Effect of Nitrogen Deficiency and Toxicity in Two Varieties of Tomatoes (Lycopersicum esculentum L.)
Author(s)
Noemi Frias-Moreno,
Abelardo Nuñez-Barrios*,
Ramona Perez-Leal,
Ana Cecilia Gonzalez-Franco,
Adriana Hernandez-Rodriguez,
Loreto Robles-Hernandez
Affiliation(s)
Plant Physiology Laboratory, Facultad de Ciencias Agrotecnologicas, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Chihuahua, México.
Plant Physiology Laboratory, Facultad de Ciencias Agrotecnologicas, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Chihuahua, México.
ABSTRACT
Tomato is one of the most important vegetables cultivated in Mexico. Nitrogen-based fertilizers have greatly contributed to the increase in tomato production; however, the excessive application of this fertilizer may affect yield and fruit quality. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of increasing in rates of nitrogen from deficiency to toxic levels. Five N-treatments (0, 15, 30, 45 and 60 mM of N) were applied in two tomato varieties, Caballero and Victoria The optimum N doses for leaf growth in both varieties was 30 mM reaching 13.0 and 13.5 cm in Caballero and Victoria respectively. At low toxic levels leaf growth was recovered more easily in Caballero than Victoria. Nitrate concentration for the low toxicity treatment was greater in leaf and stems for Caballero than Victoria; conversely nitrate in fruits was higher in Victoria. Final yield per plant was not statistically different between varieties except at the low toxic treatment where Caballero had a yield of 780 g per plant compared to that of 330 g per plant of Victoria. Tomato quality was also affected by the applied N-doses, where treatment 30 mM reached the maximum fruit firmness in both varieties while high toxic N-levels decreased significantly this parameter. Soluble solids and titratable acidity increased with increased N-Doses. Caballero variety seems to be more tolerant than Victoria at low levels of N-toxicity.
Tomato is one of the most important vegetables cultivated in Mexico. Nitrogen-based fertilizers have greatly contributed to the increase in tomato production; however, the excessive application of this fertilizer may affect yield and fruit quality. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of increasing in rates of nitrogen from deficiency to toxic levels. Five N-treatments (0, 15, 30, 45 and 60 mM of N) were applied in two tomato varieties, Caballero and Victoria The optimum N doses for leaf growth in both varieties was 30 mM reaching 13.0 and 13.5 cm in Caballero and Victoria respectively. At low toxic levels leaf growth was recovered more easily in Caballero than Victoria. Nitrate concentration for the low toxicity treatment was greater in leaf and stems for Caballero than Victoria; conversely nitrate in fruits was higher in Victoria. Final yield per plant was not statistically different between varieties except at the low toxic treatment where Caballero had a yield of 780 g per plant compared to that of 330 g per plant of Victoria. Tomato quality was also affected by the applied N-doses, where treatment 30 mM reached the maximum fruit firmness in both varieties while high toxic N-levels decreased significantly this parameter. Soluble solids and titratable acidity increased with increased N-Doses. Caballero variety seems to be more tolerant than Victoria at low levels of N-toxicity.
Cite this paper
Frias-Moreno, N. , Nuñez-Barrios, A. , Perez-Leal, R. , Gonzalez-Franco, A. , Hernandez-Rodriguez, A. and Robles-Hernandez, L. (2014) Effect of Nitrogen Deficiency and Toxicity in Two Varieties of Tomatoes (Lycopersicum esculentum L.). Agricultural Sciences, 5, 1361-1368. doi: 10.4236/as.2014.514146.
Frias-Moreno, N. , Nuñez-Barrios, A. , Perez-Leal, R. , Gonzalez-Franco, A. , Hernandez-Rodriguez, A. and Robles-Hernandez, L. (2014) Effect of Nitrogen Deficiency and Toxicity in Two Varieties of Tomatoes (Lycopersicum esculentum L.). Agricultural Sciences, 5, 1361-1368. doi: 10.4236/as.2014.514146.
