Abstract
The goal of this research is to determine the optimum pF value that controlls the growth of cherry tomatoes in a water irrigation biomass bark bed. The changes of the transpiration flow rate, the stalk diameter, and the pF value of the bed, in response to changes in light intensity were measured. The response times for the three parameters due to the changes in the light intensity were 10, 9-18 and 8-10 min, respectively. The transpiration flow rates and the pF value were not affected by the latter. The response time of the stalk diameter however, increased with an pF value. The transpiration flow rate decreased with an increase in the pF value. The pF value in the irrigated bark bed should be less than 1.6-1.7 in regards to the growth of cherrv tomatoes.
