EFFECT OF USING GRAFTED PLANTS ON PRODUCTIVITY AND QUALITY OF SOME VEGETABLE CROPS

Abstract

Three experiments were performed in a plastic house at Kaha Research Station, Horticulture Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, during the period from 2010 to 2012. This work aimed to evaluate the plant spacing, i.e. 50, 75 and 100 cm, between plants when the grafting was presented on tomato, cucumber and cantaloupe. As well as studying of the effect of grafting on the vegetative growth parameters, yield and mineral contents of grafted tomato, cucumber and cantaloupe leaves and their progeny generation ones, i.e. those obtained from progeny generation of grafted plants. As main plot, three plant spacing levels (50, 75 and 100 cm) and as submain plot, three different rootstocks were applied in split-plot design with three replicates. The results showed that there were significant differences in tomato, cucumber and cantaloupe vegetative growth parameters, yield and its component , nutrient percentage of leaves (NPK) and calculated data (net assimilation ratio, relative growth rate and leaf area ratio) due to using the rested plant spacing. Vegetative growth parameters and yield were increased by using 75 cm plant spacing. However, the lowest values were found at 100cm plant spacing. The highest values of the tested parameters were obtained with TM1003F1 rootstock in tomato and Super Shintosa in cucumber and cantaloupe .The interaction between 75 cm spacing treatment and TM1003F1 in tomato and Super Shintosa in cucumber and cantaloupe were cleared.

Key words: Graft, Rootstocks, Plant spacing, Tomato, Cucumber, Cantaloupe, Greenhouse.