Radiation Use Efficiency and Growth Parameters of Tomato Plant (Solanum lycopersicum) under different Irrigation Management in Screenhouse and Ambient Environment
Abstract
Abstract
Information on radiation use and physiological development such as leaf area of crops planted under screen-house and ambient environments is very scarce in the sub-Saharan part of Africa, This research therefore was aimed at investigating the radiation use of tomato under screen-house and ambient environment with a view to determine its leaf area index (LAI) under different irrigation water treatments: 100% Field capacity (100%FC), 75% FC, 50% FC and rain-fed condition in ambient environment. AccuPAR LAI 80 Ceptometer (Decagon Device) was used for direct measurement of the Above and Below canopy Photosynthetic Active Radiation, Fraction of beam inception (Fb), leaf distribution coefficient (chi), leaf area index (LAI), zenith angle θ, and ratio of below canopy PAR and above canopy PAR (τ). The radiation use efficiency of tomato planted in screen-house and under ambient condition was evaluated from the yield of tomato and fraction of beam intercepted by tomato plant. Result showed RUE values of 0.29 ± 0.02 kg/MJm-2, 0.56 ± 0.002 kg/MJm-2, 0.6 ± 0.001 kg/MJm-2 and 0.21 ± 0.01 kg/MJm-2 for the tomato plant grown under 50%, 70%, 100% irrigation level, and control sample, respectively. The highest LAI values (0.42) was obtained from tomato under 75% irrigation water level at the ninth weeks after transplanting (9 WAT), which was found to be 22% higher than the tomato under the 100% FC irrigation water level (0.27). The research information has revealed the yield potential and effectiveness of radiation utilization of tomato irrigated to 100% FC in controlled environment when compared with tomato grown under ambient condition.
