Effects of Superabsorbent Polymer on Yield and Some characteristics of Tomato under Various Irrigation Regimes

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Abstract

In order to evaluate the effect of the super absorbent polymer application on tomato plant under different irrigation intervals in field condition, an split plot experiment in a completely randomized block design (CRBD) at three replications was carried out at the Agricultural Research Station, University of Ilam, Iran at 2013. Main plot consisted of four levels of irrigation (2, 4, 6 and 8 days) and sub-plot was consisted of super absorbent (100, 170, 240 and 310 kg.ha-1). The Fruits were harvested at the ripening stage and traits were assessed. Results showed significant effects of irrigation and superabsorbent polymer on total yield and plant physiological parameters including relative water content (RWC), water use efficiency (WUE), chlorophyll and proline content of leaves and electrolyte leakage. In drought conditions total yield, RWC, WUE and chlorophyll reduced but electrolyte leakage, proline content and WUE increased. Application of super absorbent lead to decreases on the negative effects of drought on the studied traits. Application of superabsorbent polymer significantly increased total yield, RWC, WUE, chlorophyll and reduced electrolyte leakage and proline content. The results clearly showed that the use of super absorbent polymer can expand irrigation intervals in planting tomatoes without loss of yield and product quality.
 

Keywords


Abedi Koupai J and Mesforoush M, 2009. Evaluation of superabsorbent polymer application on yield, water and fertilizer use efficiency in cucumber (Cucumis sativus). Iranian Journal of Irrigation and Drainage, 2(3): 100-111. (In Persian).
Alizadeh A, 2008. Water, soil plant relationship. Edition 8. Publication of Emam Reza University. Vol 85. (In Persian).
Anonymous, 2015. FAO website. http://faostat.fao.org.
Arshi Y, 2000. Genetic improvement of vegetable crops. Mashhad Jahad Daneshgahi Publishing. pp. 724. (In Persian).
Battes LS, Waldren RP and Teare ID, 1973. Rapid determination of free proline for water stress studies. Plant and Soil, 29: 205-207.
Buchholz FL and Graham, AT, 1997. Modern superabsorbent polymer technology. John Wiley & Sons, pp. 279.
Diaz-Perez JC, Shckel KL and Sutter EG, 2006. Relative water content. Annals of Botany, 97: 85-96.
El-Hady OA and El-Dewiny Camilia Y, 2006. The conditioning effect of composts (natural) or/and acrylamide hydrogels (synthesized) on a sandy calcareous soil. Growth response, nutrients uptake and water and fertilizers use efficiency by tomato plant. Applied Scientific Research, 2(11): 890-898.
Farooq M. Basra S, Wahid A, Ahmad N and Saleem B, 2009. Improving the drought tolerance in rice (Oryza sativa L.) by exogenous application of salicylic acid. Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science, 195: 237-246.
 
