Water use, water use efficiency and yield response of "Long Time Storage" tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.)

In 1992-1993 'Ponderosa', 'Fiaschetto' and 'Appendere d'inverno', tornato cultivars for "long rime storage", were grown at an experimental farm, 'Gaudiano' (41°03'N, 15°42'E, Southern Italy), under four irrigation regimes: unirrigated control and restoration of maximum crop evapotranspiration (100 % of ETc) in both years: 66 and 33 % of ETc in the first year only: 50% of ETc and supplementary irrigation (whenever the soil water potential dropped below -1.5. MPa) in the second year. In 1992 marketable fruits ranged from 28 t ha-1, as average without irrigation and with restoration of 33 % of ETc, to 42 t ha-l when restoration of 66 and 100 % of ETc were applied, without difference among the three cultivars. Dry matter content of fruits ranged from 8.5% in the unirrigated control to 7.2% as an average of all irrigated treatments. In the second trial (1993), unirrigated control yielded 13 t h-1, an increase of 178 - 309 and 100% was recorded when 50 - 100% of ETc and supplementary irrigation were applied. Among cultivars, 'Fiaschetto' was the most productive in the irrigation regime, with restoration of 50% of ETc and with supplementary irrigation; ‘Appendere d'inverno' yieIded more in the best watered treatment. 'Ponderosa' showed higher soluble solids content. The highest yield was recorded in the most irrigated treatment, however the restoration of 50% of ETc was the most efficient in water use.