influence of irrigation interval and substrates on production of tomato (cv. hamra) in soilless (bag) culture

this study was conducted to investigate the effects of irrigation frequency and substrates on some parameters of greenhouse tomato (cv. hamra) during 1381-1382 at research greenhouse of agriculture college, in ferdowsi university of mashhad. the experiment was based on split plots in the form of completely randomized design and in four replications. irrigation frequency in three levels of 12, 8, and 4 times per day at primary plots, and three substrates of perlite, leca, and mixture of perlite and leca at secondary plots. parameters such as number of ties, ties spacing on main trunk, length and diameter of main trunk, dry weight of stem and leaf, number of fruits, and mean fruit weight were measured. generally most of parameters, except crop production and mean weight of fruit per plant, did not influenced by different irrigation treatments. mean weight of fruit and crop production were at their highest level under 12-day irrigation frequency. no significant difference was found for all of the parameters and under different substrates. the highest crop production and mean fruit weights were due to leca substrate and 12-day irrigation frequency. there were no significant differences as compared to 8-day irrigation frequency.