Flexas J, Ribas‐Carbó M, Bota J, Galmés J, Henkle M, Martínez‐Cañellas S and Medrano H, 2006. Decreased Rubisco activity during water stress is not induced by decreased relative water content but related to conditions of low stomata conductance and chloroplast CO2 concentration, New Phytologist, 172(1): 73-82.
Haghighi M, Mozaffarian M and Afifipour Z, 2014. Investigation the effect of super absorbent polymers and different levels of irrigation on growth and some quantitative and qualitative characteristics on tomato fruit. Journal of Horticultural Science, 28 (1): 125-133. (In Persian).
Kafi M, Bourzoie A, Salehi M, Kamandi A and Nabati J, 2009. Physiology environment stresses in plants. First edition. Publication Mashhad Jahad Daneshgahi. (In Persian).
Khadem SA, Galavi M, Ramordi M, Mousavi SR, Rousta MJ and Rezvani-Moghadam P, 2010. Effect of animal manure and superabsorbent polymer on corn leaf relative water content, cell membrane stability and leaf chlorophyll content under dry condition. Australian Journal of Crop Science, 4(8): 642-647.
Liao R, Wu W, Ren S and Yang P, 2016. Effects of superabsorbent polymers on the hydraulic parameters and water retention properties of soil.Journal of Nanomaterial, 37: 1.11.
Lichtenthaler HK and Wellburn AR, 1983. Determination of total carotenoids and chlorophylls a and b of leaf extracts in different solvents. Biochemical Society Transactions, 11: 591-592.
Liptay A, Sikkema P and Fonteno W, 1998. Transplant growth control drought water deficit stress. Horticultural Technology, 8:540-543.
Milani P. França D, Balieiro AG and Faez R, 2017. Polymers and its applications in agriculture.Polymers:
10-20.
Molavi H, Mohammadi M and Lighat AM, 2011. Effect of full Irrigation and alternative furrow irrigation on yield, yield components and water use efficiency of tomato (Super Strain B). Journal of Water and Soil Science, 21(3): 115- 126. (In Persian).
Naderi F, 1996. Investigation of hydrogel inflationary properties in porous media. MSc Thesis of Tarbiat Modares University. (In Persian).
Naderi F and Vashaghani-Farahani A, 2006. Maintaining soil moisture using water absorbent polymers (hydrogels). Journal of Water and Soil Science, 20 (1): 1-9. (In Persian).
Nazarli H, Zarsashti MR Darvishzadeh R and Najafi S, 2010. The effects of water stress and polymer on water use efficiency, yield and several morphological traits of sunflower under greenhouse condition. Notulae Scientia Biologica,2(4): 53-58.
Pandey HC, Baig MJ, Chandra A and Bhatt RK, 2010. Drought stress induced changes in lipid peroxidation and antioxidant system in genus Avena. Journal of Environment Biology, 31(4): 435-440.
Pessarakli M. (Ed.), 2016. Handbook of plant and crop stress. CRC press.
Peterson D, 2002. Hydrophilic polymers-Effect and use in the landscape. Horticulture Science, 65- 75.
Peyvast GH, 2002. Vegetable production. Publication of Agriculture Science. (In Persian).
Rai A, Singh M and Shah K, 2013. Engineering drought tolerance tomato plants over-Expressing BcZAt12 gene encoding C2H2 zinc finger transcription factor. Phytochemistry, 85: 44-50.
Rostampour F, Seghataleslami M and Mousavi GH. 2010. Effect of drought stress and superabsorbent on relative water content and leaf chlorophyll index and relationship there with grain yield in corn. Journal of Physiology of Crops, 2 (1): 19-31. (In Persian). 
Saidi M, Safari-Nia H, Ghanbari F and Sayaari M, 2014. Evaluation of physiological indices of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plant under different irrigation intervals and superabsorbent polymer A200. Journal of Crop Production and Processing, 4 (12): 335-347. (In Persian).
Schutz M and Fangmeir E, 2001. Growth and yield responses of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L. cv.Minaret) to elevated CO2 and water limitation. Environmental Pollution, 114: 187-194.
Sun WH, Wu YY, Wen XY, Xiong SJ, He HG, Wang Y and Lu GQ, 2016. Different mechanisms of photosynthetic response to drought stress in tomato and violet orychophragmus.Photosynthetica,
54(2): 226-233.
Taiz L and Zeiger E, 2010. Plant Physiology, Sinauer Associates, USA.
Teymori A, 2012. Effect of irrigation round and application of super-absorber polymer on morphological trail, yield and yield components bean under condition of Ilam. Ms.C. Thesis university of Ilam. (In Persian).
Tohidi-Moghadam HR, Shirani-Rad AH, Nour-Mohammadi G, Habibi D, Modarres-Sanavy AAM, Mashhadi-Akbar-Boojar M and Dolatabadian A, 2009. Response of six oilseed rape genotypes to water stress and hydrogel application. Pesquisa Agropecuaria Tropical, 39(3): 243-250.
Vundavalli R, Vundavalli S, Nakka M and Rao DS, 2015. Biodegradable nano-hydrogels in agricultural farming-alternative source for water resources. Procedia Materials Science, 10: 548-554.
Yazdani F, Dadi A, Akbari GH and Behbehani MR, 2010. Effect of super absorbent polymer (Tarawat A200) and drought stress on soybean yield and yield components (Glycine max L.). Agronomy Journal, 75: 168-174. (In Persian).
Zhan FL, Liu MZ, Guo MY and Wu L, 2004. Preparation of superabsorbent polymer with slow-release phosphate fertilizer. Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 92: 3417-3421.