Effects of nutrition systems and irrigation programs on yield, water and nutrient consumption of tomato

This study was conducted during the autumn and spring growing seasons of 2000 and 2001 in order to determine the effects of different nutrition systems and irrigation programs on yield, fruit quality, water and nutrient consumption of tomatoes grown in substrate culture. Tomato plants were grown in volcanic tuff by using open and closed nutrition systems. The nutrient solution was applied according to indoor integrated solar radiation levels viz 1.00, 2.00, 3.00 and 4.00 MJ.m(-2). The results indicate that there was no significant difference between open and closed systems (13.3 and 12.1 kg.m(-2), respectively) in respect to yield in autumn, whereas open system had 36% higher yield than closed system in spring season (16.2 kg.M-2). Among the tested irrigation programs, 1.0 MJ.m(-2) had the highest yields in both of the growing seasons. In this regard, the highest water and nutrient consumption was obtained from 1.00 MJ.m(-2). The amount of water saving provided in the closed system was at the rate of 24-33% in autumn and 33-39% in spring as compared to that of the open system. The overall evaluation of the nutrients applied, consumed and drained out during the experiment revealed that the average nutrient economy in the closed system was 33% in autumn and 43% in spring compared with open system.