الفهرس 
Material and methodsOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
SAMMARY AND CONCLUSION
This study was carried out during 1996 and 1997 summer
seasons at the Experimental Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture,
Moshtohor, Zagazig University to study the effect of some chemical
materials on growth, flowering, yield and quality characteristics of
tomato plants grown under saline conditions, and the possibility of
using drainage water in replacing partially the Nile water in irrigation
of tomato plants. This study included two experiments as follows:
ThlfirstlUlnmel1 :( ’Its experille. J:
This experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of the
foliar application of some chemical materials on vegetative growth,
flowering behaviour, chemical composition of leaves, yield and its
components, fruits quality as well as roots and leaves anatomy of
tomato plants cv. UC97-3. This experiment included 35 treatments
which were the combinations of 5 salinity levels of irrigation water
i.e. 0, 3000, 6000, 9000 and 12000 ppm of sodium chloride beside
control treatment (tap water) with? treatments of chemicals foliar
applied for alleviating the expected deleterious effects of such
conditions. Chemical materials tested in this investigation were as
follows:
1- Phosphoric acid at 10 and 20 mM.
2- Proline acid at 30 and 60 p.p.m.
3- Paclobutrazol at 100 and 200 p.p.m.
4- Distilled water as control.
Obtained results can be summarized as follows:
I-Vegetative growth characteristics: Vegetative growth
characteristics as plant height, root length, number of both leaves
and branches/ plant, fresh and dry weight of each shoots and roots
as well as shoot! root ratio were gradually decreased by increasing
salinity levels. ill this regard, application of the studied chemical,
especially phosphoric acid at 10 and 20 mM and proline acid 30
and 60 ppm minimized the depressive effects of salinity on all
studied vegetative growth parameters. On the other hand,
paclobutrazol treatments showed superiority only in case of root
parameters.
2-Chemical composition of leaves: Irrigation tomato plants with
increasing salinity levels, decreased greatly and steadily tomato
leaves content of chlorophyll a, band a+ b. However carotenoids
content were increased. This depression in chlorophyll a and b can
be reduced by the application of any kind of chemical materials,
especially phosphoric acid at 10 and 20 mM.
3-Increasing salinity levels led to a progressive and continuos
reduction in leaves content of N, P, K, Ca and Mg. However,
opposite trend was detected in case of Na and Cl. Using
phosphoric ~acid at 10 ruM showed superiority in increasing
content ofN, P, K, Ca and Mg and decreasing those ofNa and CI
in tomato leaves as compared with any other treatment studied
under all salinity conditions.
As for Na+;K+, Na+ :Ca++ and Na+ :Mg++ratios as well as free
proline content in tomato leaves, an increasing tendency was detected
as salinity level increased. In this regard, spraying tomato plants,
grown under salinity conditions with either phosphoric acid (10 and
20 mM) or proline acid (30 and 60 mM) decreased the harmful effect
of salinity through minimizing Na+: cations ratios. Whereas
application of proline acid led to a further increase in leaves content of
free proline.
4-Flowering characteristics: Flowering characteristics of tomato
plants as number of clusters and flowers/plant were gradually
decreased by increasing salinity level. In the regard, application of
phosphoric acid (10 and 20 mM) improved this parameters.
5-yield and its components: Tomato yield and its components
expressed as number of fruits/plant; average fruit weight, length and
diameter as well as plant yield were progressive and steadily
decreased by increasing salinity level. This depression in these
parameters can be reduced by the application of any of the studied
chemicals, especially phosphoric acid (10 and 20 mM), proline acid
(30 ppm) and paclobutrazol (100 ppm).
6-Fruit quality: Increasing levels of salinity in irrigation water
gradually increased fruits content of ascorbic acid (Vit.C.),
titratable acidity total soluble; solids (T.S.S.). In this regard,
application of either phosphoric acid (10 and 20) or paclobutrazol
(100ppm) significantly improved fruits content ofVit.C. and T.S.S.
compared with the control, whereas proline acid (30 or 60 ppm) led
to significant increase in fruits content of T.8.S. only. On the
contrary, application of all used chemicals did not affect
significantly fruits content oftitratable acidity .
