EFFECTS OF TWO DIFFERENT LIGHT INTENSITIES ON PLANT GROWTH, ION UPTAKE AND DISTRIBUTION IN TOMATO PLANTS

This study was carried out to determine relationships between light intensity and nutrient elements by examining the growth parameters, ion uptake and distribution between plant organs of tomato plants under controlled conditions. In the study, seedlings of an indeterminate Adamset F1 hybrid tomato variety were used. The seedlings were grown by applying two different light intensities: 400 mu mol m(-1) s(-1), which is the optimum light intensity for tomatoes, and 800 mu mol m(-1) s(-1), which is twice the optimum light intensity. In this study, LED lamps, which emit light close to sunlight, were used as the light source. Sampling for measurement and analysis was done on the 40(th) day of the application. The Hoagland nutrient solution was replenished every week. Leaf weight, leaf number, stem weight, stem length, internode distance, stem thickness and root weight of the plants taken on the 40th day were measured. Concentrations of macro- and micronutrients (N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu) in the root, stem and leaf samples of plants were also measured. The root, stem and leaf weights of the plants that were treated with two different light intensities were found to be different. The highest root, stem and leaf weights were observed in plants with high light exposure. It has been found that light intensity is effective in stimulating the ion uptake and distribution, and especially the amount of microelements in all three organs of tomato plants analyzed, and there was higher uptake under high light application compared to optimum light application.