The Effect of Water Stress on Tomato under Different Emitter Discharges and Semi-Arid Climate Condition

M. CELEBI
Selcuk University, Cumra Vocational School, 42500 Konya, Turkey

Abstract

CELEBI, M., 2014. The effect of water stress on tomato under different emitter discharges and semi-arid climate condition. Bulg. J. Agric. Sci., 20: 1151-1157

 

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of water stress on tomato. The experiment was conducted in a loamy soil under semi-arid climate conditions of Konya in 2010 and 2011. Irrigation water was applied using Class A pan evaporation (Kpc = 0.60, 0.80, 1.00, and 1.20) with six days irrigation intervals and with two different emitter discharges ratios. Drip irrigation laterals were arranged for every row. Significant differences in fruit yields were found among all treatments (p<0.01). Maximum marketable fruit yield (83.8 - 73.9 t ha-1) was obtained under conditions of AS1 and BS1 applications, respectively. Maximum irrigation water applied of the mention applications were determined as 507.1 mm and 365.1 mm and seasonal evapotranspiration were determined as 657.0 mm and 538.1 mm, respectively. The crop yield response factor was 2.28 - 2.04 under conditions of BS1, and 1.45 - 1.53 under conditions of AS1 by years, respectively. Hand harvest tomato varieties (Lycopersicon esculentum cv.H2274) responded to water restraint with a significant proportional decrease on yield under semi-arid climate conditions. In addition, water stress increased the susceptibility of plants to attack by pathogens.

Key words: Crop yield response factor, water restraint, emitter discharges ratios, evapotranspiration, tomato
Abbreviations: WUE = water use efficiency; IWUE = irrigation water use efficiency; ky = crop yield response factor; EDR = emitter discharges ratio; IRc = irrigation water / cumulative pan evaporation; [1 - (Ya/Ym)] = Relative yields decrease; [1 - (ETa/ETm)]= relative evapotranspiration deficits; A = 4 Litter hour-1 emitter discharges treatment; B = 2 Lh-1 emitter discharges treatment; S= kpc treatments according to water deficit

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