The components of yield (number and average weight of fruits per plant) of cherry tomatoes grown in hydroponic system were evaluated, in the summer-autumn 2008 season, noting the influence of the floral cluster position and the nutrients concentration on the solution. Four concentrations of ionic nutrient solution were studied (initial electrical conductivity (CE)): 1.3; 1.8; 2.3 and 2.8 dS m-1. There was no significant interaction between the factors nutrients concentration of the nutrient solution and position of the floral cluster for all evaluated yield components. Regarding the effect of the position of the floral cluster, significant influence only occurred for the variables fruit setting index and fruit production. The ion concentration of the nutrient solution had significant effect on the following yield variables: fruit mean weight and production of fruits per plant. In terms of fruit mean weight, the CEs of 1.8 and 2.3 dS m-1 were higher than the CE of 2.8 dS m-1 and similar to the CE of 1.3 dS m-1 resulting in 13.0; 12.5; 9.5 and 10.9 grams per fruit, respectively. The average production of fruits of plants grown in nutrient solution with CE of 1.8 dS m-1 (296.5 g cluster-1 and 2.1 kg plant-1) were superior to the other evaluated conductivities. The position of the floral cluster in the plant does not affect the components of yield, number and mean weight of the fruit. Thus, the position of the floral cluster has little influence on the production of fruits per cluster of cherry tomatoes. The change in the ion concentration of nutrient solution (in the range from 1.3 to 2.8 dS m-1) does not affect the number of fruits per plant, but an CE higher than 2.3 dS m-1 reduces the fruit mean weight.
Lycopersicon esculentum Mill; hydroponic system; production; NFT; nutrient film technique
