Optimal irrigation and fertilizer amounts based on multi-level fuzzy comprehensive evaluation of yield, growth and fruit quality on cherry tomato

Abstract The accurate and efficient management of irrigation and fertilizer is essential for the effective intensive production of greenhouse cherry tomato. In this study, we evaluated the effects of irrigation and fertilizer combinations on yield, growth, and nutritional and taste quality of cherry tomato. More specifically, we applied a quadratic orthogonal rotation combination design with four experimental factors at five levels (-1.68, -1, 0, 1, 1.68) for a total of 23 treatments over two consecutive growing seasons in 2018. A multi-level fuzzy comprehensive evaluation (MFCE) was constructed, including four factors and 14 subfactors, as well as a water and fertilizer multi-factor regulation model for the integrated growth of cherry tomato. Single experimental factor effects included irrigation in the spring season (2018S), with the other experimental factors following a downward opening parabola with integrated cherry tomato growth for both seasons. The integrated growth increased with irrigation, and exhibited a rise and subsequent fall with phosphate (P2O5) and potash (K2O) in 2018S, as well as with irrigation and nitrogen (N) levels in the fall season (2018 F). The experimental factor interaction values of 1.68 for irrigation (1978.0 m3/ha), 0.94 for N (482.2 kg/ha), -0.69 for P2O5 (104.4 kg/ha) and -0.65 for K2O (181.3 kg/ha) were observed to be optimal for the integrated growth of cherry tomato in 2018S. The corresponding combination for 2018 F was determined as 0.70 for irrigation (1082.9 m3/ha), 0.51 for N (287.9 kg/ha), 0 for P2O5 (126.5 kg/ha) and -0.41 for K2O (159.7 kg/ha). Furthermore, the irrigation, N, P2O5, and K2O intervals that maximized cherry tomato growth over the two seasons were as follows: i) 1780.2–1978.0 m3/ha, 434.0–482.2 kg/ha, 94.0–104.4 kg/ha, and 163.2–181.3 kg/ha for 2018S; and 974.6–1082.9 m3/ha, 259.1–287.9 kg/ha, 113.9–126.5 kg/ha and 143.7–159.7 kg/ha for 2018 F, respectively. Comprehensively understanding the growth of cherry tomato can potentially enhance cherry tomato production in the arid regions of northwestern China.

[1]  Kuan-Hung Lin,et al.  Study of the root antioxidative system of tomatoes and eggplants under waterlogged conditions , 2004 .

[2]  J. Atlhopheng,et al.  A comparative review of water management sustainability challenges in smallholder irrigation schemes in Africa and Asia , 2016 .

[3]  H. Sallanon,et al.  Response of the physiological parameters of mango fruit (transpiration, water relations and antioxidant system) to its light and temperature environment. , 2013, Journal of plant physiology.

[4]  F. Ahmad,et al.  Band Placement of Phosphorus Improves the Phosphorus Use Efficiency and Wheat Productivity under Different Irrigation Regimes , 2012 .

[5]  Ernst Steudle,et al.  A hydraulic signal in root-to-shoot signalling of water shortage. , 2007, The Plant journal : for cell and molecular biology.

[6]  D. M. Beckles,et al.  Factors affecting the postharvest soluble solids and sugar content of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) fruit , 2012 .

[7]  Qiaomei Wang,et al.  Effects of postharvest methyl jasmonate treatment on main health-promoting components and volatile organic compounds in cherry tomato fruits. , 2018, Food chemistry.

[8]  J. Biggs,et al.  Influence of co-application of nitrogen with phosphorus, potassium and sulphur on the apparent efficiency of nitrogen fertiliser use, grain yield and protein content of wheat: Review , 2018, Field Crops Research.

[9]  E. Karami.  Appropriateness of farmers’ adoption of irrigation methods: The application of the AHP model , 2006 .

[10]  M. Berenguel,et al.  Leaf area index estimation for a greenhouse transpiration model using external climate conditions based on genetics algorithms, back-propagation neural networks and nonlinear autoregressive exogenous models , 2017 .

[11]  Zhaoliang Zhu,et al.  Nitrogen Balance and Loss in a Greenhouse Vegetable System in Southeastern China , 2011 .

[12]  Stefan Siebert,et al.  Improvements in crop water productivity increase water sustainability and food security—a global analysis , 2013 .

[13]  F. Galgano,et al.  Processing tomato quality as affected by irrigation scheduling , 2009 .

[14]  Xuelian Jiang,et al.  Quantitative Analysis of Tomato Yield and Comprehensive Fruit Quality in Response to Deficit Irrigation at Different Growth Stages , 2019, HortScience.

