Effects of low nitrogen supply on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) fruit yield and quality with special emphasis on sugars, acids, ascorbate, carotenoids, and phenolic compounds.
The objective of this study was to determine the impact of lowering nitrogen supply from 12 to 6 or 4 mM NO(3)(-) on tomato fruit yield and quality during the growing season. Lowering nitrogen supply had a low impact on fruit commercial yield (-7.5%), but it reduced plant vegetative growth and increased fruit dry matter content, improving consequently fruit quality. Fruit quality was improved due to lower acid (10-16%) and increased soluble sugar content (5-17%). The content of some phenolic compounds (rutin, a caffeic acid glycoside, and a caffeic acid derivate) and total ascorbic acid tended to be higher in fruit with the lowest nitrogen supply, but differences were significant in only a few cases (trusses). With regard to carotenoids, data did not show significant and univocal differences related to different levels of nitrogen supply. Thus, reducing nitrogen fertilization limited environmental pollution, on the one hand, and may improve, on the other hand, both growers' profits, by limiting nitrogen inputs, and fruit quality for consumers, by increasing tomato sugars content. It was concluded that primary and secondary metabolites could be affected as a result of a specific response to low nitrogen, combined with a lower degree of vegetative development, increasing fruit irradiance, and therefore modifying fruit composition.
UMR 1121 Nancy Université, INRA, Laboratoire Agronomie et Environnement Nancy-Colmar, 2 Avenue de la Forêt de Haye, 54505 Vandoeuvre-lès-Nancy, France.
Camille
C
Bénard
Hélène
H
Gautier
Frédéric
F
Bourgaud
Dominique
D
Grasselly
Brigitte
B
Navez
Catherine
C
Caris-Veyrat
Marie
M
Weiss
Michel
M
Génard
D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000032:analysis; D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000032:analysis; D002264:Carboxylic Acids / Q000032:analysis; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000032:analysis; D005638:Fruit / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D008027:Light; D018551:Solanum lycopersicum / Q000254:growth & development*; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010636:Phenols / Q000032:analysis
D002241:Carbohydrates; D002264:Carboxylic Acids; D010636:Phenols; D002338:Carotenoids; D009584:Nitrogen; D001205:Ascorbic Acid