Partitioning of assimilates and temporal distribution of productivity in grafted tomato plants

Abstract

This study evaluated the morphology and partitioning of assimilates in grafted and non-grafted tomato plants in a greenhouse throughout the crop cycle. The plants were collected beginning on the 14th day after transplantation (DAT), at regular intervals of 14 DAT, until the end of the crop cycle. The dry mass of leaves, stems and fruits, number of leaves, leaf area, plant height, total number of fruits, number of unmarketable fruits, shoot/root ratio and harvest index were evaluated. Productivity was expressed in terms of mean fruit mass and non-commercial, commercial and total productivity in t ha-1 of fresh mass. Grafted plants had more leaves as well as greater allocation of dry matter to leaves and fruits, which resulted in a difference in the harvest index. However, the non-grafted plants proved superior in fruit production and in total and commercial productivity, compared to the grafted plants.