilization treatment, namely, no fertilization treatment (CK); low-volume (T1, 330 kg/hm2), medium-volume (T2, 660 kg/hm2), and high-volume inorganic fertilizer treatments (T3, 990 kg/hm2); and three inorganic fertilizer treatments of low-volume inorganic fertilizer (T1, 330 kg/hm2) combined with low-volume (F1, T1 + 75 kg/hm2), medium-volume (F2, T1 + 225 kg/hm2), and high-volume (F3, T1 + 375 kg/hm2) organic fertilizer. A total of 14 experimental treatments were implemented for irrigation and fertilization. The results of the two-year experiment show that the growth effect on the height, stem diameter, and leaf area index of tomato plants was the best using the treatment of low-concentration inorganic fertilizer combined with medium-concentration organic fertilizer with Moistube irrigation and drip irrigation. Using the two irrigation methods, the application of soluble organic fertilizer increased the yield and improved the fruit quality of the tomato. The maximum yield increased by 28.52%, the soluble sugar content increased by 14.49%, the vitamin C content increased by 45.04%, and the lycopene increased by 18.79%. The entropy-weight TOPSIS model was used to comprehensively evaluate 14 evaluation objects with different irrigation methods and fertilization treatments. The results of the two-year experiment show that the best fertilization treatment under Moistube irrigation and drip irrigation conditions was low-concentration inorganic fertilizer combined with medium-concentration soluble organic fertilizer, which was combined with the best fertilization treatment, and the most suitable irrigation method for greenhouse tomato cultivation in the Loess Plateau was Moistube irrigation. The results of this study also provide practical experience and theoretical support for adaptive irrigation and the integrated management of water and fertilizer.

Impact of "3414" fertilization on the yield and quality of greenhouse tomatoes.

This study aimed to explore the effects of different nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium ratios on the yield and nutritional quality of greenhouse tomatoes under a water and fertilizer integration model. Greenhouse tomatoes were used as the research object, and the "3414" fertilizer trial design was employed to assess tomato growth, yield, quality, and soil indicators across various treatment combinations. The goal was to determine the optimal fertilization scheme and recommend appropriate fertilizer quantities for tomato cultivation and production. The results revealed that different fertilizer ratios significantly affected both the quality and yield of tomatoes. Overall, the tomato yield tended to increase with higher fertilization amounts, with potassium exhibiting the most pronounced effect on yield increase, followed by phosphorus and nitrogen. The comprehensive analysis of principal components indicated that the N2P2K1 treatment yielded the highest nutritional quality and yield. Therefore, the best fertilization combination identified in this study consisted of nitrogen fertilizer at 197.28 kg hm-2, phosphorus fertilizer at 88.75 kg hm-2, and potassium fertilizer at 229.80 kg hm-2. These findings provided the scientific basis for optimizing fertilization practices in greenhouse tomato cultivation and production in the Jilin Province.

Modelling the response of tomato on deficit irrigation under greenhouse conditions

To optimize crops irrigation strategy is crucial to improve the production sustainability in a climate change scenario characterized by an ever-increasing water shortage. Crops simulation models, combined with experimental data, can be useful tools. AquaCrop, a crop water productivity model, has been widely used to reach this aim in open field condition but it has been limited adopted under greenhouse conditions. This study aims to calibrate and validate AquaCrop model through a greenhouse tomato cultivation using a split plot experimental design. Crop irrigation management was the main treatment [full irrigation (FI) at 100 % crop evapotranspiration (ETc) vs. deficit irrigation (DI) at 75 % of FI] and fertilization [no fertilization, mineral fertilization, organic fertilization with compost, and organic fertilization with sieved (< 2 mm) compost] the subplots. Fresh yield, above-ground biomass, water productivity, and net irrigation requirements were simulated. The validated model also permitted to evaluate the impacts of changing temperature outside the greenhouse on fruits yield, biomass, and water productivity using 30 years of historical weather data. The results showed that the model accurately estimated crop parameters, although it tended to overestimate soil water content. On average, DI reduced fruit yield by 14.1 % compared to FI. Over the last 30 years, the validated model permitted to calculate an average fruits yield reduction due to DI of 12.6 %. Our findings suggest that models like AquaCrop can assist in optimizing greenhouse agriculture by predicting crop performance under different conditions. Our study also highlights that external temperature and AquaCrop can be used to estimate tomato yields in the greenhouse by providing decision support tools for end-users (farmers, farmer associations, and policymakers) seeking sustainable and efficient greenhouse farming practices in a changing climate.

