Nitrogen Supply during Greenhouse Transplant Production Affects Subsequent Tomato Root Growth in the Field

Abstract

Tomato transplant ( Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) root growth in the field was directly related to N level supplied to the transplants as seedlings in the greenhouse. Root growth in the field increased exponentially when N was applied at 50 to 350 mg·liter -1 . Transplant growth in multicelled trays increased in a sigmoidal fashion with N, up to 200 mg-liter'. The optimal N range for maximum survival, growth, and early yield in the field was from 100 to 200 mg-liter'. Strength of the seedling stem increased with N level curvilinearly. Seedling survival in the field was highly correlated with seedling stem strength.