References
[1] FAOSTAT (2007) Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
http://faostat.fao.org/site/291/default.aspx [2] USDA (2009) United States Department of Agriculture. http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda [3] Qi, H.Y., Li, T.L., Zhou, X. and Fu, H.D. (2005) Effects of Different Nitrogen and Potassium Levels on Yield, Quality and Sucrose Metabolism of Tomato. Chinese Agricultural, 21, 251-255. [4] Hartz, T.K., Miyao, G., Mickler, J., LeStrange, M., Stoddard, S., Nunez, J. and Aegerter, B. (2008) Processing Tomato Production in California. University of California Publications, 7228, 280-298. [5] Upendra, M.S., Bharat, P.S. and Rahman, S. (2009) Tillage, Cover Cropping, and Nitrogen Fertilization Influence Tomato Yield and Nitrogen Uptake. Hortscience, 35, 217-221. [6] Villarreal, M., Hernández, S., Sánchez, P., García, R.S., Osuna, T., Parra, S. and Armenta, A.D. (2006) Efecto de Cobertura del Suelo con Leguminosas en Rendimiento y Calidad del Tomate. Terra Latinoamericana, 24, 549-556. [7] Cao, W.T. and Tibbtts, W. (1999) Response of Potatoes to Nitrogen Concentrations Differs with Nitrogen Forms. Journal of Plant Nutrition, 21, 615-623.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01904169809365429 [8] Christou, M., Dumas, Y., Dimirkou, A. and Vassiliou, Z. (1999) Nutrient Uptake by Processing Tomato in Greece. Acta Horticulturae, 487, 219-223. [9] Wang, Y.T., Huang, S.W., Liu, R.L. and Jin, J.Y. (2007) Effects of Nitrogen Application on Flavor Compounds of Cherry Tomato Fruits. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science, 170, 461-468. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jpln.200700011 [10] Krueskopf, H.H., Mitchell, J.P., Hartz, T.K., May, D.M., Miyao, E.M. and Cahn, M.D. (2002) Soil Nitrate Testing Identifies Processing Tomato Fields Not Requiring Sidedress N Fertilizer. HortScience, 37, 520-524. [11] McKeown, A.W., Westerveld, S.M. and Bakker, C.J. (2010) Nitrogen and Water Requirements of Fertigated Cabbage in Ontario. Canadian Journal of Plant Science, 90, 101-109.
http://dx.doi.org/10.4141/CJPS09028 [12] Warner, J., Zhang, T. and Hao, X. (2004) Effects of Nitrogen Fertilization on Fruit Yields and Quality of Processing Tomatoes. Canadian Journal of Plant Science, 84, 865-871.
http://dx.doi.org/10.4141/P03-099 [13] Benard, C., Gautier, H., Bourgaud, F., Grasselly, D., Navez, B., Caris-veyrat, C., Weiss, M. and Genard, M. (2009) Effects of Low Nitrogen Supply on Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) Fruit Yield and Quality with Special Emphasis on Sugars, Acids, Ascorbate, Carotenoids, and Phenolic Compounds. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 57, 4112-4123. http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/jf8036374 [14] Peet, M.M. and Welles, G. (2005) Greenhouse Tomato Production. In: Heuvelink, E., Ed., Crop Production Science in Horticulture Series, CABI Publishing, Wallingford, 257-304. [15] Cataldo, D.A., Haroon, M., Scharader, L.E. and Young, V.L. (1975) Rapid Colorimetric Determination of Nitrate in Plant Tissue by Nitration of Salicylic Acid. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 6, 71-80. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00103627509366547 [16] Grotte, M., Duprat, F., Loonis, D. and Piétri, E. (2001) Mechanical Properties of the Skin and the Flesh of Apples. International Journal of Food Properties, 4, 149-161. http://dx.doi.org/10.1081/JFP-100002193 [17] Wang, J., Teng, B. and Yu, Y. (2006) The Firmness Detection by Excitation Dynamic Characteristics for Peach. Food Control, 17, 353-358. