PRODUCTION ECOPHYSIOLOGY OF THE GRAFTED AND NON-GRAFTED TOMATO PLANTS GROWN IN SUBSTRATE

ABSTRACT Grafting can be an ally in the vegetable’s soilless cultivation, being the objective of this work evaluate the growth and production, as well as to define the thermal sum and trophic limit of grafted and non-grafted tomato plants cultivated in substrate. The experiments were conducted in a protected environment in the city of Jaguari-RS, in two growing seasons in the years 2019 and 2020. Italian and Gaucho tomato cultivars were used, the rootstock was chosen for giving vigor and longevity to the plants. Yield data were obtained through weekly fruit harvesting, growth data through periodic collections of whole plants and the total biomass obtained at the end of the experiments. Grafted plants show greater vegetative growth regardless of the crop season; however, non-grafted plants are more productive in a growing cycle with restricted light and low temperatures. Grafted plants require a greater thermal sum to complete their phenological stages. The trophic limit for grafted and non-grafted plants of Italian and Gaucho tomato cultivars is 4.8 MJ/m2/day.