Japanese Journal of Farm Work Research
Online ISSN : 1883-2261
Print ISSN : 0389-1763
ISSN-L : 0389-1763
Research paper
Yield and Quality of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) Cultured in Bittern-Supplemented Hydroponic Solution
Songying ZhouMioko YoshinoKeisuke MaejimaHiromitsu OdaniAni WidiastutiIsao YamotoMitsutake UnumaHideyuki MisuYumi EguchiHaruna KamodaMaki ShinoharaTomofumi WatanabeTatsuo Sato
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2018 Volume 53 Issue 2 Pages 73-79

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Abstract
Increasing the electric conductivity (EC) of the nutrient solution for growing hydroponic tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is an effective way to increase fruit sugar content. The potential of bittern and coarse salt (NaCl) to cause high-EC stress, thereby improving fruit yield and quality in tomato plants under single- or double-truss cultivation were compared. Bittern is a by-product of the salt manufacturing process; it is easy to use and inexpensive. In particular, bittern is more convenient than common salt for high-EC treatment, because it is distributed as a solution, whereas common salt must be dissolved to very high concentration. The experiments reported herein were conducted during two growing seasons: spring and autumn. High-EC stress treatments (bittern or coarse salt) started when the largest fruit on the first truss was 4 cm in diameter. Fruit yield and Brix sugar content in the bittern treatment were similar or higher than in the salt treatment under both cultivation schemes. The EC of the bittern-added nutrient solution increased faster than that of the solution with added coarse salt. This trend was probably caused by the different ion compositions of bittern and coarse salt. There were no differences in tomato growth among treatments. Thus, bittern is a practical and effective additive for hydroponic single-truss tomato cultivation.
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© 2018 Japanese Society of Farm Work Research
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