GROWTH AND BIOMASS PARTITIONING IN TOMATO IN RELATION TO RATIO OF NITROGEN:PHOSPHORUS SUPPLY

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) plants were grown in hydroponic culture with nitrogen (N): phosphorus (P) supply ratios from 18:1 to 2:1. Nitrate and phosphate were supplied daily in pre-set ratios to maintain a constant P concentration, giving varying degrees of N limitation. Plant dry weight, weights of plant fractions and N and P concentrations in plant parts were measured at 9 and 18 days. Relative growth rate was related to ratio of N:P supplied, with higher ratios giving a higher growth rate, but a noticeably reduced rate was only apparent at 4:1 and 2:1 ratios. Relative growth rate was largely independent of internal N and P concentrations, although there was an optimum internal N:P ratio of approximately 14:1. The plants took up N and P at rates adjusting towards this 14:1 ratio. Depressed relative growth rate of plants inadequately supplied N was linearly correlated with decreased shoot fraction.