An analysis of pruning practices in soilless tomato cultivation

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study is to enhance the efficiency of pruning techniques in soil-less tomato cultivation, a process that constitutes a substantial proportion of labour costs. The study evaluated several pruning strategies, including leaf pruning after harvest (T1), leaf pruning after fruit color break (T2), and single leaf pruning between clusters (T3). The study also integrated fruit thinning and sucker pruning into treatments T4 through T6. Moreover, T0 pruning was performed as part of the routine maintenance procedure. RESULTS: The highest fruit number (number/cluster and total), yield, and relative profit values were obtained in the control (T0) application. The application of T1 was found to have a significant impact on various parameters, including leaf chlorophyll index, average fruit weight, firmness, SSC, and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) values. The T5 treatment was found to be the most effective in increasing plant height, cluster number, stomatal conductance, photosynthesis rate, colouration rate, total flavonoid, and lycopene values. The initial colour change in fruits and the total phenolic content exhibited elevated levels in the T6 treatment. CONCLUSION: Excessive pruning has a detrimental effect on plant physiology and yield. It has been determined that the execution of these practices must be conducted with the utmost caution, taking into account the prevailing environmental conditions. In terms of yield maximization and economic profitability, the T0 treatment was found to be the most effective pruning strategy. In terms of quality factors such as fruit weight and firmness, the T1 treatment also yielded the most successful results.