Abstract

The use of low-volume hydroponics in growing tomatoes is of the interest to the global academic community. We carried out experiments to study the cultivation of tomatoes in closed ground and without a substrate culture according to the experience of scientists from Japan, who studied the increase in sugars in tomatoes in low-volume hydroponics. The experiments were aimed at analyzing the factors influencing the production of a higher quality product with the necessary taste and resistance to various diseases, which would allow obtaining a higher yield with a convenient production method. For the experiments, several types of tomatoes were taken and also samples of culture media. The study of the balance of nutrients in a nutrient solution shows their influence on the organoleptic properties of the fruit. The experiments involved three types of nutrient media – Kao and Michayluk, Murashige and Skoog, and Japanese medium. The experiment revealed that the Japanese nutrient medium is the most optimal medium for increasing yields and improving the organoleptic qualities of fruits. This is because the medium contains only the nitrate form of nitrogen, and also because of the low amount of boron. It was found that the ammonium form of nitrogen in the generative period and the high content of boron compounds negatively affect both the taste of tomatoes and their crop yield.

Key words: agrochemical composition; criteria of tomatoes; growing under cover; hydroponic systems; nutritional medium; sugar content of fruit