Déficit hídrico e produção do tomate cultivado em ambiente protegido

Abstract

The tomato is one of the vegetables grown in a greenhouse, but adequate irrigation management is essential for increased productivity and product quality. So this study was to evaluate the effect of different water tension levels in the soil in the production and classification of tomato plants in a protected environment. The plants were transplanted into pots with 20 L capacity, with spacing of 0.60 m between plants and 1.00 m between rows. We used a drip irrigation system. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design, with 5 levels of water tension in the soil (15, 30 45 60 and 120 kPa) and four replications. We analyzed the diameter, height, leaf area and dry matter of the plants and harvest the fruits were counted and measured the diameter for classification. Diameter of stem and height plants in the last evaluation was higher in 45 and 60 kPa. Leaf area and dry matter decreasing with increasing water deficit. Total and marketable yield decreased with increasing water tension in the soil and commercial production is more sensitive to drought presents a response factor of 1.091, while the total production showed a response factor of 1.006. The higher number of fruits classified as large (> 60 mm) was in the irrigated treatment when the water tension in the soil reached 15 kPa.