HIGHLIGHTS
The number of flowers, the abortion rate, and the number of fruits per flower cluster directly influence processing tomato yield.
Deficient or excessive irrigation levels impair flowering and increase the abortion of flowers of the processing tomato.
Irrigation management is essential for the yield of processing tomato crops from the Brazilian Cerrado.
Key words:
Solanum lycopersicum L.; water deficit; flowering
ABSTRACT
This study aimed to evaluate the effect of irrigation depths applied by a subsurface drip system on flowering, fruiting, flower abortion and the influence of these variables on the yield of determinate growth tomato destined for industrial processing (“BRS Sena” hybrid). The experiment was carried out under a randomized block design, with four replicates. The influence of five irrigation depths; 50, 75, 100, 125, and 150% of the crop evapotranspiration was determined on the fresh and dry matter of flowers, the number of flowers and fruits per flower cluster, flower abortion rate, and the average weight of tomato fruits. The data were submitted to analysis of variance and regression. Irrigation replacements that ranged from 100 to 115% of the crop evapotranspiration (459 to 528 mm) provided a greater number of flowers, number of fruits per flower cluster, and lower abortion rate of tomato flowers. Irrigation depths greater than 115% of the crop evapotranspiration increased the average fruit mass; however, they reduced the number of flowers and fruits and increased the abortion rate of flowers in the crop. The number of fruits per flower cluster, the average fruit mass, and the flower abortion rate influenced between 53% and 66% the ‘BRS Sena’ yield.
Key words:
Solanum lycopersicum L.; water deficit; flowering
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** - Significant at p ≤ 0.01 by the F-test
** - Significant at p ≤ 0.01 by the F-test
* and ** - Significant at p ≤ 0.05 and p ≤ 0.01 by the F-test, respectively
** - Significant at p ≤ 0.01 by the F-test