EFFECT OF MYCORRHIZAL COLONIZATION AND NUTRIENT SOLUTIONS CONCENTRATION ON THE YIELDING AND CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF TOMATO GROWN IN ROCKWOOL AND STRAW MEDIUM

Efficiency of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) to host plants depends mainly on the chemical composition and properties of the rhizosphere. This is especially important in soilless cultures, in which the amount of nutrients supplied to the rhizosphere has to be strictly controlled. The effect of AMF and two nutrient solution concentrations: standard (S) with average EC 2.6 mS.cm(-1) and reduced (R) with average EC 1.9 mS.cm(-1), on the yielding and chemical composition of fruit and leaves of tomato, was investigated. Tomato plants cultivar 'Admiro F1' were cultivated in greenhouse with fertigation system in rockwool and straw medium in 2012-2013 years. In the research, no effect of AMF on the total and marketable yield as well as on number of fruit per plant, was detected. A significant lower marketable yield in treatments fertigated with standard nutrient solution (S), compared to reduced solution (R) was detected, which was the effect of smaller number of fruits. Fruits of tomato inoculated with AMF contained significantly more sugars as compared to plants growing without mycorrhization. Significant higher dry matter content was detected in fruit of tomato fertigated with standard nutrient solution (S), compared to reduced solution (R). More total nitrogen was recorded in leaves of plants mycorrhized with AMF, although this increase was not statistically confirmed in every treatments. More calcium was determined in fruits of tomato inoculated with AMF as compared to those harvested from non-mycorrhized plants.