scholarly journals Effect of Root Restriction on the Performance of Three-Truss Cultivated Tomato in the Low-Node Pinching Order at High-Density Cultivation System

Horticulturae ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 60
Author(s):  
Alex Williams Ayarna ◽  
Satoru Tsukagoshi ◽  
George Oduro Nkansah

The low-node pinching order at a high-density plant cultivation system (LN&HD) is now widely adopted for increasing tomato yield and fruit quality. The LN&HD cultivation period spans 70–120 days, employs the use of a small amount of substrate (low substrate volume), and plants are usually topped between the first and the fourth truss. Using a small amount of substrate in cultivation induces root restriction. Increasing the extent of root restriction in small pots has been adopted for increasing the fruit quality of tomato in some advanced countries. However, improving fruit quality at the expense of yield becomes a major drawback for adopting the LN&HD in Ghana. The LN&HD was introduced into Ghana mainly to increase tomato yield sustainably at a cost-effective level. This study aimed to manipulate or reduce the extent of root restriction to increase tomato yield. Information related to manipulating or reducing the extent of root restriction has not been extensively reported. Thus, an experiment was conducted (between 21 April 2019 and 11 August 2019) in the greenhouse of the University of Ghana Forest and Horticultural Research Centre, Kade-Ghana. Plants of two tomato cultivars (Jaguar and Momotaro York) were subjected to four root restriction conditions. The extent of root restriction were (1) complete root restriction in a 1.0 L volume capacity pot, (2) complete root restriction in a 1.5 L volume capacity pot, (3) partial root restriction in Rockwool-like cultivation, otherwise referred to as Cocowool, and (4) No root restriction in a trough containing 1.5 L of the substrate. The experiment was laid out in a 2 x 4 factorial in a randomized complete block. Results showed that partial root restriction in Cocowool and unrestricted roots in the trough produced the highest tomato yield and total dry matter compared to the plants that received complete root restrictions in the 1.0 and 1.5 L pots. However, the tomato’s total soluble solids increased with a complete root restriction in the 1.0 L pot. Reducing the extent of root restriction increased the yield and total dry matter of tomato. With the LN&HD, a small amount of substrate could be used (at a reduced cost) with a partial root restriction to increase the yield of tropical tomato cultivars grown in Ghana.

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Molla F. Mengist ◽  
Hamed Bostan ◽  
Elisheba Young ◽  
Kristine L. Kay ◽  
Nicholas Gillitt ◽  
...  

AbstractFruit quality traits play a significant role in consumer preferences and consumption in blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum L). The objectives of this study were to construct a high-density linkage map and to identify the underlying genetic basis of fruit quality traits in blueberry. A total of 287 F1 individuals derived from a cross between two southern highbush blueberry cultivars, ‘Reveille’ and ‘Arlen’, were phenotyped over three years (2016–2018) for fruit quality-related traits, including titratable acidity, pH, total soluble solids, and fruit weight. A high-density linkage map was constructed using 17k single nucleotide polymorphisms markers. The linkage map spanned a total of 1397 cM with an average inter-loci distance of 0.08 cM. The quantitative trait loci interval mapping based on the hidden Markov model identified 18 loci for fruit quality traits, including seven loci for fruit weight, three loci for titratable acidity, five loci for pH, and three loci for total soluble solids. Ten of these loci were detected in more than one year. These loci explained phenotypic variance ranging from 7 to 28% for titratable acidity and total soluble solid, and 8–13% for pH. However, the loci identified for fruit weight did not explain more than 10% of the phenotypic variance. We also reported the association between fruit quality traits and metabolites detected by Proton nuclear magnetic resonance analysis directly responsible for these fruit quality traits. Organic acids, citric acid, and quinic acid were significantly (P < 0.05) and positively correlated with titratable acidity. Sugar molecules showed a strong and positive correlation with total soluble solids. Overall, the study dissected the genetic basis of fruit quality traits and established an association between these fruit quality traits and metabolites.


2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 120-125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ersin ATAY ◽  
Seckin GARGIN ◽  
Ahmet ESITKEN ◽  
N. Pinar GUZEL ◽  
A. Nilgun ATAY ◽  
...  