The joint application of biochar and nitrogen enhances fruit yield, quality and water-nitrogen productivity of water-stressed greenhouse tomato under drip fertigation

The biochar application has been reported to have a positive effect on crop yield and nutrient utilization. However, the effects of the joint application of biochar and nitrogen (N) on soil physical properties, fruit yield, quality, crop water productivity (WP) and partial factor productivity of nitrogen (PFPN) of water-stressed greenhouse tomato under drip fertigation remain poorly understood. In this study, a two-season experiment was conducted on greenhouse tomato in autumn 2021 and spring 2022, involving two biochar application rates (0 and 30 t ha–1 only in the first season before sowing), two N fertilization rates (175 and 250 kg N ha–1), and three irrigation levels (100%, 75%, and 50% of crop evapotranspiration). The results showed that biochar application significantly decreased soil bulk density by 7–13%, but significantly increased soil porosity by 5.5%− 10% and fruit yield by 43.2–73.8% compared with the non-biochar treatment. The biochar application significantly affected the total soluble solids (TSS), soluble sugar (SS), and vitamin C of tomato fruits. The interaction of biochar application and N fertilization increased PFPN and WP by 67.4% and 76.3% in autumn 2021, and by 38.1% and 51.8% in spring 2022, respectively. Biochar rate and irrigation level had significant effects on TSS and SS contents in both seasons, but N rate significantly affected TSS in autumn 2021 only and SS in both seasons. The interaction of biochar application, N rate and irrigation level had significant effects on fruit yield. The effects of biochar rate, N rate, and irrigation level on PFPN were significant in both growing seasons. The joint application of biochar and nitrogen significantly enhanced fruit yield, quality and water-nitrogen productivity of water-stressed greenhouse tomato. The Principal Component Analysis (PCA) revealed that PC1 accounted for 47.7% and 48%of the variation in autumn 2021 and spring 2022, while PC2 accounted for 14.6% and 15.6% in autumn 2021 and spring 2022, respectively. This study underscores the significance of biochar application in drip-fertigated greenhouse tomato cultivation and highlights its sustained positive effects in the next growing season.

Analyzing the Economic Viability and Energy Requirements of Soilless Greenhouse Tomato Cultivation in the Context of Climate Change in the Mediterranean Basin

Controlling environmental conditions in agricultural production has a direct influence on the yield. In vegetative production, the most common and effective implementation of environmentally controlled production is in greenhouses. In the event that the daily average temperature drops below 12oC, greenhouses should be heated. Heating in greenhouses has a significant share in production costs. While overall production costs in high technology greenhouses depend on the size of the greenhouse and the length of the production period, the heating costs vary depending on the greenhouse equipment and external climatic conditions.&#x0D; In this study, the costs of inputs used in the production of truss tomatoes in the great majority of high technology greenhouses in the Mediterranean climate zone were determined, their share in the total cost was calculated and a comparison with the costs of truss tomato production in Southeastern European countries was made.&#x0D; The calculations show that among the production costs under Mediterranean climate conditions, cost of labor is the highest with a ratio of 37% while energy (heat + electricity) cost is the second highest. While the unit cost of truss tomatoes in Southeastern Europe is 0.51 €.kg-1, the production cost under Mediterranean climate conditions is 0.59€.kg-1.

