THE INFLUENCE OF THE CONCENTRATION OF THE HYDROPONIC NUTRIENT CULTURESOLUTIONS ON THE CRACKING OF CHERRY TOMATO WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON WATER RELATIONSHIP

The relationships between the concentration of nutrient culture soluti ons and cracking in cherry tomato cv. Sun Cherry were studied. 1. From 10 days after planting to the end of harvest, plants were grown in a half, one and double concentrations of the standard nutrient solution. The frequency of fruit cracking increased as the solution became more concentrated. With increasing concentration, fruit weight and fruit a nd leaf water potentials (PSIw) decreased, whereas the soluble solids content of fruit increased. 2. Diurnal differences in PSIw of fully ri pe fruit and of the leaf became larger as the solution concentrations increased; conversely, the fruit osmotic potential (PSIs) decreased. T herefore, fruit pressure potential (PSIp) approached a maximam at 2 AM and a minimum at 2 PM. 3. Compared to a bright, sunny day, fruit and leaf PSIw were greater on a rainy day. Fruit PSIw increased as the cul ture solution became more concentrated.