Influence of Irrigation Levels on Morphological Attributes and Yield of Tomato under Current and Climate Change Conditions

Abstract

Water shortage consider on of the main threats facing the agriculture, mainly in the Mediterranean area. So that there is a great need to apply new methods to water resource management. The crop models are used to achieve this objective. Tomato is a significant vegetable crop globally and represent an important part of horticultural production with 180 million tons produced on over five million hectares even though few studies have validated the AquaCrop model, especially in Egypt. This study was conducted in a protected cultivation experimental farm, Agricultural Research Center (ARC), Dokki, Giza, Egypt during the winter seasons of 2019/2020 and 2020/2021. Different irrigation levels (IL): 55%, 70%, 85%, 100%, and 115% of evapotranspiration (Eto) were applied on to - mato. Plant growth parameters, relative chlorophyll content (SPAD), yield, fruit quality and plant nutrients (NPK) were recorded at both seasons. Also, the aforementioned irrigation levels were used to validate the AquaCrop model on different climate change scenarios on tomato productivity in 2050 and 2100. The findings revealed that the highest plant growth parameters were obtained in 85% and 100% Eto as compared to all treatments at both seasons. In contrast, the 55% of Eto obtained the lowest values of all plant growth parameters. The number of fruits/ plant, early yield, and total yield of 100% Eto were ranked secondly. Fruits quality was significantly affected by the tested ILs. The highest values of TSS, firmness and vit C of tomato fruits were obtained by 55% followed by 70% Eto. The lowest proline content was recorded at 115% of Eto in both seasons. The content of proline in plants of 70% Eto ranked secondly after 55% of Eto in both seasons. The results of AquaCrop model (Version 7.0) revealed that the crop productivity decreased by 4% and 33% of RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios, respectively, of the years 2050, 14% and 44% for the same scenarios, respectively, of the year 2100.