[15]  S. Lutts,et al.  Water deficit effects on solute contribution to osmotic adjustment as a function of leaf ageing in three durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) cultivars performing differently in arid conditions. , 2001, Plant science : an international journal of experimental plant biology.

[16]  Fulai Liu,et al.  Interactive Effects of Elevated CO2 and N Fertilization on Yield and Quality of Tomato Grown Under Reduced Irrigation Regimes , 2018, Front. Plant Sci..

[17]  Michael W. Smith,et al.  Nitrogen, phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium applied individually or as a slow release or controlled release fertilizer increase growth and yield and affect macronutrient and micronutrient concentration and content of field-grown tomato plants , 2016 .

[18]  S. Pascale,et al.  Cultivar, soil type, nitrogen source and irrigation regime as quality determinants of organically grown tomatoes , 2016 .

[19]  Shaozhong Kang,et al.  Determination of comprehensive quality index for tomato and its response to different irrigation treatments , 2011 .

[20]  Rodney B. Thompson,et al.  Identification of irrigation and N management practices that contribute to nitrate leaching loss from an intensive vegetable production system by use of a comprehensive survey , 2007 .

[21]  Zhenhua Wang,et al.  Evaluation of Suitable Amount of Water and Fertilizer for Mature Grapes in Drip Irrigation in Extreme Arid Regions , 2019, Sustainability.

[22]  Shaowen Huang,et al.  Effects of Potassium Application on Flavor Compounds of Cherry Tomato Fruits , 2009 .

[23]  M. Mori,et al.  Productive behaviour of “cherry”-type tomato irrigated with saline water in relation to nitrogen fertilisation , 2008 .

[24]  Ye Su,et al.  Estimation of the Effects of Maize Straw Return on Soil Carbon and Nutrients Using Response Surface Methodology , 2018, Pedosphere.

[25]  Jianhua Zhang,et al.  Assessing the response of yield and comprehensive fruit quality of tomato grown in greenhouse to deficit irrigation and nitrogen application strategies , 2015 .

[26]  Xiukang Wang,et al.  Evaluation of the effects of irrigation and fertilization on tomato fruit yield and quality: a principal component analysis , 2017, Scientific Reports.

[27]  Yaguang Qin,et al.  Multistage fuzzy comprehensive evaluation of landslide hazards based on a cloud model , 2019, PloS one.

[28]  Y. Zeng,et al.  Higher yield of cherry tomato grown in culture medium with microbially inoculated feather compost without fertilizer application , 2018 .

[29]  Liyi Zhang,et al.  Optimal fertilization for high yield and good quality of waxy sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) , 2017 .

[30]  Y. Zhao,et al.  Accumulation and partitioning of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in different varieties of sweet sorghum , 2011 .

[31]  Yuncong C. Li,et al.  Effect of Phosphorus Rates on Growth, Yield, and Postharvest Quality of Tomato in a Calcareous Soil , 2017 .

[32]  A. J. Meléndez-Martínez,et al.  Yield response to regulated deficit irrigation of greenhouse cherry tomatoes , 2019, Agricultural Water Management.

[33]  E. Simonne,et al.  High fertigation frequency improves nitrogen uptake and crop performance in processing tomato grown with high nitrogen and water supply , 2015 .

[34]  E. Simonne,et al.  Effects of Nitrogen Rates on Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potassium Partitioning, Accumulation, and Use Efficiency in Seepage-irrigated Fresh Market Tomatoes , 2015 .

[35]  J. Flexas,et al.  Prospects for crop production under drought: research priorities and future directions , 2005 .

[36]  Y. Daşgan,et al.  Yield response and N-fertiliser recovery of tomato grown under deficit irrigation , 2007 .

[37]  Junfeng Shi,et al.  Response surface optimization of cultivation conditions for yield of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) in greenhouses , 2017 .

[38]  M. Hou,et al.  Assessment on the coupling effects of drip irrigation and organic fertilization based on entropy weight coefficient model , 2017, PeerJ.

[39]  Guo-Yan Zhou,et al.  Optimum selection of compact heat exchangers using non-structural fuzzy decision method , 2014 .

[40]  Jia Lu,et al.  A combination of biochar and regulated deficit irrigation improves tomato fruit quality: A comprehensive quality analysis , 2019, Folia Horticulturae.

[41]  C. Dordas,et al.  Safflower yield, chlorophyll content, photosynthesis, and water use efficiency response to nitrogen fertilization under rainfed conditions , 2008 .

[42]  Prototype decision support system based on the VegSyst simulation model to calculate crop N and water requirements for tomato under plastic cover , 2014, Irrigation Science.