Growth and physiological changes of tomato as influenced by soil moisture levels

Abstract: 
Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.), as in most fruit vegetables, is often exposed to stresses either imposed by other organisms (biotic) or arising from imbalance of environmental factors (abiotic). Water management is a key factor that can influence tomato production since the crop is affected by both deficit and surplus irrigation water. Bringing the optimum irrigation water to the crop might reduce field losses during production. The effect of five different soil moisture levels (40, 55, 65, 80 and 100% (control)) was studied in tomato cv Money Maker planted in pots under greenhouse conditions. The water stress resulted in significant decreases in chlorophyll content, leaf relative water content (LRWC) and vegetative growth. Severe water stress (40% of PC) reduced the plant height by 24%, stem diameter by 18% and chlorophyll concentration by 32% compared to the control. The decrease in plant growth as a result of water stress could be attributed to reduction in the transpiration rate that was observed.
La tomate (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.), Comme dans la plupart des légumes fruits, est souvent exposée à des contraintes, soit imposées par d’autres organismes (biotiques) ou découlant d’un déséquilibre des facteurs environnementaux (abiotiques). La gestion de l’eau est un facteur clé qui peut influencer la production de tomates au moment où la récolte est affectée par le déficit et l’excédent d’eau d’irrigation. E apportant l’eau d’irrigation optimale à la récolte, cela peut réduire les pertes sur le terrain pendant la production. L’effet de cinq différents niveaux d’humidité du sol (40, 55, 65, 80 et 100% (de contrôle)) a été étudié chez la tomate cv Money Maker plantées dans des pots en serre. Le stress hydrique a entraîné une diminution significative de la teneur en chlorophylle, la teneur des feuilles en eau relative (LRWC) et la croissance végétative. Le stress hydrique sévère (40% des PC) réduit la hauteur de la plante de 24%, le diamètre de la tige de 18% et la concentration en chlorophylle de 32% par rapport au contrôle. La diminution de la croissance des plantes en raison du stress hydrique pourrait être attribuée à la réduction du taux de transpiration qui a été observée.
Language: 
English
Date of publication: 
2010
Country: 
Region Focus: 
East Africa
University/affiliation: 
Collection: 
RUFORUM Conferences and Workshops
Licence conditions: 
Open Access
Access restriction: 
Form: 
Printed resource
Publisher: 
ISSN: 
E_ISSN: 
Edition: 
Extent: 
877-886
Notes: 

"The 2010 RUFORUM Biennial Conference was the second in the series. The main objective of the Biennial conferences is to provide a platform for agricultural research for development stakeholders in Africa and beyond to actively exchange findings and experiences, while at the same time learning lessons towards improving performance of the agricultural sector and ultimately people’s livelihoods. The biennial conference is RUFORUM’s most comprehensive meeting for the diversity of stakeholers in agriculture. It is especially dedicated to graduate students and their supervisors, grantees in RUFORUM member universities and alumni. It is a platform for peer review, quality control, mentorship, networking and shared learning. This record contains an extended abstract accepted under the theme agronomy".