Katarzyna Kowalczyk

The Influence of Growing Medium and Harvest Time on the Biological Value of Cherry Fruit and Standard Tomato Cultivars

The Influence of Growing Medium and Harvest Time on the Biological Value of Cherry Fruit and Standard Tomato Cultivars The objective of this study was to examine some quality traits of tomato fruits, concerning chemical composition, in relation to the type of growing medium and harvest time. Cherry (‘Dasher’ and ‘Organza’) and standard (‘Admiro’ and ‘DRW 7594’) tomato cultivars were grown in a greenhouse with controlled climate and drip fertilizing system, in three different growing media. Environment friendly media - coconut fiber and wood fiber were compared to rockwool, commonly used as a standard horticultural medium. The type of tomato cultivar as well as harvest time significantly influenced fruit quality. The highest fruit quality was obtained from red cherry ‘Dasher’ F1 cultivar in the July harvest. The content of macronutrients in tomato fruit were significantly depend on growing media. The higher content of phosphorus was obtained in tomato fruits from plants cultivated on coconut fiber and nitrates from rockwool. The content of sugars, TSS and ascorbic acid in tomato fruit mostly depended on the growing medium. The most total sugars had fruits when plant cultivated on coconut fiber. Coconut fiber, wood fiber and rockwool can be used as the alternative media for different soilless growing systems, without a significant change of the taste quality of tomatoes. Wpływ Podłoża i Treminu Zbioru Na Wartość Biologiczną Owoców Pomidora Typu Cherry i Standardowego Obiektem badań była ocena wybranych, chemicznych cech jakościowych owoców pomidora w zależności od rodzaju podłoża i terminu zbioru. Pomidor typu cherry (‘Dasher’ i ‘Organza’) i standardowy (‘Admiro’ i ‘DRW 7594’), uprawiano na trzech podłożach w kontrolowanych i monitorowanych warunkach mikroklimatu szklarni oraz fertygacji roślin. Przyjazne dla środowiska podłoża takie jak włókno kokosowe i drzewne porównywano z wełną mineralną jako powszechnie używanym podłożem w uprawach hydroponicznych warzyw. Jakość pomidora w istotny sposób zależała od odmiany i terminu zbioru owoców. Najwyższą jakość miały owoce odmiany cherry ‘Dasher’ F1, zbierane w lipcu. Zawartość makroskładników w owocach zależała od podłoża. Najwyższą zawartość fosforu uzyskano w owocach roślin uprawianych na włóknie kokosowym, a azotanów uprawianych na wełnie mineralnej. Pomidory uprawiane na badanych podłożach różniły się głównie zawartością cukrów, substancji rozpuszczalnych w soku komórkowym oraz kwasu askorbinowego. Najwięcej cukrów miały owoce z roślin uprawianych na włóknie kokosowym. Badane podłoża mogą być stosowane w uprawach bezglebowych bez istotnej zmiany jakości pomidora.

Effect of supplementary lighting on selected physiological parameters and yielding of tomato plants

ABSTRACT Light is one of the basic factors needed by plants for their development. The aim of this study was to measure the effect of supplementary lighting of tomato plants with HPS and LED lamps on the chosen physiological parameters and yielding of autumn-winter cultivation crops. Two tomato cultivars (‘Komeett’ F1 and ‘Starbuck’ F1 by De Ruiter Seeds) were used in this experiment. After the plants were planted, LED and HPS lamps of 100 μmol m-2 s-1 light intensity were installed. The results show that the introduction of a supplementary light source to tomato cultivation caused an increase in the intensity of photosynthesis, transpiration, stomatal conductance and chlorophyll by 57.7%, 17.1%, 39.3% and 24.4% on average, respectively. Higher values of those parameters were obtained with HPS lamps than with LED lamps. The amount of marketable crops, number of fruits and mean fruit weight were higher in both combinations in which supplementary lighting was applied, and the values of these traits were higher when the cultivation was supplementary lighted with HPS lamps than with LED lamps. Due to the overhead light configuration and continued low light output, there was no increase of efficiency when using LED lamps compared to HPS lamps despite better focusing and spectral distribution.

