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Subirrigation of containerized vegetable crops is a promising strategy to increase water and nutrient use efficiency, however, the longer growing seasons for cultivation of vegetable species may cause marked changes in the physical and chemical substrate properties. This study determined the effects of the irrigation system, subirrigation vs. drip-irrigation, and the concentration of the nutrient solution on the substrate physical and chemical properties in containerized tomato plants. Plants were irrigated with solutions at concentrations of −0.072, −0.058 and −0.043 MPa. Root dry weight of subirrigated plants was decreased by 35% in the substrate top layer when the highest concentration was used. Substrate electrical conductivity increased while pH was acidified as solution concentration increased and from the bottom to the top substrate layers in subirrigated plants. Salts buildup was associated with increased concentration of oxalic and tartaric acids and pH acidification. The improved substrate physical and chemical properties in subirrigated plants were associated with higher fruit yield (11.0 kg per plant) provided nutrient solution concentration was reduced to −0.043 MPa; in contrast, the highest yield in drip-irrigated plants (10.1 kg per plant) was obtained when the solution concentration was −0.072 MPa. In conclusion, subirrigation with reuse of the nutrient solution is a promising strategy to reduce water waste through runoff and leaching as water use efficiency increases due to greater water retention properties in the substrate, the maintenance of an EC within a range the plants can tolerate, and a lower acidification of substrate pH.

Subirrigation of Container-Grown Tomato II: Physical and Chemical Properties of the Growing Medium