Effect of partial rootzone drying (PRD) on growth, yield and water use efficiency (WUE) of tomatoes on soilless culture
2003
Mohd Razi I. | Hassan I. A. | Mohd Mokhtaruddin M. | Halimi M. S.
Increasing water use efficiency became one of the main strategic goals of the researchers as well as decision-makers` world wide due to water scarcity and continues huge demand of water for agricultural irrigation. Consequently, studies and approaches such as partial rootzone drying (PRD) seem to be of primary importance now and in the future for proper water use efficiency and rational water utilization. This study was conducted at Hydroponics Unit, UPM, Malaysia to examine the effect of PRD using soilless media 70% of coca nut coir dust and peat 3:2 amended with 30% rice straw compost on different physiological and biological parameters, carbohydrate accumulations and water use efficiency of tomatoes grown under environment. The experiment was designed in a complete randomized (CRD) with three replicates. The two treatment were-watered plants (control) or partially irrigated half of the roots of tomato plants alternately by 50% of the control water (PRD). The results showed that PRD significantly (p 0.05) reduced leaf expansion, plant leaf area and stomatal conductance, whereas proline was dramatically increased in the leaf. However, stomatal conductance, leaf expansion and proline accumulation significantly correlated with media drying. Dry matter partitioning showed no significant reduction in total dry matter and plant dry shoot, root weight and root to shoot ratio. Thus there were also no significant differences between plant total and marketable yields due to PRD application Both WUEs increased significantly with PRD. This result suggest that PRD collection could be affective with soilless media due to high total carbon provided under Malaysia humid condition that characterized by high evaporative demand.
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