Abstract
The quality of tomato fruit and juice (Lycopersicon esculentum L. cv. VF M82-1-8) grown in an aerohydroponic system in a greenhouse was affected by the level of Cl− and NO −3 , and by the osrnotic potential (OP) of the nutrient solutions. The total suspended solids (degrees Brix) in the fresh juice increased from approximately 4.0 in the nonsaline solutions (OP ∼ −0.05 MPa) to approximately 5.6–5.8 in the saline solutions (OP ∼ −0.45 MPa). Juice acidity was similarly affected by the Cl−, NO −3 and OP levels in the nutrient solutions. Less affected, the ascorbic acid content of juice, was lowest (∼ 8–9 mg/100 cc) in the high-NO −3 -nonsaline solution treatments, and was between 10 and 12 mg/100 cc at OP levels greater than ∼ −0.2 MPa. NO −3 in the juice was high (∼ 60 mg/L) under low OP conditions (∼ −0.05 to −0.1 MPa), especially when combined with high NO −3 levels, and lower (between 8 and 30 mg/L) in plants exposed to saline conditions (low OP). Fruit puffiness (boxiness) was reduced markedly by salinity and was not considerably affected by the NO −3 /Cl− ratio, while fruit firmness was influenced by both factors.
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Contribution from the Agricultural Research Organization (ARO), The Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel.
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Albu-Yaron, A., Feigin, A. & Rylski, I. The quality of tomato for canning as affected by combined chloride, nitrate and osmotic potential of the nutrient solution. Plant Food Hum Nutr 43, 201–210 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01886221
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01886221