Differential nutrient uptake and its transport in tomato plants on different fertilizer regimens

Abstract

Application of controlled-release fertilizer (CRF) to a root-proof capillary wick irrigation system (a type of subirrigation method) has both economical and environmental benefits, because it does not require any equipment for fertigation and minimizes water leaching. In this study, we examined the effects of CRF and liquid fertilizer (LF), a conventional fertigation method, on fruit production and nutrient uptake and transport in forcing tomato cultures for harvesting 15 trusses per plant from October to June. No significant difference was noted in marketable fruit yield between CRF- and LF-treated plants. The quantity of nutrient uptake per plant and per fruit yield was lower with CRF than with LF, indicating that nutrients were used more efficiently for fruit production in plants grown with CRF. Analysis of the volume and mineral concentrations of xylem exudates indicated that the amount of nutrients absorbed was greater with LF than with CRF, particularly after the tenth truss was harvested. Mineral concentrations in the substrate solution of CRF-treated plants were initially higher than those in the substrate solution of LF-treated plants but extremely low after the second truss was harvested, whereas mineral concentrations in the xylem exudates were similar in CRF and LF plants until the eighth truss was harvested. Thus, the difference in mineral concentrations between the xylem exudates and substrate solution was much larger in the case of CRF than in the case of LF, indicating that the plants absorbed the bulk of nutrients immediately after their release from the CRF surface. Therefore, CRF is suitable in this system, because it combines high fruit production with high nutrient utilization efficiency.