The influence of the irrigation schedule was evaluated on the tomato culture, Debora hybrid for salad, in a field experiment, in a split plot design with four treatments and four replications, conducted from September, 21st, 2005 to January, 31st, 2006. We evaluated the irrigation every day (TR0); irrigation every two days (TR1); irrigation every three days (TR2); irrigation every four days (TR3). 100% of the ETc was applied in all treatments. During the essay, six samplings of plants were performed to determine the plant weight and leaf area to adjust equations for the estimation of the growth parameters. The maximum growth was obtained between 80 and 90 days after transplanting, but in these experimental conditions the growth analysis did not discriminate the treatments. The irrigation schedule of three days caused a reduction in the number of big fruits (>60 mm) and increase in the number of small fruits (40-50 mm). However, the irrigation frequency of two days showed the same or higher fruit quality of the smaller intervals, but with improved water use efficiency. For the spring-summer of 2005-2006 conditions, at Seropédica, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil, the irrigation schedule of two days was the best to be recommended for the farmer.
Lycopersicon esculentum; leaf area; physiologic index; biomass accumulation; fruit quality
