The Effect of NaCl-Salinity Applications on the Improvement of Quality Characteristics and Yield of Tomato (Lycopersicon Esculentum L.) Grown in Substrate Culture

Abstract

Salt application in soilless cultivation systems can be considered as a strategic tool to improve tomato fruit quality. In this context, the effects of increasing the salt concentration in the nutrient solution added to the solid culture medium on yield and yield components, biophysical and organoleptic quality traits of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L. cv. Kardelen F1) under greenhouse conditions were studied. The salt in the nutrient solution was applied to tomato plants as sodium chloride (NaCl) at four concentrations (0, 14.1, 44.4, and 70.4 mM). Each pot received 150 mL of nutrient solution daily during the vegetative period, while 300 mL was applied daily after flowering. This study was conducted with three replicates following a randomized block design. Plants were harvested 90 days after transplanting. Low salt application in the nutrient solution (14.1 mM NaCl) increased total fruit yield, while the high salt application did not effect fruit yield compared to the control. Salt application at increasing concentrations decreased fruit size and diameter but increased the dry matter in the fruit. The salt treatment mainly positively affected the commercial and organoleptic quality parameters of the tomato fruits. In conclusion, a low level of sodium chloride (14.1 mM NaCl) in soilless culture enhanced fruit production, while moderate (44.4 mM) and high (70.4 mM) concentrations improved various fruit quality traits.