Nitrogen Fertiliser Recovery and Yield Response of Greenhouse Grown and Fertigated Tomato to Root - Zone Soil Water Tension

Authors: CEVAT KIRDA, NAFİ BAYTORUN, M. RIFAT DERİCİ, H. YILDIZ DAŞGAN, ÇAĞATAY TANRIVERDİ, ZEKAİ GÜMÜŞ

Abstract: Tomatoes were grown in a plastic greenhouse under 2 irrigation programmes and four N-fertiliser concentrations (0, 100, 150 and 200 mg N l^{-1}) of irrigation water. P and K concentrations were kept constant at 30 and 200 mg l^{-1}, respectively, for all N treatments. A drip irrigation system with single laterals centred between the plant rows, spaced 50 cm apart was used for irrigation as well as for feeding fertiliser solution (i.e. fertigation) during the experiment. Tensiometers, installed in 3 replicates at 45 cm soil depth and centred mid-way between 2 plants in rows, were used for irrigation scheduling. Two irrigation programmes, controlled through continuous monitoring of root-zone soil-water tension, were used as irrigation treatments. In one of the treatments, irrigation scheduling was based on a maximum soil-water tension of 50 kPa during the entire season. In the second treatment, soil-water tension to initiate irrigation was initially high (70 kPa), until fruit stetting, and it fell down to 50 kPa, later in the season. ^{15}N labelled urea was used in one of the N-concentration treatments (150 mg N l^{-1}) to estimate tomato N-fertiliser recovery. The results showed that tomato yield was not influenced significantly by irrigation treatments, although the irrigation treatment of low soil-water tension (

Keywords: Fertigation, N-fertiliser recovery, N-fertiliser concentration, ^{15}N, soil-water tension, tomato

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