Abstract

SANCHEZ-DEL-CASTILLO, Felipe et al. Tomato yield with different hydroponic production methods based on ladder-shaped canopies. Rev. Chapingo Ser.Hortic [online]. 2014, vol.20, n.3, pp.239-251. ISSN 2007-4034.  https://doi.org/10.5154/r.rchsh.2013.10.037.

The objective of this study was to compare the yield per unit area and the time in which it can be achieved using hydroponic tomato plant production systems under greenhouse conditions, based on the formation of ladder-shaped in relation to uniform canopies. Plants were trimmed to leave only three clusters in each one, and thus limit their height to less than a meter. Plants were grouped in rows located at different heights to form four different modalities of ladder-shaped canopy and also a control was conducted with all the rows of plants located at the same height. Each ladder-shaped canopy treatment was tested at two population densities (11.1 and 15.5 plants·m^-2 of greenhouse space). A randomized block design with nine treatments and three replications was used. Variables studied were: yield and number of fruits per plant and unit area, and mean fruit weight. It was found that plants in ladder-shaped canopies yielded more per unit area than those in the control with uniform canopy. In these canopies high density plants produced higher yields and number of fruit per unit area than those grown under lower density, whereas the mean fruit weight did not decrease significantly.

Keywords : Solanum lycopers icum; plantation arrays; plant density; hydroponics; trimming.