The Influence of Organic and Inorganic Fertilizer Applications on Nitrogen Transformation and Yield in Greenhouse Tomato Cultivation with Surface and Drip Irrigation Techniques

Facility agriculture in China is facing the challenge of the excessive use of chemical fertilizers (nitrogen fertilizers), which hinder the development of sustainable and environmentally friendly agriculture. Optimizing nitrogen fertilizer allocation is essential to balance agricultural production and environmental concerns. The aim of this study was to determine the optimal organic fertilizer strategy for tomato cultivation under different irrigation methods. An experiment was conducted in a greenhouse, and two irrigation methods, surface irrigation (SI) and drip irrigation (SDI), were used during tomato growth. The fertilization treatments included urea alone (CK); 30%, 40%, and 50% chicken manure mixed with urea (FC1, FC2, FC3); and 50% cow manure and sheep manure mixed with urea (FB3, FS3). The results showed that the irrigation techniques and fertilization had significant effects on ammonia volatilization accumulation, soil mineral nitrogen content, and tomato yield and quality. Compared with the surface irrigation technique with the same amount of fertilizer application, the drip irrigation technique reduced the ammonia volatilization accumulation by a maximum of 76.40%. The SDIFC3 and SDIFB3 ammonia volatilization accumulation was as low as 5.24 (kg·hm−2) and 7.61 (kg·hm−2); the soil nitrate nitrogen content was reduced, and the tomato yield increased significantly by 17.11%. The SDIFC3 treatment achieved a maximum yield of 13,414 (kg·hm−2), increased the tomato vitamin C and soluble sugar contents by 19.13% and 8.97%, and lowered the titratable acid content by as much as 30.51%. Under drip irrigation fertilization conditions, the SDIFC3 treatment showed lower ammonia volatilization accumulation and the highest tomato yield and quality compared to CK and the same proportion of organic fertilizer substitutes with cow and sheep manure. The increase in the proportion of organic fertilizers replacing chemical fertilizers resulted in a gradual decrease in ammonia volatilization accumulation and a gradual increase in the tomato yield and various qualities. The soil mineral N content, on the other hand, was significantly affected by irrigation, fertilizer application, and water–fertilizer interaction effects, with a tendency for the content to increase and then decrease after each fertilizer application. The mineral N content was lower with drip irrigation compared to surface irrigation, especially in the 10–20 cm soil layer than in the 0–10 cm layer. Increasing drip irrigation and organic fertilizer substitution significantly increased the vitamin C and soluble sugar contents in the tomatoes, while decreasing the titratable acid content.

Subsurface irrigation with ceramic emitters improves greenhouse tomato yield and resource utilization efficiency by stabilizing soil hydrothermal status

Maintaining a stable and suitable soil hydrothermal status is crucial for promoting the high quality and yield of greenhouse vegetables throughout the year. Irrigation by regulating soil moisture changes to soil heat capacity is an effective measure to alleviate the fluctuation of soil hydrothermal environment caused by interannual solar radiation. To investigate the soil hydrothermal status of greenhouse tomatoes under subsurface irrigation with ceramic emitters (SICE) and its impact on tomato growth and yield, we conducted a two-season greenhouse experiment with subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) as a control. The results showed that soil hydrothermal changes under SICE fluctuated less with time in the autumn and spring experiment than SDI; SICE could increase soil temperature in the tomato root zone profile in winter and decrease the profile temperature in summer. This indicates that SICE could reduce the direct effect of air temperature on soil temperature and maintain a stable and suitable soil hydrothermal condition. Furthermore, the underground and vegetative biomass of SICE stopped increasing with the rapid growth of water and heat resources to the inflection point. They shifted to the accumulation of reproductive biomass. However, the vegetative biomass of SDI continued to increase in the late stage of water and heat resources. Therefore, under similar total biomass conditions, SICE obtained more output. SICE increased tomato yields by 11.60 in autumn and 8.36 t hm−2 in spring compared to SDI. The regulation mechanism also improved the hydrothermal resource utilization efficiency under SICE, with SICE increasing water and heat resource use efficiency by 24.04 % and 3.73 % (in autumn) and 9.80 % and 6.00 % (in spring), respectively, compared to SDI. We conclude that SICE is an effective and promising irrigation method for greenhouse tomato cultivation for stabilizing the soil water and heat environment, promoting yield, and improving the utilization rate of solar radiation.

