Tomato Fruit Yield and Quality as Affected by Grafting and Shading

Abstract

Volume 4 • Issue 3 • 100042 The effect of rootstocks on the amount of TSS was found not statistically significant [23-26], although some researchers have observed that soluble solid content was lower in grafted compared to non-grafted plants [27-29]. According to several authors, lycopene concentration in tomato fruits tends to decrease with grafting [30-33]. The effect of rootstocks on titratable acidity has been found to be significant [25], but in some studies [23,24,27,28], found no effect of grafting on the titratable acidity. Gajc-Wolska et al. [34] and Turhan et al. [28], found decreasing sugar contents in fruits of grafted tomatoes too. Genetic (cultivar differences) and environmental factors modulate the physiology and metabolism of tomato plants, but it is not clear how technological factors (grafting) combined with abiotic stress (environmental factors-light, temperature) affect tomato's natural metabolic composition. The objective of our research was to evaluate grafting dependent differences in the response of shades. Material and Methods Plant material and cultivation The experiments were performed in a net-house experimental plot located in the village of Moravac near Aleksinac (longitude 21°42' E, latitude 43°87 30' N, altitude 159 m) in the central area of south Serbia from March to September 2017. The cultivar 'Optima F 1 ' is characterized by medium early maturing , with round shape and with high quality flesh. The cultivar 'Big Beef F 1 ' belong to Solanum lycopersicum L., beef type group, medium maturing with round and oblate shape, respectively and with fine beef quality. Interspecific hybrid 'Maxifort' (Solanum lycopersicum L. × Solanum habrochaites S. De Ruiter, Bergshenhoek, The Nether-lands), were used as rootstock. In our experiment, the seeds of scions were sown on 15 th March in a seedling tray filled with peat-based substrate. Seeds of the rootstocks were sown two days prior to the sowing of scion seeds. Seedlings were grafted on 28 th April. Seedlings were produced in the plastic tunnel with heating. Until the emerging of the tomato plants temperature was maintained at the 25-26°C, and after decreased at 21°C. Seedlings were grafted 25 to 30 days after emerging of the rootstocks and scions, when the stem diameter was 2 mm. Grafting was done by hand using cleft grafting method. During the grafting process it is very important to increase temperature at the 24°C. After the grafting, plants are placed in germination chamber, …