Response of two tomato varieties to irrigation with sulphate waters

Abstract

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill, (Var, Marmande and Pearson) plants were grown under greenhouse conditions, in a loamy sand calcareous soil (CaC03, 26.5%) to study the growth and yield of tomatoes irrigated with SO~-waters (15, 30 and meq/l). Results indicated that total fruit weight and average fruit weight were not affected by SO~- level. Fresh weight (FW), dry weight (DW) and maximum length (ML) of root system as well as total soluble solids (TSS) and acidity of fruit were significantly (P~0.05) increased by high SO~-level (45 meq/l). The results also revealed that in Marmande cultivar, at the second stage (69 days) - the uptake of N, P, K, S04' Fe, Zn, Mn and Cu was significantly (P~0.05) increased as SO~-level increased. Also, soil SAR and pH were significantly increased. The results suggest that under prevailing conditions of the experiment, irrigating tomatoes with SO~-waters having concentration in the range of (15-45 meq/l) can be tolerated by tomato plant and it would not restrict its growth and yield.