The objective of this work was to evaluate the influence of tomato transpiration on the leaching fraction and electrical conductivity (EC) of the nutrient solution drained in the sand substrate under greenhouse growing conditions. Two fertigation techniques were used, one denoted by conventional control system and the other by computerized control system. In the conventional control system, the nutrient solution was applied by using fixed time intervals between fertigation events. In the other system, the application occurred according to transpiration estimates, which were performed by the control algorithm of the computerized system. Under cloudy conditions, the EC of the drained nutrient solution decreased in both systems as a result of low transpiration and high leaching fractions, which mitigated substrate salinization. However, under high values of solar radiation, EC increased due to low leaching fractions. The results demonstrated that, under cloudy conditions, the computerized control system reduced effluent volumes by 54% as compared to the conventional control system and, simultaneously, prevented substrate salinization by maintaining mean EC values of the drained solution in the range from 2.9 to 3.5 dS m-1.
Lycopersicon esculentum; hydroponics; soilless cultivation; fertigation; greenhouse
