Salinity Distrubution, Water Use Efficiency and Yield Response of Grafted and Ungrafted Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) Under Furrow and Drip Irrigation with Moderately Saline Water in Central Anatolian Condition*

A field study with tomato was carried out at Ankara University, Horticultural Research Station in two consecutive years. The aim of the study is to determine the effects of grafting and irrigation methods on yield and water use of tomato and salinity distribution within the soil. Grafted and ungrafted tomato cultivars were grown using drip and furrow irrigation methods. Salinity of irrigation water (electrical conductivity) was 1.9 dS/m and the SAR (sodium adsorption ratio) was below 1.0. The mean fruit yields were 4671, 4391, 4109 and 3457 g/plant for drip-grafted, drip-ungrafted, furrow-grafted and furrow-ungrafted treatments, respectively. Seasonal total evapotransprations were 810.0 and 771.5 mm under drip irrigation, 957.0 and 928.2 mm under furrow irrigation in 2005 and 2006, respectively. Total irrigation water requirement (applied water) were 731 and 714 mm under drip irrigation, 881 and 871 mm under furrow irrigation in 2005 and 2006, respectively. Water use efficiencies (WUE) were 12.92, 12.14, 9.38 and 7.90 kg/m3 for drip-grafted, drip-ungrafted, furrow-grafted and furrow-ungrafted treatments, respectively. Monthly soil samplings indicated that the salinity distribution decreased towards the root zone (wetted area beneath the emitters and plants) with drip irrigation and increased towards the root zone (furrow ridges and plants) with furrow irrigation.