EFFECT OF DRIP AND SPRINKLE IRRIGATION ON YIELD AND QUALITY OF 5 TOMATO CULTIVARS IN SOUTHWESTERN ONTARIO

The purpose of this study was to assess yield and quality of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) in response to drip (DI) and sprinkle irrigation (SI) in southwestern Ontario. Three irrigation treatments, DI, SI and no irrigation (NI) and five tomato cultivars, FM6203, H2653, H722, OH7814 and FURS812, grown on a Fox sandy loam soil, were evaluated during four growing seasons between 1986 and 1989. Both DI and SI increased the marketable tomato yield in 3 of 4 yr. In general, DI resulted in higher tomato yields than SI, but this was only statistically significant in 1 yr. Sprinkle irrigation out performed drip irrigation in one hot, dry year in 1988. Throughout the 4 yr, OH7814 was consistently high yielding, H2653 was consistently low yielding and FM6203, H722 and PUR8l2 performed more consistently than the other cultivars. In wet years, yield differences due to cultivar treatments were greater than those due to irrigation treatments, while in dry years, yield differences due to both irrigation and cultivar treatments were highly significant. Soluble solids and total solids were decreased by DI and SI. The DI produced the most uniform soil moisture regime, followed by SI. The NI plots had the greatest degree of water stress, as indicated by the low soil water potential, low stomatal conductance and elevated crop canopy temperature.