Impact of Irrigation Regimes on Some Selected Food Properties of Tomato Fruits

Abstract

The demand for tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) as a vegetable and as an industrial raw material is increasing globally. To maximize tomato production and quality, there is need for good water management. This research studied the effect of three irrigation frequencies (F1=7 days; F2= 5 days; and F3= 3 days) and three depths of water applications (D1= 100%ETc; D2 =75%ETc; D3=50%ETc) on some selected food properties of the tomato. The fruits were harvested when observed ripe and the selected food properties were measured. The results from the experiment showed that the moisture content was in the range of 91.44 to 93.53%; crude fibre, 0.64 to 0.69; crude protein, 0.71 to 0.96 %; crude fat, 0.28 to 0.31%; ash content, 0.19 to 0.22%; sodium, 8.62 to 9.02 mg/100g; potassium, 216.33 to 220 mg/100g; calcium, 4.1 to 4.83 mg/100g; phosphorus, 21.12 to 22.73 mg/100g; vitamin C, 20.38 to 22.07mg/100g; and lycopene, 29.73 to 37.08 mg/100g. The statistical analysis of the result showed that the factors examined were not very significant (p<0.05). Thus, the results of the experiment will be useful for engineers who design irrigation water management for the tomato growers for maximizing tomato production through water management. Keywords: Tomato, irrigation regime, irrigation frequency, food qualities, vitamin, water management