Environmental modifications and their influence on tomato production, quality and ecophysiology in the Amazon region of Mato Grosso
Solanum lycopersicum (L.), Environment, Protected cultivation, Covering materials, Temperature, Tomato crop.
The challenges encountered in tomato cultivation, in addition to ongoing climate changes, result in the urgency of developing environmental control technologies in order to increase fruit productivity and quality under conditions of intense availability of solar energy and high temperature. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of a cultivation environment, covered with alveolar polycarbonate (PL) plates, through which a continuous flow of water was applied, and compared to a conventional cultivation environment covered with agricultural film (AF), under the tropical climatic conditions of the Mato Grosso Amazon. In both environments, the hybrid Fascínio was cultivated in pots, at 0,2; 0,3; 0,4; 0,5 and 0,6 m spacing in the row and 1,25 m between rows, from June to October. In the PL environment, a reduction of 42% of the transmissivity of the global radiation, 26% of the PAR radiation, 1 °C in the average ambient temperature, 5 °C in the average temperature of the leaves and a lower transpiration rate was verified. In the FA environment, higher photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, concentration of phenols, β-carotene, chromaticity and production of small fruits were observed, while fruits with larger diameter and greater average fruit mass were observed in the PL environment, as well as higher production of lycopene, activity antioxidant, greater leaf area and plant height. Regarding mean relative humidity, total production, commercial production, number of commercial fruits, % of loss, dry mass of leaves and stems, stem diameter, °Brix, texture and angle h°, there were no significant differences between environments. Regarding commercial productivity, the 0,2 m treatment showed the highest average of 144 t ha-1, followed by the 0,3 m treatment with 114 t ha-1. The PL environment can be recommended for regions with high solar incidence.