Efecto de la fertirrigación en un cultivo de tomate sobre la sostenibilidad agrícola de un valle costero del desierto de Atacama, Chile

Abstract

The coastal valleys of the Region Arica y Parinacota (Chile) have exceptional climatic conditions for vegetable crops during the entire year; they are the main provider of vegetables in the country in winter. The mean regional production of tomatoes is greater than the national mean, with high commercial value due to the “prime” condition that makes its growing a very competitive activity in the country. Some aspects of crop management during the production process may be improved in order to provide economic and environmental sustainability to this activity, especially improvement of the techniques of tomato fertigation. The objective of this study was to describe the fertigation management commonly used in a commercial greenhouse by soilless culture in the Azapa valley and to suggest fertilizer inputs to improve crop nutrition. The rational management of fertigation, considering that nutrient input along with the irrigation water is a key tool for the sustainability of a tomato crop. Equilibrated nutritional input avoids premature aging of the plant, which maintains the production and quality of the tomatoes.