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Effect of deficit irrigation on the postharvest physiology and physicochemical quality of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) under greenhouse conditions
Efecto del riego deficitario sobre la calidad fisiológica y fisicoquímica detomate (Solanum lycopersicum L.) bajo condiciones de invernadero
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15446/agron.colomb.v44n2.127202Keywords:
postharvest deficit irrigation, quality, tomato fruit, greenhouse crops, respiration rate (en)riego deficitario poscosecha, calidad, fruto de tomate, cultivos en invernadero, tasa de respiración (es)
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The horticultural sector increasingly faces challenges associated with climate change and water scarcity, highlighting the need for strategies such as deficit irrigation to improve water-use efficiency while maintaining product quality. This study evaluated the effects of deficit irrigation on the postharvest quality of Roma-type tomato fruits grown under greenhouse conditions in Bogotá, Colombia. Two irrigation regimes were applied from the flowering of the first truss to harvest: full irrigation (100% ETc) and deficit irrigation (50% ETc). After harvest, fruits were stored for 22 d at 3°C and 80% relative humidity. Total soluble solids, titratable acidity, pH, color index, firmness, roundness, weight loss, ethylene production, and respiration rate were evaluated. Deficit irrigation significantly affected respiration rate and fruit roundness (P<0.05). Respiration rate increased by 57% under deficit irrigation, while roundness values were higher in fruits from the deficit irrigation treatment than in those from the full irrigation treatment (1.06 vs. 0.93). No significant treatment effects were detected for the other variables. Overall, both treatments maintained acceptable commercial quality under the storage conditions evaluated. These findings suggest that deficit irrigation may be a viable water-saving strategy for greenhouse tomato production without substantially affecting the postharvest quality attributes assessed.
El sector hortícola enfrenta desafíos crecientes asociados con el cambio climático y la escasez de agua, lo que resalta la necesidad de implementar estrategias como el riego deficitario para mejorar la eficiencia en el uso del agua sin comprometer la calidad del producto. Este estudio evaluó los efectos del riego deficitario sobre la calidad poscosecha de frutos de tomate tipo Roma cultivados en condiciones de invernadero en Bogotá, Colombia. Se aplicaron dos regímenes de riego desde la floración del primer racimo hasta la cosecha: riego completo (100% de la ETc) y riego deficitario (50% de la ETc). Después de la cosecha, los frutos se almacenaron durante 22 d a 3°C y 80% de humedad relativa. Se evaluaron los sólidos solubles totales, la acidez titulable, el pH, el índice de color, la firmeza, la redondez, la pérdida de peso, la producción de etileno y la tasa respiratoria. El riego deficitario afectó significativamente la tasa respiratoria y la redondez de los frutos (P<0,05). La tasa respiratoria aumentó un 57% bajo riego deficitario, mientras que los valores de redondez fueron superiores en los frutos sometidos a este tratamiento en comparación con los del riego completo (1,06 frente a 0,93). No se detectaron efectos significativos del tratamiento sobre las demás variables. En general, ambos tratamientos mantuvieron una calidad comercial aceptable durante las condiciones de almacenamiento evaluadas. Estos resultados sugieren que el riego deficitario podría constituir una estrategia viable para ahorra agua en la producción de tomate bajo invernadero sin afectar sustancialmente los atributos de calidad poscosecha evaluados.
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