Effect of water-saving technologies on productivity and profitability of tomato cultivation in Galapagos, Ecuador

We tested the effect of two water-saving systems (Groasis Waterboxx® and Hydrogel polymer), compared with conventional drip irrigation, on the productivity, profitability, and water efficiency of greenhouse tomato cultivation in the highlands of Santa Cruz Island, Galapagos. We measured the weight and volume of individual tomato fruits, along with biweekly production, over a typical growing cycle, and found that tomatoes grown with water-saving systems were significantly heavier and larger than those produced with conventional drip irrigation, which led to a 28% average increase in tomato production using both technologies. compared to drip irrigation, Groasis and Hydrogel also reduced water use by 71 and 48%, respectively. While both systems yielded a net profit, using Hydrogel was 51% more profitable than conventional drip irrigation. Water-saving systems such as Groasis and Hydrogel may provide more sustainable solutions for profitable tomato cultivation in environments with low annual rainfall and limited access to irrigation water, such as the Galapagos Islands.

Winter Greenhouse Tomato Cultivation: Matching Leaf Pruning and Supplementary Lighting for Improved Yield and Precocity

Solar radiation entering a high-wire tomato greenhouse is mostly intercepted by the top of the crop canopy, while the role of lower leaves diminishes with age, turning them into sink organs rather than sources. Accordingly, the defoliation of basal leaves is a widely applied agronomic practice in high-wire greenhouse cultivation management. However, the recent increase in the application of supplemental light emitting diode (LED) lighting for high-density tomato production may affect the role of basal leaves, promoting their source role for fruit development and growth. The present research aims to explore the application of supplementary LED lighting on Solanum lycopersicum cv. Siranzo in the Mediterranean area during the cold season in combination with two regimes of basal defoliation. The defoliation factors consisted of the early removal of the leaves (R) right under the developing truss before the fruit turning stage and a non-removal (NR) during the entire cultivation cycle. The lighting factors consisted of an artificial LED lighting treatment with red and blue diodes for 16 h d−1 (h 8-00) with an intensity of 180 µmol s−1 m−2 (RB) and a control cultivated under natural light only (CK). The results demonstrated a great effect of the supplemental LED light, which increased the total yield (+118%), favoring fruit setting (+46%) and faster ripening (+60%) regardless of defoliation regimes, although the increased energy prices hinder the economic viability of the technology. Concerning fruit quality, defoliation significantly reduced the soluble solid content, while it increased the acidity when combined with natural light.

Enhanced fruit yield and quality of tomato by photosynthetic bacteria and CO2 enrichment under reduced irrigation

