Response of six processing tomato cultivars to subsurface drip fertigation

Because of many problems associated with sprinkle irrigation for processing tomato crops in Central Brazil, growers have been looking for alternatives. Subsurface drip fertigation has been shown to meet many of the desirable conditions such as high fruit yield/quality and less diseases. The objective of this work was to investigate the behavior of six processing tomato cultivars and hybrids growing under subsurface drip fertigation. Subsurface drip fertigation favored high fruit yield and quality of all cultivars and hybrids evaluated. Marketable yields ranged from 80 to 98 t ha(-1). Soluble solids contents were above 4.9%. Over 90% of root systems for all cultivars and hybrids were concentrated within the first 25 cm of soil depth. High yields, good processing characteristics, low occurrence of diseases, and very low rate of rotten fruits indicated the good potential of the system for processing tomatoes in Brazil.