Effect of date-palm and perlite substrates on nutrients content and quality of tomato grown in soilless culture

Use of suitable growing media in soilless culture or substrate high quality is essential for production of crops. The aim of this study was to find out the effects of culture substrates on tomato fruit nutrient (N and K) and fruit quality in soilless cultivation. This study was conducted in the greenhouse of Islamic Azad University of Khorasgan in Iran. The experiment was conducted in a randomized design with six replications. Treatments were date-palm peat 1 (without fermentation period), perlite, palm peat 2 (with three months fermentation period) (v/v=100%), perlite+date-palm peat 2 (v/v=50%) and perlite+date-palm peat 1 (v/v=50%). Maximum total soluble solids (TSS), related to perlite treatment had non-significant difference with other treatments. Also media had no significant effect on nitrogon in fruit. The aspect of titrable acidity (TA), potassium and TSS/TA had not any significant difference between treatments. The results showed that palm peat with suitable physical properties, availability, low cost and efficiency of palm cultivated could be a new substrate that was introduced for replacing with other media.