Search Results (4)

Water scarcity has prompted researchers to intensify studies on the optimal use of saline water in irrigating agricultural crops to improve the efficiency of exploiting available water resources. Therefore, this study aimed to use selected spectral vegetation indices to investigate the potential of grafting in mitigating the effect of salinity on the growth of tomato plants grown under a hydroponic system. Three commercial tomato cultivars (Forester-F1, Feisty-Red, and Ghandowra-F1,) and five tomato hybrid rootstocks (Beaufort, Maxifort, Dynafort, Unifort, and Vivifort) were investigated using nutrient solutions at three salinity levels, namely, 2.5 dS m⁻¹ (S1, low salinity level), 6.0 dS m⁻¹ (S2, medium salinity level), and 9.5 dS m⁻¹ (S3, high salinity level). The results showed that Ghandowra-F1 had the best growth performance under hydroponics compared to the other two varieties. The increase in the salinity of the nutrient solution negatively affected the vegetation growth of tomato plants. Low and medium salinity did not show any significant effect on the three tomato varieties, unlike high salinity, which showed a significant negative effect on the vegetative growth of the plant. Thus, it is possible to successfully grow tomatoes in hydroponics using nutrient solutions with a salt concentration of up to 6.0 dS m⁻¹. Although there was a slight improvement in the vegetative growth of grafted tomato plants, all the studied rootstocks showed no significant differences compared to non-grafted tomato plants. This study could greatly contribute to strategies targeting the improvement of tomato production in hydroponics. Full article

To overcome the scarcity of fresh water, researchers have turned to investigating different techniques that enable using saline water to irrigate crops, aiming to increase the efficiency of using available water resources. A glasshouse experiment was conducted to investigate the yield responses of grafted and non-grafted (self-rooted) tomato plants grown hydroponically under three levels of water salinity (2.5, 6.0, and 9.5 dS m⁻¹). Three tomato varieties (Ghandowra-F1, Forester-F1, and Feisty-Red) were grafted onto five rootstocks (Maxifort, Unifort, Dynafort, Vivifort, and Beaufort). The implemented treatments were studied in terms of tomato fruit yield and quality parameters. Although increasing the concentration of salts in the nutrient solution led to a decrease in fruit yield, the moderate salinity level (S-2: 6.0 dS m⁻¹) showed its superiority over both low salinity (S-1: 2.5 dS m⁻¹) and high salinity (S-3: 9.5 dS m⁻¹) in terms of tomato yield parameters. The studied rootstocks did not significantly improve the tomato fruit yield, but the interaction between the grafting combinations and salinity was significant for both production and quality. More specifically, tomato plants grafted onto the rootstocks “Vivifort and Beaufort” rendered the highest yield at a low salinity level (S-1: 2.5 dS m⁻¹) and a moderate salinity level (S-2: 6.0 dS m⁻¹), respectively, while at high salinity (S-3: 9.5 dS m⁻¹), grafting did not improve tomato productivity, irrespective of the rootstock. These results confirm that tomatoes can be successfully grown under hydroponic systems using salinity levels of up to 6.0 dS m⁻¹ without sacrificing fruit yield and quality. Among the studied tomato varieties, Feisty-Red was found to be appropriate for hydroponic production. The results also demonstrated that Vivifort and Beaufort rootstocks are suitable for grafting hydroponic tomatoes under low and moderate salinity levels, respectively. Full article

Grafting techniques have been intricately associated with the optimization of water use efficiency (WUE). In this study, various eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) rootstock–scion combinations were compared under three irrigation regimes (IR): 50% deficit in water volume (IR50), a doubling of irrigation volume (IR200), and normal watering (IR100). The cultivar Black Bell (Bb) was employed as a scion, while the rootstock adopted included the F1 hybrids Energy (En) and Beaufort (Be) and one accession of S. torvum (To). The trial encompassed the evaluation of no- and self-grafted plants_. Plants grown in a cold greenhouse in Sicily were assessed for their morphological parameters, as well as their fruit production and quality. The leaf analysis encompassed the evaluation of chromatic parameters and water potential. Significant variation was observed for plant height, exhibiting the lowest values in self-grafted combinations. The leaf water potential varied significantly in relation to the rootstock–scion combination employed and to the irrigation regime. Fruit quality traits displayed significant variations for chromatic parameters L* and a*, as well as for the fruit’s longitudinal and transversal diameters and the soluble solid content. The number of fruits and fruit production per plant varied significantly in relation to the rootstock–scion combination; the highest fruit production was recorded for Black Bell grafted onto S. torvum grown by IR50. The fruit weight displayed a significant interaction between the experimental factors under study. Notably, for the WUE calculated in relation to fruit production, a significant interaction between the experimental factors studied was ascertained. The highest WUE was registered for IR50, specifically for To/Bb. This research aims to develop a comprehensive water-efficient organic farming protocol for sustainable agriculture. Full article

Grafting techniques represent an efficient tool to enhance plant growth and development. The study aims to explore the effects of different grafting combinations on the growth of eggplants under diverse greenhouse conditions. Eggplant cultivar Black bell (Bb) was employed as scion, while the hybrid F₁ Beaufort (Be) and Solanum torvum (To) were utilized as rootstock. The hypothesis behind this study pertains to grafting incompatibility with Beaufort F1. It postulates that this incompatibility can be mitigated by manipulating soil and greenhouse temperatures. The experimental factors encompassed plant combinations (Bb, Be/Bb and To/Bb), as well greenhouse and substrate temperature (both cold or heated). The Be/Bb combination showed higher values of plant vegetative traits, but it exhibited low grafting compatibility. Additionally, physiological analysis confirmed the presence of excessive growth and vegetative disorder within the Be/Bb combination. Examination of the xylem vessels revealed notable differences between the grafting combination involving Bb and the rootstock F1 hybrid Be/Bb, compared to the one with To/Bb and the non-grafted Bb. Specifically, the area, diameter and number of xylem vessels were approximatively 45% higher in Be/Bb than in To/Bb and the non-grafted Bb. Furthermore, a robust linear correlation was observed between plant height with morphometric and physiological traits, except fruits sets. This study lays the basis for a novel protocol for agriculture, addressing the excessive vegetative growth in rootstocks regulating air and substrate temperatures. Full article