. 7-Fruitscontent of reducing and total sugars were gradually decreased
as salinity levels in irrigation water increased.Vice-versa results
were detected in case of non-reducing sugars. In this connection,
spraymg tomato plants with phosphoric acid (10 and 20 mM)
improved fruit content of sugars and decreased the harmful effect of
salinity in this respect. Paclobutrazol exhibited to some extent a
positive effect on fruits content of sugars.
8-Tomato plants that irrigated with solutions contained increasing
levels of salinity show a gradual reduction in fruits content ofN, P,
K and Ca elements. However, contra trend was observed in case of
Na. Such deleterious effects on fruits mineral composition can be
diminished by application of any of the used chemicals (phosphoric
acid, proline acid and paclobutrazol). On the other hand, spraying
tomato plants with such materials led to decreased fruits content of
Na element compared to control treatment.
9-Anatomy features of plant: Increasing salinity level reduced the
thickness’ of all studied features of root i.e epidermis, cortex,
phloem, xylem and pith tissues, as well as leaf i.e blade, measophyll
(palisade and spongy tissues), upper and lower epidermis, and
number of xylem vessels whereas, diameter and width of midrib
exhibited slightly increase with increasing salinity levels. In this
respect, spraying tomato plants with any of the studied chemicals,
especially phosphoric acid (10 and 20 mM) resulted the highest
values of root parameters as well as all chemicals in case of leaves
anatomy features exhibited the highest values compared to control
treatment,
Conclusion:
Generally, it may be concluded that irrigating tomato plants
UC97-3 cv. with saline water containing up till 6000 ppm Na CI can
be safety used. This must be accompanied by spraying tomato plants
with the different chemical materials, especially phosphoric acid at 10
or 20 mM in order to produce acceptable yield with good quality as
well as minimizing the deleterious effects of salinity stress.
Theseclnd elPerimenl: [Field eqerimenl J:
This experiments were carried out to elucidate the possibility of
using drainage water as well as its application frequencies in irrigation
of tomato plants on vegetative growth, chemical composition of
leaves, yield and its components as well as fruits quality and leaves
anatomy for some tomato cultivars. This experiments included 12
treatments, which were the combination between 6 irrigation
treatments on two tomato cultivars (Edkawy & UC97-3). The water
frequencies applied of irrigation were:
1- Irrigation with Nile water only throughout the growing seasons -
(ten irrigations as control).
2- Irrigation twice with drainage water followed by eight irrigations
with Nile water.
3- Irrigation four times with drainage water followed by six
irrigations with Nile water.
4- Irrigation six times with drainage water followed by four
irrigations with Nile water.
5- Irrigation eight times with drainage water followed by two
irrigations with Nile water.
6- Irrigation with drainage water only throughout the growing season
(10 irrigations).
Obtained results can be summarized as follows:
X 152H
1- Vegetative growth characteristics: Using drainage water twice
or four times in irrigation increased all vegetative growth
.characteristics axpress as plant height, number of branches,
number of leaves as well as fresh and dry weight per plant. On
the other hand increasing irrigation frequencies with drainage
water more than four times and up to 10 times led to a gradual
and significant reduction in most growth parameters. Edkawy
cv. exhibited the best results in this regard compared with
UC97-3 cv.
2- Chemical composition of leaves: Irrigation tomato plants with
drainage water four times resulted in the highest values of
photosynthetic pigments (chlorophyll a, b as well as
carotenoids). Increasing irrigation frequencies with drainage
water more than four times led to a gradual reduction in all
these pigments. In this regard, plants ofEdkawy cv. recorded
the highest concentrations in all studied pigments as compared
with those ofUC97-3.
