Cultivation Methods for Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) with High Soluble Solids Content Using the Vertically Split Root System

摘要

For the cultivation of tomatoes with high soluble solids content, the root system was split vertically and irrigation to the upper part of the root system was stopped to create split vertically (SR treatment), while the irrigation amount per plant was maintained to the lower part at the same level as that of a non-stress treatment (Control). In Experiment 1, the soluble solids content in the SR treatment (1.3 Brix %) was significantly higher than that of the Control. However, there were no differences in plant growth and fruit quality between the SR treatment and the treatment in which the amount of water supplied was half of that of the Control. These results indicated that tomatoes with high soluble solids content in the SR treatment were cultivated without reducing the irrigation amount compared to that of the Control. In Experiment 2, the difference in the volume of the root zone in the lower container in the SR treatment affected the fresh weight per fruit and soluble solids content when sand was used in the lower container. However, when Andosol was used in the lower container, the difference in the volume of the root zone did not affect the yield and soluble solids content of the tomatoes.