scholarly journals Defining Irrigation Set Points Based on Substrate Properties for Variable Irrigation and Constant Matric Potential Devices in Greenhouse Tomato

HortScience ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 47 (8) ◽  
pp. 1141-1152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabelle Lemay ◽  
Jean Caron ◽  
Martine Dorais ◽  
Steeve Pepin
Keyword(s):  
Water Potential ◽  
Irrigation Management ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Irrigation Strategy ◽  
Matric Potential ◽  
Growing Media ◽  
Tomato Production ◽  
Ongoing Research ◽  
High Productivity ◽  
Greenhouse Tomato

Ongoing research on organic growing media for greenhouse tomato production is driven by the constant changes in the quality, stability, and form of the organic byproducts used in the manufacturing of these media. This study was undertaken to determine appropriate irrigation set points for a sawdust–peat mix (SP) under development given that the performance of this substrate appeared to be strongly dependent on appropriate irrigation management. A greenhouse tomato experiment was conducted to compare different irrigation management approaches for a SP substrate in the spring and summer. Using preliminary measurements from an initial experiment (Expt. 1), different irrigation strategies for the SP substrate were compared in a second experiment (Expt. 2): 1) a variable irrigation regime using a timer control (with frequency adjusted as a function of irradiance); 2) tensiometer control at –1.5 kPa; and 3) two constant substrate water potential devices: –1.1 kPa and –0.9 kPa. An irrigation timer/controller using solar radiation input was used with a rockwool control (RC) substrate. Measurements of plant activity [photosynthesis rate and stomatal conductance (gS)], substrate physical and chemical properties, biomass, and yield were obtained. For all irrigation strategies, results indicated that 10% to 20% higher photosynthesis rates and gS values were obtained with the SP substrate compared with RC. Data indicated that moderate drying conditions (matric potential ranging from –2.2 kPa to –1.5 kPa in Expt. 1 and Expt. 2, respectively) relative to container capacity (–0.6 kPa) were beneficial for improving plant photosynthetic activity and allowed the highest yields for the SP substrate. Variable irrigation management showed higher levels of plant activity than constant watering and increased the oxygen concentration in the substrate by ≈2% in absolute value relative to the constant water potential device. Lower CO2 and N2O levels were also observed with the variable irrigation strategy. On the other hand, maximum nutrient solution savings were achieved with the constant matric potential devices (8% to 31% relative to the RC). This study showed high productivity potential for the SP substrate with suitable irrigation management. Replacing conventional growing media with organic waste-based products using an appropriate irrigation strategy may help to increase the sustainability of the greenhouse industry.

IRRIGATION MANAGEMENT IN GREENHOUSE TOMATO PRODUCTION ON ROCKWOOL

2008 ◽  
pp. 521-528 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.P. Papadopoulos ◽  
U. Saha ◽  
X. Hao ◽  
S. Khosla
Keyword(s):  
Irrigation Management ◽  
Tomato Production ◽  
Greenhouse Tomato

scholarly journals PINE BARK, RICE HULLS, AND OTHER INEXPENSIVE MEDIA FOR GREENHOUSE TOMATO PRODUCTION IN THE SOUTH

HortScience ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 29 (7) ◽  
pp. 733d-733
Author(s):  
Richard G. Snyder
Keyword(s):  
Low Cost ◽  
Waste Product ◽  
Pine Bark ◽  
Peat Moss ◽  
Growing Media ◽  
Tomato Production ◽  
Rice Hulls ◽  
Greenhouse Tomato ◽  
Wool Yield ◽  
Rock Wool

Successful greenhouse tomato businesses are able to keep production and quality high while maintaining reasonable cost controls. One way of controlling costs is to use growing media that are locally available in good supply, and therefore of low cost. In Mississippi. as in other states in the southeast, pine bark is an available byproduct resource from the forestry industry; fines (<=95mm diameter) can be used as a growing medium following composting. Rice hulls are a readily available waste product from rice mills, especially in the Mississippi Delta region; these are suitable after being crushed and composted. In comparison to plants grown in rock wool, yield from plants in pine bark fines, rice hulls, or sand were higher, while quality was not significantly different in the l-crop/year system. In a spring crop, yield and quality were higher from plants in pine bark, rice hulls, and rock wool than from those grown in sand. On a per plant basis, cost for the rock wool system, perlite system (pre-bagged), perlite (bulk), peat moss, sand, composted rice hulls, and pine bark lines are $1.50, $1.00, $0.35, $0.60, $0.24, $0.22 and $0.17, respectively. Pine bark and rice hulls are good choices for growing media for greenhouse tomatoes in areas where they are available.

Growing media, greenhouse tomato yield and Pythium root rot

2006 ◽  
Vol 86 (3) ◽  
pp. 501-512 ◽  
Author(s):  
Viviane Juneau, Jean Caron ◽  
Carole Martinez, Valérie Gravel ◽  
Suzanne Allaire
Keyword(s):  
Root Rot ◽  
Chemical Properties ◽  
Anaerobic Conditions ◽  
Growing Media ◽  
Greenhouse Tomato ◽  
Tomato Yield ◽  
Cultural Conditions ◽  
Pythium Root Rot ◽  
Physico Chemical ◽  
Fall Experiment