Reduced irrigation generally induces the tomato fruit yield reduction but enhance the fruit quality. Elevated CO2 (eCO2) injection is a common technique for alleviating water stress while eCO2 could inevitably lead to the element concentration dilution in the plant organs. Inoculated with photosynthetic bacteria (PSB) are confirmed to form a symbiotic relationship with crop roots, thereby promoting root development, and improving crop root nutrient and water uptake capacity. Yet, it remains unknown whether PSB could mitigate the adversely effect of nutrient dilution under eCO2 condition and the yield decline under reduced irrigation. To investigate that, two water treatments, including reduced irrigation (RI, plants were irrigated to 75% field water capacity) and full irrigation (FI, plants were irrigated to 90% field water capacity) of tomato plants, were grown under normal ambient CO2 (aCO2, 400 ppm) and elevated CO2 (eCO2, 800 ppm) conditions, respectively. And photosynthetic bacteria were inoculated in half plants. The results showed that inoculation of PSB improved the effectiveness of CO2 stimulation on biomass and yield in tomato plants grown under reduced irrigation conditions. The stimulation effects have been associated with increased advantages linked to their root system, we have observed that CO2 and PSB inoculation promoted the root development and antioxidant abilities. These consequently increased nitrogen uptake efficiency under eCO2 and reduced irrigation conditions, and increased nitrogen accumulation in various organs. Furthermore, eCO2 and inoculation with PSB individually or in combination ameliorated yield penalties under reduced irrigation conditions. Combined elevated CO2 and inoculation with PSB resulted in the highest fruit quality. Collectively, the responses of tomato fruit yield and quality to water-reduced irrigation regimes are further enhanced by the combination of eCO2 and PSB inoculation, and this would be efficacious in greenhouse tomato cultivation and future agriculture production.

Effects of Water and Nitrogen Coupling on Growth, Yield and Quality of Greenhouse Tomato

Irrigation water is essential for greenhouse plants because it is the only water source in the greenhouse. In addition, escalating water costs and expensive fertilizers have raised concerns about adopting advanced technology to improve water and nitrogen utilization efficiency. This study aimed to explore the effects of different water and nitrogen application rates on yield, fruit quality, and water and nitrogen utilization efficiency in southeast China. Plants were irrigated every 7–10 days at different proportions of crop evapotranspiration (ETc) based on the modified Penman–Monteith formula (ET0). The crop coefficient (Kc) was adopted as 0.6, 1.15, 1.15 and 0.9 during the seedling stage, flower stage, the mid-season stage and the end of the season stage, respectively. There were three water levels—0.75 ETc (W1), 1.0 ETc (W2), 1.25 ETc (W3)—and four nitrogen levels—120 (N1), 220 (N2), 320 (N3), and 420 kg N hm−2 (N4)—and a total of 12 treatments, with the application completely randomized by using block design in the experiment. Tomato yield was improved by nitrogen supply. However, nitrogen application had a negative effect on tomato yield when the nitrogen level was applied above 320 N ha−1. The maximum water use efficiency (WUE) value of 30.5 kg m−3 was observed at W2N3, and the maximum nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) value of 684.4 kg kg−1 N was observed at W1 treatment with N1. The net photosynthetic rate of tomato leaves could be increased by reasonably increasing water and nitrogen application. The dry biomass increased with the amount of water and nitrogen in the range of (0.75–1.0) ETc and (120–320) kg ha−1. The best values of tomato quality parameters (Vc, Lycopene, soluble protein et al.) were observed at W2N3. The irrigation level of 1.0 ETc and nitrogen level of 320 N ha−1 was recommended as the best combination of water and nitrogen for greenhouse tomato cultivation in the experimental areas.

Potential application of pre-harvest LED interlighting to improve tomato quality and storability

Growing conditions and agronomical inputs play a key role in determining fruit qualitative and nutraceutical traits at harvest and post-harvest. The hereby presented research investigated the effects of pre-harvest supplemental LED interlighting on post-harvest quality of hydroponically grown tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum “Siranzo”). Three LED treatments, applied for 16 h d-1 (h 8.00–00.00), were added to natural sunlight and consisted of Red and Blue (RB), Red and Blue + Far-Red (FR), and Red and Blue + Far-Red at the end-of-day for 30 min (EOD), with an intensity of 180 µmol m-2 s-1 for Red and Blue, plus 44 µmol m-2 s-1 for Far-Red. A control treatment (CK), where plants were grown only with sunlight, was also considered. Fruits at red stage were selected and placed in a storage room at 13 °C in darkness. Fruit quality assessment was performed at harvest time and after one week of storage. RB and FR increased fruit firmness compared to CK, opening possible benefits toward reducing fruit losses during post-harvest handling. RB treated fruits also maintained a higher content of lycopene and β-carotene after the first week of storage. The study demonstrates that supplementary LED interlighting during greenhouse tomato cultivation may enhance storability and help preserve fruit nutritional properties during post-harvest.

