Abstract
Using the recently developed Nutrient Film Technique, growth, fruit yield and nutrient absorption were studied with tomato plants grown at different solution temperatures.
Within the range from 15°C to 30°C, higher solution temperatures encouraged nutrient absorption and growth rates of shoot and root. Although solution temperature had little influence on total fruit yield, the percentage of marketable fruits seemed to increase with decreasing solution temperature; 20°C solution producing the highest marketable fruit yield.
The occurrence of blossom-end rot, found to increase with increasing solution temperature, could not be explained by calcium absorption or calcium content in the leaves.
The ambient temperature in summer was found to have negligible influence on the temperature of solution circulating in the present system. Solution supply, at the rate of 2 litres per plant per hour, being carried out for 15 minutes per hour, was found to provide adequate nutrition and sufficient dissolved oxygen.