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2004.12.001 [18] Scholberg, J., McNeal, B.L., Kenneth, J.B., Jones, J.W., Locascio, S.J. and Olson, S.M. (2000) Nitrogen Stress Effects on Growth and Nitrogen Accumulation by Field-Grown Tomato. Agronomy Journal, 92, 159-167. http://dx.doi.org/10.2134/agronj2000.921159x [19] Boroujerdnia, M., Ansari, N.A. and Dehcordie, F.S. (2007) Effect of Cultivars, Harvesting Time and Level of Nitrogen Fertilizer on Nitrate and Nitrite Content, Yield in Romaine Lettuce. Asian Journal of Plant Sciences, 6, 550-553. http://dx.doi.org/10.3923/ajps.2007.550.553 [20] Ruamrungsri, S., Khuankaew, T., Ohyama, T. and Sato, T. (2014) Nitrogen Sources and Its Uptake in Dendrobium Orchid by 15N Tracer Study. Acta Horticulturae, 1025, 207-211. [21] Herak, M., Horvati, M. and Pecin, M. (2009) Nitrogen Fertilization Influences Protein Nutritional Quality in Red Head Chicory. Journal of Plant Nutrition, 32, 598-609.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01904160802714987 [22] Ezzine, M. and Ghorbel, M.H. (2006) Physiological and Biochemical Responses Resulting from Nitrite Accumulation in Tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum Mill. cv. Ibiza F1). Journal of Plant Physiology, 163, 1032-1039. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jplph.2005.07.013 [23] Kanchanapoom, K., Anuphan, T. and Pansiri, S. (2014) Effects of Total Nitrogen and Ba on in Vitro Culture of Phalaenopsis. Acta Horticulturae, 1025, 243-245. [24] Ruiz, J.M. and Romero, L. (1999) Cucumber Yield and Nitrogen Metabolism in Response to Nitrogen Supply. Scientia Horticulturae, 82, 309-316. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0304-4238(99)00053-9 [25] Okpara, D.A., Okon, O.E. and Ekeleme, F. (2009) Optimizing Nitrogen Fertilization for Production of White and Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato in Southeast Nigeria. Journal of Plant Nutrition, 32, 878-891. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01904160902790358
[1] FAOSTAT (2007) Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
http://faostat.fao.org/site/291/default.aspx [2] USDA (2009) United States Department of Agriculture. http://www.usda.gov/wps/portal/usda [3] Qi, H.Y., Li, T.L., Zhou, X. and Fu, H.D. (2005) Effects of Different Nitrogen and Potassium Levels on Yield, Quality and Sucrose Metabolism of Tomato. Chinese Agricultural, 21, 251-255. [4] Hartz, T.K., Miyao, G., Mickler, J., LeStrange, M., Stoddard, S., Nunez, J. and Aegerter, B. (2008) Processing Tomato Production in California. University of California Publications, 7228, 280-298. [5] Upendra, M.S., Bharat, P.S. and Rahman, S. (2009) Tillage, Cover Cropping, and Nitrogen Fertilization Influence Tomato Yield and Nitrogen Uptake. Hortscience, 35, 217-221. [6] Villarreal, M., Hernández, S., Sánchez, P., García, R.S., Osuna, T., Parra, S. and Armenta, A.D. (2006) Efecto de Cobertura del Suelo con Leguminosas en Rendimiento y Calidad del Tomate. Terra Latinoamericana, 24, 549-556. [7] Cao, W.T. and Tibbtts, W. (1999) Response of Potatoes to Nitrogen Concentrations Differs with Nitrogen Forms. Journal of Plant Nutrition, 21, 615-623.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01904169809365429 [8] Christou, M., Dumas, Y., Dimirkou, A. and Vassiliou, Z. (1999) Nutrient Uptake by Processing Tomato in Greece. Acta Horticulturae, 487, 219-223. [9] Wang, Y.T., Huang, S.W., Liu, R.L. and Jin, J.Y. (2007) Effects of Nitrogen Application on Flavor Compounds of Cherry Tomato Fruits. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science, 170, 461-468. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/jpln.200700011 [10] Krueskopf, H.H., Mitchell, J.P., Hartz, T.K., May, D.M., Miyao, E.M. and Cahn, M.D. (2002) Soil Nitrate Testing Identifies Processing Tomato Fields Not Requiring Sidedress N Fertilizer. HortScience, 37, 520-524. [11] McKeown, A.W., Westerveld, S.M. and Bakker, C.J. (2010) Nitrogen and Water Requirements of Fertigated Cabbage in Ontario. Canadian Journal of Plant Science, 90, 101-109.
