10449: Effect of variety choice and use of resistant rootstock on crop yield and quality parameters of tomato plants grown in organic, low input and conventional production systems/growth media
(2007) Effect of variety choice and use of resistant rootstock on crop yield and quality parameters of tomato plants grown in organic, low input and conventional production systems/growth media. Paper presented at 3rd QLIF Congress: Improving Sustainability in Organic and Low Input Food Production Systems, University of Hohenheim, Germany, March 20-23, 2007.
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Summary
Soil-borne diseases are one of the most important problems in organic and other ‘low input’ soil-based greenhouse production systems. While chemical soil disinfection has been the method of choice in conventional farming systems, soil steaming has been the main strategy for the control of soil borne diseases in organic production. Both methods are extremely expensive and have been increasingly restricted for environmental reasons by government and organic standard setting bodies respectively.
The use of tolerant varieties and of grafting onto resistant rootstocks were evaluated as potential replacements for soil steaming in organic and low input systems and found to be as effective in reducing root disease and increasing root fresh weight, fruit yield and number. The effects on fruit yield and quality characteristics were then further evaluated using different varieties for grafting and different growth media typically used in (a) organic (soil amended with manure), and (b) conventional (perlite fertilised with mineral fertilisers via the irrigation system) growth media/fertilisation regimes, and also a (c) novel “low input” growth medium designed to provide better aeration of the rooting zone. Fruit numbers, diameters and weights and total fruit yields were significantly different between growth media and highest for plants grown in the “low input” system, slightly lower for plants grown in the perlite and lowest for plants grown in the organic system. The potential for replacing chemical and steam soil disinfection methods in organic and ‘low input’ soil based greenhouse production systems is discussed.
| Document Language: | English |
|---|---|
| Keywords: | organic, low input, conventional, tomato production, resistant rootstocks, fruit quality |
| Subject Areas: | Crop husbandry > Crop health, quality, protection Crop husbandry > Breeding, genetics and propagation Crop husbandry > Production systems > Vegetables |
| Research affiliation: | European Union > QualityLowInputFood > Subproject 3: Crop production systems International Conferences > QLIF Congress 2007 > 3 Crop production / soil management |
| Total budget (Euro): | 0 |
| Orgprints ID Number: | 10449 |
| Contact: | Leifert, Prof. Carlo |
| Deposited On: | 11 March 2007 |
| EPrint Type: | Conference paper |
| Published?: | Published |
| Type of presentation: | Paper |
| Peer Review Status: | Not peer-reviewed |
| Additional Publishing Information: | The final version of this paper is published in: Niggli, Urs; Leifert, Carlo; Alföldi, Thomas; Lück, Lorna and Willer, Helga, Eds. (2007) Improving Sustainability in Organic and Low Input Food Production Systems. Proceedings of the 3rd International Congress of the European Integrated Project Quality Low Input Food (QLIF). University of Hohenheim, Germany, March 20 – 23, 2007. Research Institute of Organic Agriculture FiBL, CH-Frick.http://orgprints.org/10417/ Printed copies may be ordered from the FiBL Shop at www.shop.fibl.org. |
| Related Links: | http://orgprints.org/10417/ |
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