Response of growth, quality parameters and photosynthetic apparatus of endive plant to different culture media

Abstract Endive (Cichorium endivia L.) is a leaf vegetable with high vitamin and nutritional values. Therefore, an increase of its cultivation in Poland and other European countries has been observed in recent years. The aim of this research was to study the effect of different growth media on the quality and photosynthetic efficiency of different endive cultivars. The experiment was conducted in controlled greenhouse conditions. Endive was grown in three independent NFT cultivation systems: a standard culture medium (control, A1), a culture medium concentrated three-fold (A2) and a medium concentrated five-fold (A3). Four cultivars were used: ‘Kethel’, ‘Barundi’, ‘Galanti’ and ‘Perceval’. The plants were examined for the number and weight of fully-grown leaves and the weight of roots, dry matter content and chemical quality attributes of endive such as ascorbic acid (AA), total soluble solids (TSS), chlorophyll and proline. In addition, several physiological traits such as modulated chlorophyll a fluorescence were measured. Both three-fold and five-fold increases of ion concentration in the nutrient solution induced stress in the endive plants. Our results showed that the photosynthetic efficiency of the tested endive plants was affected by the cultivar factor and only the highest (five-fold) ion concentration in the nutrient solution. Growth under a medium of three-fold ion concentration did not affect the photosynthetic efficiency, despite observed changes in the growth and quality parameters of the endive plants. This study suggests that the type of fluorescence measurements used in this experiment (modulated) cannot be recommended as a sufficient bioindicator during endive production.

The kind of pollination and ability to parthenocarpy of pepino (Solanum muricatum Ait.)

Abstract The objective of the research was to assess a grade of parthenocarpic fruit and fruitsetting following cross-pollination and self-pollination in pepino plants (Solanum muricatum Ait.). An experiment with six pepino clones of different origin was set up in glasshouse conditions. Experimental clones were subjected to the following treatments: self-pollination, cross-pollination, and emasculation without any control. The tested clones of pepino were self-pollinated, capable of cross pollination and facultative parthenocarpic. The differences between clones in their ability to parthenocarpic fruit formation were observed. The ripening period of pepino fruits and their weight depended on a clone.

Evaluation of pollen fertility in pepino (Solanum muricatum Ait.)

Abstract The influence of the cultivation time (spring-summer and autumn) and the kind of cultivation (on rockwool and peat) on the fertility of pollen coming from three successive trusses were studied for six different pepino clones. The fertility was defined in vitro as the capacity of pollen for germinating. The average capacity of pollen germination ranged in the studied clones from 10 to 15%. These clones displayed the highest pollen fertility in an autumn cultivation, comparing to a spring-summer one. Higher rate of pollen fertility was observed during a springsummer cultivation on first trusses in most of the clones studied. The pollen of all plants grown on rockwool was more fertile, comparing to the cultivation on peat substrate. High differences in pollen fertility of the clones were obtained

The influence of foliar fertilizers on the quality and yield of sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.)

Abstract Optimal feeding of field-grown plants is thought to be a key factor modifying their growth and development. Natural biostimulants, foliar fertilizers and plant growth regulators have been applied in horticultural production; however, their effect varies depending on the plant species treated, and those have been mainly cucumber, tomato, pepper, potato, and melon. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of preparations produced through nanotechnology on the yield and fruit quality of sweet pepper grown under cover. The experiment comprised plants grown in three different combinations: combination I (plants treated with 2 kg ha−1 Nano Active); combination II (plants treated with 1% Nano Active Forte + 4 kg ha−1 Nano Active Forte + 2 kg ha−1 Nano Active, a single treatment carried out at the initial stage of fruit formation); and combination III (the control, where all plants were sprayed with water). The obtained results showed that Nano Active Forte foliar treatment of sweet pepper plants significantly increased fruit yield in protected cultivation. Supplementation with foliar fertilizers modified the fruit chemical composition. Application of the Nano Active Forte preparation led to an increase in dry matter content as well as in the concentrations of total sugars, vitamin C and carotenoids. Applications of Nano Active Forte and Nano Active enhanced the potassium and phosphorus contents, while the concentrations of nitrates and calcium remained at the same level regardless of the preparations used.

Growth, Development, Yield and Quality of Middle and Large Fruit Size Greenhouse Tomato - On-Farm Research

