Changes in quality and yield of tomato fruit with ammonium, bicarbonate and calcium fertilisation under saline conditions

Tomato plants were grown in hydroponic culture in a greenhouse. The effect of supplying bicarbonate, ammonium and calcium to saline nutrient solutions was investigated. High salinity (60 mM NaCl) decreased total and marketable yields of tomato fruit, mainly by reducing size fruit. Applications of ammonium produced the lowest marketable yield, by reducing the size and number of marketable fruit compared to the control treatment. This reduction was due to an increase in the number of fruits with blossom-end rot, probably caused by low Ca2+ concentration in the fruits. Although no significant effect on yield was produced by adding Ca2+, HCO3- or NH4+ to the saline treatment, some quality parameters, such as firmness, pH, total soluble solids (TSS), TSS/acidity ratio and glucose content, were affected.