Survival, growth and yield of waterlogged tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum) in relation to calcium drenching
2015
Panaon, A.B. | Gonzales, V.DM.
Waterlogging is a major production constraint in wet season and early-season tomato production. A study was conducted to determine whether or not calcium (Ca) drenching will enhance the resistance of pot-grown tomatoes to five-day waterlogging. Calcium nitrate (Ca(NO3)sub2) was applied as drench at the base of the plants before imposition of waterlogging at different number of weekly drenchings including the non-waterlogged control. Nitrogen (N) was applied as urea adjusted per treatment to achieve the same amount of N in all pots as Ca(NO3)sub2 contains N. The experiment was laid out following the procedures of Complete Randomized Design with two replicates. Calcium nitrate drenching of tomato plants before waterlogging was beneficial in enhancing survival of tomato plants after 5-day waterlogging. Increasing Ca application in waterlogged tomatoes from two to five weekly drenchings increased plant height at 30 days after transplanting prior to waterlogging. After waterlogging, two to five weekly drenching of Ca(NO3)sub2 increased plant survival or reduced number of wilted plants, associated with increased fruit number per plant, weight of individual fruit, and fruit yield per plant. No plant survived in plants without Ca drenching or those that received one drench application.
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