Growth, Development, Yield and Quality of Middle and Large Fruit Size Greenhouse Tomato - On-Farm Research Four tomato cultivars from the Seminis Vegetable Seeds Company: large size Red Chief F1 and Ivone F1 fruits and middle size Flexxione F1 and Brillant F1 fruits were used in the experiment. There were six plants on each slab of rockwool. Plant density was 2.5 plants·m-2. Tomato plants were grown according to a system for one main shoot or two shoots in which case fruits for the experiment were collected from the main shoot or from fruit bearing lateral shoots (two plants on each mat). The measurements included a weeks increase of the shoot length, the diameter of the stem, the length of the leaf, number of leaves, number of blooming cluster, number of cluster set, number of harvesting cluster and plant loading with fruits. Fruit firmness as well as the content of dry matter, vitamin C, total sugars, titratable acidity, pH of the cell sap, soluble solids, NO3, P, K, Ca and the content of nutrients such as N, P, K, Ca in the leaf samples which allowed the assessment of the state of plant nutrition, were determinared. Large size fruit tomato cultivars produced higher total commercial yield than middle size fruit cultivars. Middle size fruit cultivars produced higher early yield. The large size fruit cultivars showed better yielding in the autumn than the middle size fruit cultivars. The plant growth depended on the type of the cultivar. The stem diameter of tomato plant depended on the cultivation conditions. A smaller stem diameter was observed with the higher EC in the root environment. In 2006 fruits were characterized by a higher content of vitamin C, total sugars, soluble solids, nitrates, phosphorus and calcium than in the year 2007. Higher values of chemical components (dry matter, vitamin C, titratable acidity, soluble solids, nitrates, phosphorus, potassium and calcium) were obtained in tomato fruits harvested in summer than in autumn time. Large size fruits contained a little more dry matter, total sugars, nitrate ions and phosphorus, but less vitamin C than middle size fruits. On the other hand, middle size tomato fruits were firmer than large size fruits and contained more vitamin C and calcium. No clear differences in fruit quality were observed depending on different systems of plant growing. Wzrost, Rozwój, Plon i Jakość Owoców Szklarniowego Pomidora Średnio i Wielkoowocowego w Uprawie Towarowej W doświadczeniu wykorzystano cztery odmiany pomidora firmy Seminis Vegetable Seeds: wielkoowocowe: Red Chief F1 i Ivone F1 oraz średnioowocowe: Flexxione F1 i Brillant F1. Na każdej macie wełny mineralnej posadzono po sześć roślin w zagęszczeniu 2,5 szt·m-2 Rośliny prowadzono na jeden pęd główny lub na dwa pędy, wyprowadzając dodatkowe pędy owocujące u dwóch roślin na każdej macie. Oceniono wzrost, stopień odżywienia roślin, dynamikę plonowania, w tym plon wczesny, całkowity oraz jakość owoców. Do badań biometrycznych wzięto po 4 losowo wybrane rośliny z każdej odmiany. Badano przyrost tygodniowy długości pędu, średnicę łodygi, liczbę i długość liści, dynamikę kwitnienia, zawiązywania owoców i ich dojrzewania oraz obciążenie rośliny owocami. W pełni owocowania roślin, dwukrotnie, pobrano próby owoców do analiz fizyko-chemicznych. Określono twardość owoców oraz zawartość suchej masy, witaminy C, cukrów ogółem, kwasowość ogólną, pH soku komórkowego, składniki rozpuszczalne w soku komórkowym, NO3, P, K, Ca. Pobierano próby liści w celu określenia w nich zawartości składników pokarmowych, takich jak: N, P, K Ca, co umożliwiło ocenę stanu odżywienia roślin. Odmiany wielkoowocowe uzyskały wyższy całkowity plon handlowy niż odmiany średnioowocowe. Odmiany średnioowocowe wydały wyższy plon wczesny. Odmiany wielkoowocowe jesienią lepiej plonowały od odmian średnioowocowych. Obserwowane parametry wzrostu roślin zależały przede wszystkim od typu odmiany. Średnica łodygi pomidora była zależna od warunków uprawy. Obserwowano niższą średnicę łodygi pomidora przy wyższym EC w matach i odwrotnie. Odżywienie roślin w obu latach uprawy i przy różnych systemach prowadzenia było na optymalnym poziomie. W roku 2006 owoce charakteryzowały się wyższą zawartością witaminy C, cukrów ogółem, składników rozpuszczalnych w soku komórkowym, azotanów, fosforu i wapnia niż w roku 2007. Latem uzyskano wyższe wartości składników chemicznych (sucha masa, witamina C, kwasowość ogólna, składniki rozpuszczalne w soku komórkowym, azotany, fosfor, potas, wapń) w owocach pomidora niż jesienią. Owoce średnio i wielkoowocowe charakteryzowały się podobnym składem chemicznym. Owoce odmian wielkoowocowych zawierały nieco więcej suchej masy, cukrów ogółem, jonów azotanowych i fosforu, ale mniej witaminy C niż owoce odmian średnioowocowych. Pomidory średnioowocowe były natomiast twardsze niż wielkoowocowe, a także zawierały więcej witaminy C i wapnia. Nie stwierdzono istotnych różnic w jakości owoców pomidora przy różnych systemach prowadzenia roślin.