The Effect of Particle Size and Composting Time of Date Palm Waste as a Culture Media on Quality of Tomato

:Abstract

The experiment was conducted as factorial in a completely randomized block design with 27 treatments and 4 replications under greenhouse conditions. Treatments included three sizes (S1= <0.5, S2= 0.5-1 and S3=1-2 cm), three composting times (C1=0, C2=3 and C3=6 months) of date palm waste and three irrigation levels (I1 =60% I3, I2= 80% I3 and I3=100%). During cultivation, the Papadopolus formula was used as fertigation solution. K, EC, pH, TA and vitamin C in tomato fruits differed significantly depending on composting time, particle size and irrigation level (P< 0.05). The highest amounts of K, EC, pH, TA and vitamin C in tomato fruit indicated that culture media 6 months composted, size 0.5-1 cm and irrigation 100% increased quality parameters of tomato fruit more than the other treatments. The result of this research showed that the characteristics of the growing media, as well as the growing techniques used (fertigation and irrigation levels), determine the quality of the tomato fruits that were produced.

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