Orchard performance is influenced by weed competition. In this study, the effects of weed competition on nutrient contents, chemical and physical fruit quality properties were sought. The study was carried out in a high-density apple orchard (‘Golden Delicious’/M.9) over two consecutive growing seasons. The effect of weed competition was studied at three different levels: weak, moderate and strong. Fruit firmness, soluble solids content, macronutrients (such as nitrogen, potassium and calcium) and potassium+magnesium/calcium ratio in fruit were significantly affected by weed competition. Strong weed competition negatively affected soluble solids content and potassium+magnesium/calcium ratio. In both trial years, soluble solids content was significantly higher in weak weed competition. In the first year of the study, soluble solids content ranged between 13.77±0.06% (strong weed competition) and 15.20±0.10% (weak weed competition). In the following year, soluble solids content values were determined as 13.13±0.23% in strong weed competition and 13.83±0.21% in weak weed competition. Weak weed competition showed superiority for fruit weight and potassium+magnesium/calcium ratio. As a whole, this study indicates that insufficient weed control in tree rows might be a limiting factor for fruit quality in high-density apple orchards.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (21) ◽  
pp. 12326
Author(s):  
Leangsrun Chea ◽  
Cut Erika ◽  
Marcel Naumann ◽  
Inga Smit ◽  
Bernd Horneburg ◽  
...  

Increasing fruit yield and quality of tomatoes under organic low-input conditions remains a challenge for producers and breeders. Therefore, it is necessary to identify superior tomato cultivars that are suitable for production and use as parents in breeding programmes. In the present study, the variations in plant morphology and fruit quality characteristics of tomato cultivars were assessed to reveal the traits associated with improved yield and fruit quality. Sixty diverse tomato cultivars were screened in 2015, and in 2016, a subset of 20 cultivars was selected for further evaluation under organic low-input conditions. The results showed high variability among cultivars in all 28 traits that were observed. Salad cultivars had lower plant growth and fruit quality (minerals, dry matter, total soluble solids, and total phenolics) by 10–70%, but they displayed 10–60% higher fruit yield and leaf minerals than cocktail cultivars. Salad tomato cultivars with superior yield and harvest index were mainly derived from breeding for intensive indoor production. Cocktail cultivars with superior yield were mainly derived from organic and outdoor breeding programs. There was a trade-off between fruit yield and quality, indicating a challenge for simultaneous improvement of yield and quality. The importance of Mg was highlighted because of its contribution to the fruit mineral concentration and fruit quality. Cultivars superior in one trait or trait combination under organic low-input conditions were identified to be used by producers and breeders as superior cultivars to meet their production targets and breeding objectives. The importance of Mg provides a novel path for further research on improving soil-available Mg in organic tomato production to enhance fruit mineral concentration and fruit quality in general.


2021 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 471-486
Author(s):  
Josiéle Garcia Dutra ◽  
◽  
Roberta Marins Nogueira Peil ◽  
Tatiana da Silva Duarte ◽  
Cesar Valmor Rombaldi ◽  
...  

Substrate-filled pots are growing systems commonly used for vegetable farming. However, few are the studies available relating them to mini-watermelon cultivation. Our study presents a growing system using substrate-filled troughs and leachate recirculation as a low-cost and less environmentally harmful soilless cultivation system for mini-watermelons. For a growing system to be viable and provide high fruit yield and quality, several aspects must be studied, including substrate physical properties and reuse potential in successive crops, besides plant management-related aspects. Therefore, our goal was to evaluate the effects of a trough system and substrate reuse on changes in the properties of raw rice husk and on fruit yield and quality for mini-watermelons at different stem training. To this purpose, two trials were conducted using nutrient solution recirculation systems. In the first, we evaluated the effects of pot and trough systems. In the second, first- and second-use substrates were compared in the trough system. In both trials, one and two-stem training systems were analyzed. The results of the first trial show that the trough system had a greater positive impact on substrate water holding capacity (WHC), which increased from 7.9 to 15.6%, while the pots increased substrate WHC only to 11.2%. However, both systems neither affected fruit yield (8 kg/m² on average) nor fruit quality. The two-stem training promoted higher fruit yields (4.2 kg/plant) and contents of total soluble solids - TSS (11.4 °Brix) but did not affect average fruit weight. Moreover, the one-stem training provided higher fruit number (7.3 fruits/m²) and fruit yield (9.7 kg/m²). In the second trial, the reused substrate showed a higher WHC (12.4%) than the one used for the first time (9.9%). The reused substrate also provided better results in terms of fruit yield and quality (5.9 fruits/m², 5.3 kg/m², and 10.5o Brix). In the second trial, two-stem training also increased average fruit weight, and hence yields per plant. Nevertheless, the stem number did not affect fruit number per plant, fruit yield per square meter, and fruit quality.


