Basal defoliation and their influence in agronomic and phytopathological traits in tomato plants

Abstract

The incidence of leaf diseases is one of the main factors limiting the tomato crop production, increasing the production cost due to excessive pesticide application. The basal leaf removal could reduce inoculum sources, disease severity and contribute to reducing the use of pesticide. Aiming to evaluate the efficiency of this practice on the reduction of tomato leaf diseases and the effect in the quality and in the productivity of the tomato plants for in natura consumption, two experiments were carried out to test four levels of basal leaf removal. Basal leaves removal, at fruit harvesting, is efficient in reducing the infected plant area by disease, what can mean smaller disease severity and least inoculum source in the field. Also, the all basal leaf removal does not affect yield and quality of the tomato fruits. Other studies are necessary to evaluate the effect of adopting this practice in different planting dates, spacing, varieties, successive plantings and the financial viability of adopting this practice.

Cultivo do tomateiro sob diferentes espaçamentos entre plantas e diferentes níveis de desfolha das folhas basais

“…In accordance with Silva et al (2011), the upper third of tomato plants, despite having only 23% of the total leaf area of the plant, intercepts 73% of the total solar radiation and is responsible for 66% of the production of photoassimilates. Thus, basal leaves are not very important for the net photosynthesis of plants, and its contribution to photosynthesis gradually decreases as the tomato leaf gets older (Silva et al, 2011).…”

“…Thus, basal leaves are not very important for the net photosynthesis of plants, and its contribution to photosynthesis gradually decreases as the tomato leaf gets older (Silva et al, 2011).…”

<b>Manihot leaf abscission induced by ethrel

“…Leaf abscission is a process affected by several environmental factors, such as air temperature, water availability, pathogens, nutrition and mechanical injuries (Alves & May-De-Mio, 2008;Silva, Lilagres, Silva, Nick, & Castro, 2011). Minimum temperatures below 13 to 15°Chave been reported as leaf abscission induction factors in cassava plants (Singh, Khurana, Chakrabarti, Mukherjee, & Nedunchezhiyan, 2013;Moreira et al, 2014;Soares et al, 2015).…”

Clasificación de frutos de tomates Cereza y Grape bajo diferentes sistemas de cultivo e intensidades de deshojado

“…Así, mantener el simpodio completo, el cual es compuesto por las dos hojas situadas debajo y la hoja ubicada arriba de la inflorescencia (Chamarro, 1995), es necesario para mejorar el tamaño de los frutos y, consecuentemente, para una buena aceptación en el mercado. Sin embargo, hay que poner de manifiesto el efecto beneficioso del deshojado solamente de la parte basal del tallo, por debajo de los racimos ya cosechados o en recolección, sin ocasionar daño a la producción y calidad de los frutos, mejorando el manejo y facilitando el control de plagas y enfermedades (Kim et al, 2014;Silva et al, 2011).…”