3~ Irrigation with drainage water up to four times increased leaves
content of N, P, K and Mg elements. However, further
applications with drainage water up to ten times, gradually
decreased these elements. On the other hand, leaves content of
Ca gradually decreased with increasing drainage water
irrigation frequencies. In this connection, plants ofEdkawy cv.
contained in their leaves the highest concentrations of all
previous elements in comparison with those ofUC97-3.
4- Using drainage water in irrigation led to progressive and gradual
increase in leaves content of Na and CI elements and free
Ie 153 Ie
proline, as well as Na+: K\ Ca++or Mg++ratios. In this respect,
the highest values were recorded with the highest irrigation
frequencies with drainage water- ten times- compared with
control - Nile water only- throughout the growing seasons.
Plants ofEdkawy cv. exhibited the highest values in this regard
compared with those ofUC97-3.
5- Flowering, yield and its components: Using drainage water in
irrigation up to four times during the growing period led to a
progressive increase of number of clusters and fruits per plant,
average fruit weight, length and diameter plant yield as well as
early and total yields per feddan. On the contrary, increasing
drainage water frequencies more than four times drastically and
constantly decreased all these characters, especially with the
highest irrigation frequencies with drainage water-eight and ten
times- In this regard, Edkawy cv. exhibited the highest values in
average fruit weight, length and diameter, plant yield and total
yield per feddan, whereas, UC97 -3 recorded the highest values
in number of clusters and fruits per plant as well as early yield
per feddan.
6- Fruit quality: Using drainage water in irrigation up to four times
led to a gradual increase in fruit content of both ascorbic acid
(Vit.e.) and titratable acidity, whereas increasing irrigation
frequencies with drainage water resulted in constant reduction
in this respect. As for total soluble solids (T.S.S.) it is evident
that increasing drainage water frequencies from 0 up to 10
times resulted in a gradual increase in this respect. Fruits of
Edkawy cv. contained the highest amounts ofVit.C and T.S.S.
Ie 154’.
whereas) those of UC97~3 showed superiority in titratable
acidity.
7- Using drainage water in irrigation led to an increase in fruits
content of non-reducing sugars in case of 2 irrigations and
reducing and total sugars in case of 4 irrigations meanwhile)
further applications up to 10 times constantly reduced such
items. In this regard) tomato plants ofEdkawy cv. recorded the
highest content of reducing and total sugars in their fruits)
whereas - those of UC97-3 cv. were superior regarding nonreducing
sugars content.
8- Increasing frequencies with drainage water led to gradual and
progressive reductions in the contents of N, P and Ca elements
in tomato fruits, meanwhile, contra results were detected incase
of Na element. As for K fruits content, it was increased as
.irrigation frequencies with drainage water increased up to 4
times then decreased gradually by increasing drainage water
application. In this respect, Edkawy cv. exhibited higher
contents of N, P, K and Na, whereas UC97-3 recorded the
highest Ca values.
9- Anatomy features of leaves: Using drainage water in irrigation
up to ten times during the growing season led to decrease the
thickness of all leaf anatomy features i.e blade) measophyll
(palisade and spongy tissues), upper and lower epidermis and
.number of xylem vessels tissue. Whereas, slightly increase in
diameter and width .of leaf midrib had been detected under such
conditions. In this regard, Edkawy cv. exhibited the highest
values in all studied parame~rs compared to UC97-3.
x 155:1e
Conclusion:
It can be concluded that using drainage water in irrigation of
tomato plants for four times led to obvious improving effects on all
vegetative growth characteristics as well as yield and its components
of all tested cultivars. Whereas, increasing irrigation frequencies with
drainage water more than four times had adverse and deleterious
effects in most tested parameters. Also, it seems that plants ofEdkawy
cv. proved to be the most durable compared with those ofUC97-3
under salinity ’stress conditions, hence it produced the highest yield
with the best quality under such conditions.
Generally, it can be concluded that under similar condition it is
possible and to extent desirable to replace agricultural drainage water
up to 4 times instead of Nile water for irrigation of tomato plants of
both cultivars, especially those of Edkawy. Thus, we can save and
spare about 40% of fresh Nile water that can be directed for other
purposes.