Regulated Deficit Irrigation to Boost Processing Tomato Sustainability and Fruit Quality

Andrea Burato, Giovanna Marta Fusco, Alfonso Pentangelo, Rosalinda Nicastro, Anna Francesca Modugno, Fabio Scotto di Covella, Domenico Ronga, Petronia Carillo (), Pasquale Campi and Mario Parisi
Additional contact information
Andrea Burato: CREA Research Centre for Vegetable and Ornamental Crops, Via Cavalleggeri 51, 84098 Pontecagnano, Italy
Giovanna Marta Fusco: Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Via Vivaldi 43, 81100 Caserta, Italy
Alfonso Pentangelo: CREA Research Centre for Vegetable and Ornamental Crops, Via Cavalleggeri 51, 84098 Pontecagnano, Italy
Rosalinda Nicastro: Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Via Vivaldi 43, 81100 Caserta, Italy
Anna Francesca Modugno: CREA Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment, Via Ulpiani 5, 70125 Bari, Italy
Fabio Scotto di Covella: CREA Research Centre for Vegetable and Ornamental Crops, Via Cavalleggeri 51, 84098 Pontecagnano, Italy
Domenico Ronga: Pharmacy Department, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084 Fisciano, Italy
Petronia Carillo: Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”, Via Vivaldi 43, 81100 Caserta, Italy
Pasquale Campi: CREA Research Centre for Agriculture and Environment, Via Ulpiani 5, 70125 Bari, Italy
Mario Parisi: CREA Research Centre for Vegetable and Ornamental Crops, Via Cavalleggeri 51, 84098 Pontecagnano, Italy

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 9, 1-22

Abstract: Improving water use efficiency is gaining relevance for the sustainability of agricultural practices. In semi-arid Mediterranean areas, recent studies highlighted that future climatic scenarios will be even more critical for crops, given the increase in water scarcity. In this context, the rationalization of irrigation water is necessary to sustain processing tomato ( Solanum lycopersicum L.) yield and quality since this crop requires large volumes of water. The present research aimed to identify the effects of a regulated deficit irrigation (RDI) strategy on the environmental and economic sustainability and fruit technological and functional quality of the processing tomato crop in the Mediterranean area. A two-year, open-field experiment was carried out to compare full irrigation management (IRR, restoring 100% ET c ) with an RDI strategy based on restoring 50% ET c when the first fruit cluster reached the typical size (BBCH 701 phenological stage, relative to Solanaceous fruits). Remarkable water saving (21.46%, average of the two years) was achieved under RDI without significant variations in total and marketable yield compared to the IRR regime. Consequently, improved economic water productivity (+23.17%) was observed, allowing enhanced processing tomato sustainability. The RDI strategy boosted the glucose content (+17.78%), soluble solids content (SSC, +10.17%), and dry matter of the fruits (+10.03 g%). Furthermore, a higher SSC-to-titratable acidity ratio (+15.47%) and a negative shift in fructose/glucose balance (−7.71%) were observed in RDI-treated plants. Higher levels of the drought stress markers proline (+38.99%) and total polyphenols (+20.58%) were detected in RDI- compared to IRR-irrigated tomato fruits. These findings suggested the RDI strategy as an effective and sustainable approach for increasing both water productivity and the fruit quality of the processing tomato crop under semi-arid Mediterranean climatic conditions.

Keywords: Solanum lycopersicum L.; water productivity; soluble solids content; polyphenols; proline (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
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