Increased environmental pressure is forcing the horticultural industry to look for new growing media in replacement of rockwool and high-quality peat substrates. The objectives of this study were to determine: (1) the effect of different substrates on greenhouse tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) yield and root rot caused by Pythium, and (2) thethreshold values of some substrate physico-chemical properties for tomato yield and Pythium root rot. Two experiments (fall, spring) were conducted using five substrates. In the fall experiment, yield was related to water availability, as long as aeration was sufficient. In the spring experiment, yield depended on air storage and gas concentrations (O2, CO2) in the substrate because of their low aeration levels. The effect of substrate types and their physico-chemical properties on Pythium root rot varied according to the cultural conditions. Under fall cropping conditions, substrates showing wet and anaerobic conditions favoured Pythium root rot. In these experiments, adequate aeration properties for tomato plant productivity were obtained with a maximum of 30% low-quality peat added to a mixture of sawdust and compost. Key words: Growing media, irrigation strategies, physico-chemical properties, Pythium root rot, Lycopersicum esculentum

Impact of irrigation management of greenhouse tomato: Yield, nutrition, and salinity of peat substrate

1995 ◽  
Vol 75 (2) ◽  
pp. 497-503 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Norrie ◽  
J. Charbonneau ◽  
A. Gosselin ◽  
M. E. D. Graham
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Conductivity ◽  
Nutrient Solution ◽  
Irrigation Management ◽  
Total Yield ◽  
Fruit Weight ◽  
Mineral Concentration ◽  
Matric Potential ◽  
Greenhouse Tomato ◽  
Tomato Yield ◽  
Marketable Fruit

Irrigation dynamics and the response of greenhouse tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. 'Caruso') to different irrigation management treatments (nutrient solution EC and irrigation matric potential setpoints) were examined in plants grown in peat-based substrate during either the spring or fall of 1989. Two nutrient solutions with differing electrical conductivity (EC of 1.5 and 3.0 dS m−1) were automatically applied to plants until saturation at one of two substrate matric potential (SMP) setpoints (−6.5 or −4.5 kPa). Yield measurements indicated no significant effects due to different SMP setpoints but spring total yield and average marketable fruit weight were higher for low-EC solution treatments. Blossom-end rot was slightly higher in the fall under the highest EC treatment. Foliar mineral concentration analysis of spring-grown plants indicated increases in nitrogen, potassium, zinc, and manganese, and a decrease in calcium in plants receiving high-EC solution. The EC of peat substrates was also found to be higher than applied solutions indicating an overall accumulation of salts within the peat under different irrigation regimes, even with periodic overwatering. This study indicates that increasing nutrient solution EC from 1.5 to 3.0 dS m−1 can negatively affect the production and nutritional status of tomato plants more than changing irrigation setpoints from −4.5 to −6.5 kPa. Key words: Electrical conductivity, fruit quality, peat, tensiometers, matric potential

Growth, photosynthesis and productivity of greenhouse tomato cultivated in open or closed rockwool systems

2002 ◽  
Vol 82 (4) ◽  
pp. 771-780 ◽  
Author(s):  
X. Hao ◽  
A. P. Papadopoulos
Keyword(s):  
Lycopersicon Esculentum ◽  
Plant Biomass ◽  
Alternative Methods ◽  
Marketable Yield ◽  
Tomato Production ◽  
Greenhouse Tomato ◽  
Tomato Yield ◽  
Nutrient Film Technique ◽  
Closed Systems ◽  
Environmentally Sound

Two full spring season tomato crops (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. “Trust”) were grown in an open rockwool system with standard rockwool feeding formulae (O-R; conventional method), and in closed rockwool systems with standard rockwool (C-R) or Nutrient Film Technique (C-NFT) feeding formulae (modified in 1997) in 1996 and 1997 to examine the feasibility of a fully closed rockwool production system with appropriate feeding formulae. The closed rockwool system with optimized feeding formulae achieved high marketable yield, similar to that of the open rockwool system. There were no differences in early plant growth, plant biomass or biomass partitioning, and in total fruit yield, size and grades except for the closed rockwool system with the standard rockwool feeding formulae (C-R), which had lower yield than C-NFT in the last month of harvest in 1996. The photosynthesis of old foliage was higher and the root systems at the end of the experiments were rated healthier in plants grown in the closed (C-R and C-NFT) systems than in plants grown in the open (O-R) system. Over 30% of water and fertilizer was saved with the closed systems in comparison to the conventional open system. These results demonstrated that closed rockwool systems with optimized nutrient feedings are economically and environmentally sound alternative methods for greenhouse tomato production in Ontario. Key words: Lycopersicon esculentum, tomato, yield, recycling, rockwool, greenhouse

scholarly journals Determination of a long-term optimal irrigation strategy for dry beans in Parana State, Brazil

1997 ◽  
Vol 54 (spe) ◽  
pp. 155-164 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.T. de Faria ◽  
M.V. Folegatti ◽  
J.A. Frizzone ◽  
A.M. Saad
Keyword(s):  
Management Strategy ◽  
Irrigation Management ◽  
Growth Conditions ◽  
Threshold Values ◽  
Dry Beans ◽  
Irrigation Strategy ◽  
Product Price ◽  
Net Return

The economical benefits of different irrigation strategies were assessed by long term simulation (20 years) for dry beans in Paraná, Brazil. The model BEANGRO was used to simulate crop yield and irrigation requirements assuming eight levels of irrigation threshold (20 to 90% of the remaining soil available water in steps of 10%), in addition to a level considering no irrigation. Net return was the objective function to select the optimum irrigation management strategy, assuming fixed and stochastic distributions of historical product price. The results showed that yield was significantly increased by irrigation despite a high variability for all the simulation strategies, due to variations on growth conditions over the years. Although the net return was highly variable, it was positive in 75% of the years for all strategies with threshold values higher than 30%. The strategy of irrigating the crop before the soil reaches 60% AW provided the maximum economical benefits. The high profit using this improved strategy justifies the practice of irrigation for beans in Paraná.

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