Flooding tolerance of tomato genotypes during vegetative and reproductive stages

A greenhouse experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of flooding on two tomato cultivars and two wild related species. Forty days old tomato plants were subjected to a continuous flooding stress of different durations: 0, 2, 4 and 8 days. Plant pots were placed inside larger plastic pots; they were irrigated with excessive quantity of tap water at 25oC so that the level of water above the surface of soil was 15 cm throughout the flooding period. At the bottom of each plastic pot a drilled hole allowed complete drainage of the pot after flooding. Parameters studied include plant height, number of leaves, leaf length, chlorophyll fluorescence, chlorophyll content, wilting, leaf senescence, adventitious root formation, number of flowers and fruits from cluster 2 to 6, average weight per fruit, fruit length and width, total fruit weight from cluster 2 to 6, total yield per plant. LA1579 genotype was more subjected to the deleterious effect of flooding on almost all the parameters studied. Therefore LA1579 genotype is flooding sensitive. Genotypes CLN2498E, and CA4 showed high tolerance to flooding while LA1421 genotype was tolerant to some extent. This experiment provides information that could help in the identification of physiological and agronomical parameters associated with flood-tolerance in vegetables.