Yield and fruit quality of grafted tomato under water deficit with nanoparticle treatment
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.19136/era.a13nVI.5267Keywords:
abiotic stress, carotenoids, rootstock, soil moisture, total soluble solidsAbstract
Tomato production (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is a horticultural activity of high agri-food relevance; however, in regions with water scarcity, productivity may be limited. The objective of this study was to evaluate tomato growth, yield, water use efficiency, and fruit quality through the use of grafting and foliar application of copper nanoparticles under contrasting soil moisture conditions in a greenhouse. Grafted and non-grafted plants were compared under soil at field capacity and under severe water deficit. A completely randomized experimental design was used, and response variables included plant height, stem diameter, average fruit weight, yield, water use efficiency, total soluble solids, lycopene, and β-carotene. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance and mean comparisons with Tukey’s test (p ≤ 0.05). Soil water availability significantly influenced plant height, yield, water use efficiency, and total soluble solids, with higher yield and water use efficiency observed under field capacity conditions. Copper nanoparticle application promoted greater plant height compared with the other agronomic management practices. Average fruit weight and carotenoid concentration were determined by the interaction between soil moisture and agronomic management. Overall, the results indicate that maintaining soil moisture near field capacity enhances the productive potential and fruit quality of tomato cultivation.
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