http://dx.doi.org/10.4141/CJPS09028 [12] Warner, J., Zhang, T. and Hao, X. (2004) Effects of Nitrogen Fertilization on Fruit Yields and Quality of Processing Tomatoes. Canadian Journal of Plant Science, 84, 865-871.
http://dx.doi.org/10.4141/P03-099 [13] Benard, C., Gautier, H., Bourgaud, F., Grasselly, D., Navez, B., Caris-veyrat, C., Weiss, M. and Genard, M. (2009) Effects of Low Nitrogen Supply on Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) Fruit Yield and Quality with Special Emphasis on Sugars, Acids, Ascorbate, Carotenoids, and Phenolic Compounds. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 57, 4112-4123. http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/jf8036374 [14] Peet, M.M. and Welles, G. (2005) Greenhouse Tomato Production. In: Heuvelink, E., Ed., Crop Production Science in Horticulture Series, CABI Publishing, Wallingford, 257-304. [15] Cataldo, D.A., Haroon, M., Scharader, L.E. and Young, V.L. (1975) Rapid Colorimetric Determination of Nitrate in Plant Tissue by Nitration of Salicylic Acid. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 6, 71-80. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00103627509366547 [16] Grotte, M., Duprat, F., Loonis, D. and Piétri, E. (2001) Mechanical Properties of the Skin and the Flesh of Apples. International Journal of Food Properties, 4, 149-161. http://dx.doi.org/10.1081/JFP-100002193 [17] Wang, J., Teng, B. and Yu, Y. (2006) The Firmness Detection by Excitation Dynamic Characteristics for Peach. Food Control, 17, 353-358. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2004.12.001 [18] Scholberg, J., McNeal, B.L., Kenneth, J.B., Jones, J.W., Locascio, S.J. and Olson, S.M. (2000) Nitrogen Stress Effects on Growth and Nitrogen Accumulation by Field-Grown Tomato. Agronomy Journal, 92, 159-167. http://dx.doi.org/10.2134/agronj2000.921159x [19] Boroujerdnia, M., Ansari, N.A. and Dehcordie, F.S. (2007) Effect of Cultivars, Harvesting Time and Level of Nitrogen Fertilizer on Nitrate and Nitrite Content, Yield in Romaine Lettuce. Asian Journal of Plant Sciences, 6, 550-553. http://dx.doi.org/10.3923/ajps.2007.550.553 [20] Ruamrungsri, S., Khuankaew, T., Ohyama, T. and Sato, T. (2014) Nitrogen Sources and Its Uptake in Dendrobium Orchid by 15N Tracer Study. Acta Horticulturae, 1025, 207-211. [21] Herak, M., Horvati, M. and Pecin, M. (2009) Nitrogen Fertilization Influences Protein Nutritional Quality in Red Head Chicory. Journal of Plant Nutrition, 32, 598-609.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01904160802714987 [22] Ezzine, M. and Ghorbel, M.H. (2006) Physiological and Biochemical Responses Resulting from Nitrite Accumulation in Tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum Mill. cv. Ibiza F1). Journal of Plant Physiology, 163, 1032-1039. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jplph.2005.07.013 [23] Kanchanapoom, K., Anuphan, T. and Pansiri, S. (2014) Effects of Total Nitrogen and Ba on in Vitro Culture of Phalaenopsis. Acta Horticulturae, 1025, 243-245. [24] Ruiz, J.M. and Romero, L. (1999) Cucumber Yield and Nitrogen Metabolism in Response to Nitrogen Supply. Scientia Horticulturae, 82, 309-316. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/S0304-4238(99)00053-9 [25] Okpara, D.A., Okon, O.E. and Ekeleme, F. (2009) Optimizing Nitrogen Fertilization for Production of White and Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato in Southeast Nigeria. Journal of Plant Nutrition, 32, 878-891. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01904160902790358