Effect of carbon dioxide enriched atmosphere and salinity treatment on soilless grown tomato in unheated greenhouse under mediterranean climate conditions
2008
Belaich, M.
The objective of this study was to discriminate among Na, Cl, Mg and Ca salinity effects on tomato (Lycopersium esculentum) coupled with carbon dioxide (CO2) enrichment. Tomato plants grown in perlite were exposed for 79 days to low, moderate and high levels of salinity induced by the addition of either NaCl, KNO3, Mg(NO3)2 and CaCl2 at equal rates (on a chemically equivalent basis), to a standard nutrient solution for tomato with up to three target electrical conductivity (EC) levels distributed respectively as follows: 2.52, 5.83, 8.57 and 8.57 dSm-1. The described salinity treatments were replicated in a glasshouse with CO2 enrichment and in another greenhouse without CO2 enrichment. The atmospheric concentration of CO2 in the enriched greenhouse was elevated up to 900 ppm during the photosynthetic period. The experimental salinity treatment also included a control, which was irrigated with the standard nutrient solution without additional salt having 2.52 dSm-1. EC. The CaCl2 salinity treatment enhanced the quality of the tomato fruits. Magnesium (Mn), boron (B) and chloride (Cl) concentrations in leaves were increased significantly as EC was increased to 8.57 dS/m using CaCl2. The carbon dioxide supplementation enhanced the total yield per plant, the number of fruit per plant, the mean fruit weight and the number of Class 1 fruit, whereas it decreased the number of marketable fruits and the non-marketable yield. 1
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