Effect of Rainfall Regime on Rainwater Harvesting Tank Sizing for Greenhouse Irrigation Use

The use of rainwater harvesting tanks to supply human water needs is an old and sustainable practice. In the case of covering irrigation demand in greenhouse agriculture, the potential is huge. Still, the relative research worldwide is low, while it is nearly absent in Greece. In this study, the rainwater harvesting tank size for irrigation use of greenhouse tomato cultivation was investigated by applying a daily water balance model in three regions of Crete Island (Greece) with significant greenhouse areas. Daily rainfall data from three representative rainfall stations of the study areas characterized by different rainfall regime for a 12-year time series were used. Additionally, the daily irrigation water needs for a tomato crop during an 8-month cultivation period were used. The greenhouse roof was defined as catchment area of the rainwater harvesting system and greenhouse areas of 1000, 5000 and 10,000 m2 were studied. In all areas examined, a tank of 30–100 m3 per 1000 m2 of greenhouse area could reach approximately 80–90% reliability. Higher values of reliability (reaching 100%) could be achieved mainly with covered tanks. Tank size for 100% reliability in covered tanks, ranged from 200 m3 (per 1000 m2 of greenhouse area) in the study area with high mean annual rainfall depth (974.24 mm) and moderate mean longest dry period (87.67 days), to 276 m3 (per 1000 m2 of greenhouse area) in the study area with relatively low mean annual rainfall depth (524.12 mm) and high mean longest dry period (117.42 days). For uncovered tanks, a 100% reliability value could be reached only with a tank size of 520 m3 (per 1000 m2 of greenhouse area) in the study area with high mean annual rainfall depth and moderate mean longest dry period.

An Electrostatic Pest Exclusion Strategy for Greenhouse Tomato Cultivation

Electrostatic devices generating an electric field (EF) are promising tools for greenhouse tomato cultivation. In these devices, an EF is generated in the space surrounding an insulated conductor (IC) that is charged by a voltage generator. Thus, a physical force is exerted on any insect that enters the EF, as a negatively charged IC (NC-IC) pushes a negative charge (free electrons) out of the insect body. The insect is polarized positively to be attracted to the NC-IC, and a grounded metal net (G-MN) repels the insect. This dual function of the apparatus (insect capture and repulsion) is the core of the electrostatic pest-exclusion strategy. In this study, we applied various innovative EF-based devices to evaluate their efficacy in greenhouse tomato cultivation. Our objective was to determine the optimal apparatus for simple, inexpensive construction by greenhouse workers. The results of this study will contribute to the development of sustainable pest-management protocols in greenhouse horticulture.

Determination of The Response of Wild and Cultivated Tomato Genotypes to Some Disease and Pests by Molecular Markers

Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici, Verticillium spp., and nematodes, as well as virus diseases that negatively affect production with limited chemical control cause significant losses in greenhouse tomato cultivation. The practical and effective side of controlling diseases is genetic control by breeding. Using a genomic approach for plant breeding is a more sustainable and effective way to control disease and pests. The development of the resistant line is improved by conventional breeding methods that can be conducted over a long period. However, molecular markers make these processes considerably shorter with identifying resistant individuals. In this study, 14 wild and 188 cultivated tomato genotypes have been tested against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radicis-lycopersici (FORL), Meloidogyne spp. (root-knot nematodes), Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV), Tomato mosaic virus (ToMV), Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) and Verticillum dahliae Kleb. (Ve) diseases and pests with using MAS (Marker- Assisted Selection) technique. According to these results, it has been determined that the selected markers can be used effectively in breeding studies to determine the diseases mentioned above.