HortScience ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 51 (3) ◽  
pp. 236-244 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara Serra ◽  
Rachel Leisso ◽  
Luca Giordani ◽  
Lee Kalcsits ◽  
Stefano Musacchi

The apple variety, ‘Honeycrisp’ has been extensively planted in North America during the last two decades. However, it suffers from several agronomic problems that limit productivity and postharvest quality. To reduce losses, new information is needed to better describe the impact of crop load on productivity and postharvest fruit quality in a desert environment and the major region where ‘Honeycrisp’ expansion is occurring. Here, 7-year-old ‘Honeycrisp’ trees on the M9-Nic29 rootstock (2.5 × 0.9 m) were hand thinned to five different crop loads [from 4.7 to 16.0 fruit/cm2 of trunk cross-sectional area (TCSA)] to compare fruit quality, maturity, fruit size, elemental concentration, and return bloom. Fruit size distribution was affected by crop load. Trees with the highest crop load (16 fruit/cm2) produced smaller fruit. Index of absorbance difference (IAD) measurements (absorption difference between 670 and 720 nm), a proxy indicator of the chlorophyll content below the skin of fruit measured by a DA-meter, were made shortly after harvest (T0) and after 6 months of storage (T1). Fruit from the trees with the lowest crop load had lower IAD values indicating advanced fruit ripeness. The comparison between the IAD classes at T0 and T1 showed that fruit belonging to the lowest IAD class had significantly higher red-blushed overcolor percentage, firmness, dry matter, and soluble solid content than those in the “most unripe” class (highest IAD readings) regardless of crop load. The percentage of blushed color, firmness, titratable acidity (TA), soluble solids content, and dry matter were all higher in the lowest crop loads at both T0 and T1. Fruit calcium (Ca) concentration was lowest at the lowest crop load. The (K + Mg + N):Ca ratio decreased as crop load increased until a crop load of 11.3 fruit/cm2, which was not significantly different from higher crop loads. For return bloom, the highest number of flower clusters per tree was reported for 4.7 fruit/cm2 crop load, and generally it decreased as crop load increased. Here, we highlight the corresponding changes in fruit quality, storability, and elemental balance with tree crop load. To maintain high fruit quality and consistency in yield, careful crop load management is required to minimize bienniality and improve fruit quality and storability.


HortScience ◽  
1990 ◽  
Vol 25 (9) ◽  
pp. 1149b-1149
Author(s):  
Sieglinde Snapp ◽  
Carol Shennan

Tomato Fruit quality can be improved by the use of moderately saline irrigation water. However, decreased fruit yields may occur if the saline treatment is initiated early in plant development or the salt concentration is high. Another concern with the use of saline irrigation water is increased plant susceptibility to disease. Two processing tomato cultivars were grown under low salt (ECa=1.1 ds/m), medium salt (ECa=2.8 ds/m) and high salt (ECa=4.6 ds/m) regimes, and in the presence and absence of Phytophthora parasitica, the casual agent of Phytophthora root rot. Salinity increased Phytophthora root rot severity in UC82B, the susceptible cultivar, but had a limited effect on CX8303, a cultivar known to have a measure of resistance to Phytophthora root rot. Fruit acidity and percent total soluble solids were enhanced in both cultivars by increasing salinity. Infection by P. parasitica increased acidity and soluble solids in UC82B fruit grown under high salt. Sodium and chloride concentrations in tomato fruit increased in a manner proportionate to the salt treatment applied; however, in the absence of disease, fruit Na+ and Cllevels were markedly lower compared to other tissues in the plant, The presence of salt-enhanced Phytophthora root rot in UC82B increased fruit Na+ concentration by almost 100%. Fruit Ca2+ and K+ levels, in contrast, declined moderately with increasing salinity and were not affected by disease.


2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 161-166
Author(s):  
Scheila Lucia Ecker ◽  
Clevison Luiz Giacobbo ◽  
Leandro Galon ◽  
Adriana Lugaresi ◽  
Gian Carlos Girardi

The objective of this work was to verify the influence of planting density on productivity and fruit quality of the fig tree. The design was used in three blocks, the plants of the cultivar Roxo de Valinhos were submitted to three planting spacings: 5 x 0.5 m; 5 x 1.0 m; and 5 x 1.5 m. The evaluated characteristics were: length of branches; average weekly growth of branches; fruit size; average fruit weight;soluble solids (°Brix); yield of mature fruits; productivity of green fruits; accumulated productivity; and dry mass of fruits.The length of the branches was not influenced by planting spacing, the plants conducted at lower densities presented higher productivity, both of green fruits and accumulated productivity.Plants submitted to lower planting density produced fruits with higher dry matter, but these were smaller in size, but without significant difference for those submitted to lower density. It wasconcluded that productivity is directly affected by fig planting density, but not all the qualitative aspects of the fruits were affected.


Author(s):  
Alina Viorica ILIE ◽  
Cristina PETRISOR ◽  
Dorel HOZA ◽  
Viorel OLTENESCU

The objective of this study was to determine influence of different soil type on apple yield and quality. To investigate the variation in fruit quality, apples were harvested at commercial maturity on two different soil type. The investigations was conducted in experimental apple orchards located in Focsani region on two different soil type: luvic  brown typical and  luvic brown pseudogleizate. Fruits of Jonathan and Golden Delicios cultivars were tested for color, soluble solids content, total acidity, ascorbic acid, anthocyanins content and chlorophyls content with specific analytrical methods. At harvest yield, dry matter, soluble solids content, ascorbic acid and acidity were affected by soil type. In this study, no significant soil effect was found on color, anthocyanins and chlorophyll fruit content. The results obtained in this study suggest that luvic brown pseudogleizate soil leading to increased yields and enhanced fruit quality.


Analytica ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 14-24
Author(s):  
Alessio Scalisi ◽  
Mark Glenn O’Connell

Soluble solids concentration (SSC) is a reference index that is typically used to quantify soluble sugars, the most abundant constituents of stone fruit flesh dry matter when approaching maturity. Dry matter concentration (DMC) is another parameter that has been often associated with fruit quality. This study investigated the relationship of SSC and DMC in fourteen stone fruit cultivars at harvest. SSC and DMC were measured at physiological maturity in peach, nectarine, plum and apricot. SSC and DMC data had similar symmetrical patterns (range, means and variability) for most of the cultivars. Mean SSC ranged between 11.6 and 19.7 °Brix, and DMC between 11.6% and 19.4% w/w across all fruit studied. High variability in SSC was observed in apricot, with an interquartile range = 5.7 °Brix. A generic linear regression model that included peach, nectarine and plum cultivars revealed a robust association between DMC and SSC (p < 0.001, R2 = 0.914, n = 2800) with a DMC prediction error (RMSE) equal to 0.874% w/w. However, when a simplified DMC = SSC was used for DMC estimation, the RMSE only slightly increased and was still lower than 1.00% w/w. Similar results were observed when linear regression models were assessed in each cultivar independently, with R2 > 0.75 and RMSE generated by the simplified DMC = SSC model lower than 1.00% w/w in thirteen out of fourteen stone fruit cultivars, with the exception of the apricot cultivar. These results provide empirical evidence that SSC and DMC are highly correlated fruit quality indicators in plum, peach and nectarine at harvest.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 53
Author(s):  
Esmaeil Fallahi ◽  
Bahar Fallahi ◽  
Shahla Mahdavi

Tree architectures play a critical role in the productivity of high-density orchards, but limited information is available in this subject. We studied effects of three branch configurations on tree growth, yield components, fruit quality and leaf mineral nutrients in &lsquo;Aztec Fuji&rsquo; apple (Malus domestica Bork.) in a single row upright high-density system under southwest Idaho, USA conditions over 2012-2016. This study revealed that trees trained into a Tall Spindle (TS) had larger trunk cross sectional area (TCSA) than those with an Overlapped Arm (OA) system. Trees trained into a TS had higher number of fruit and yield per tree, three years after planting in 2012, than those with a Tipping Arm (TA) or OA system. However, in 2013, trees with a TA system had higher yield than those with a TS or OA configuration due to trees&rsquo; biennial bearing habit and higher spur formation in trees with a TA system. Trees receiving a TA training had lower biennial bearing index between all consecutive years. Trees with an OA training had smaller fruit than those with either a TA or TS training in all years between 2012-2016. Training systems did not have any effect on fruit color, soluble solids concentration, or starch degradation pattern at harvest. However, fruit from trees with an OA training had higher firmness and lower water core than those from trees with a TS or TA training. Leaves from trees receiving a TA training had greater leaf area, fresh weight, and potassium (K) and magnesium (Mn) concentrations than those with other trainings. Leaves from trees receiving an OA training had higher leaf iron (Fe), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu) than those with a TS training. In this study, we concluded that training trees into a TA configuration rather than an OA system is recommended if the management and operation of apple production mandate the use of an &ldquo;upright wall&rdquo; structure to facilitate mechanical harvesting.


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