Studies On The Effects Of Tomato/Garlic Intercropping In Substrate Culture Under Plastic Tunnel

In order to increase the using efficiency of substrate and prevent or alleviate successivecropping obstacles of substrate culture tomato under plastic tunnel. This research wasconducted use substrate formula was wheat chaff, mushroom residue and maize straw with aratio of5:4:1(volume ratio) as cultivation medium with four parts experiment. We select thebest garlic cultivar and intercropping date for garlic intercropped with substrate culturetomato under plastic tunnel, determine the effects of tomato/garlic intercropped on organicsubstrate and overall growth of tomato under plastic tunnel, study the effects of G110intercropping with tomato on the growth and yield of garlic at autumn2012to spring2013,determine the difference of tomato/garlic intercropping time (once or twice) on organicsubstrate and overall growth of tomato under plastic tunnel.The main results and conclusions were as follows:(1) The experiment of tomato/garlic intercropping showed that sprouting duration for09–01was much longer than that for09–21and10–11, but the sprouting date for09–01wasmuch earlier than that for09–21and10–11. Plant growth of G064appears preponderant tothe other two cultivars. The influence of different intercropping date on garlic height ofsurvival plant at early stage is bigger than later stage; pseudostem height of G026and G064showed increased trend during the whole growth period, but G110showed decrease trend atthe later stage; intercropping date did not significantly affect the green leaf length and numberof G064. The secondary growth rate of G026was higher than that of G064and G110. Thesingle-clove bulb rate of G110was over90%on S1and S2. The bulb characteristics of G064were significantly higher than that of G026and G110. The survival rate of plant on10–11was higher than that on09–21and09–01. The bolting rate was different with different garliccultivar and intercropping date. Intercropping showed significant effect on spring tomato andintercropping with G064significantly decreased the plant height, stem diameter and yield oftomato. Intercropping with G110at09–21produced a highest net income. Therefore, G110and09–21are recommended as a suitable cultivar and intercropping date for tomato/garlicintercropping in substrate cultivation under plastic tunnel. (2) Intercropping with garlic increased the chlorophyll content but inhabits thephotosynthesis of tomato seedlings. Compare to tomato monoculture, intercropping increasedthe number of bacteria and actinomycete and reduced number of fungi. The number ofmicroorganisms declined in the short term after harvest garlic, but the number of bacteria andfungi recovered to the level of control at fruit set stage of tomato. The activities of alkalinephosphatase, cellulase was higher than monoculture substrate, while the urease activity waslower. Before tomato transplanting, invertase activity of intercropping was significantly lowerthan monoculture, however, the enzyme activity had not been significantly different at fruitset stage of tomato. The pH value was higher, while EC value was lower in intercroppingsubstrate culture than monoculture. Alkaline hydrolysis content of intercropped substrate didnot change significantly during the whole growth period of tomato, but available phosphorusand available potassium reduce continuously. In fruit quality, the contents of titratable acid,lycopene, vitamin C and dry matter were significantly higher in tomato intercropped withgarlic whereas solid matter, soluble protein and soluble sugar showed no significant differencebetween monoculture and intercropping. Intercropping reduced the yield of tomatoindividually but net income was higher than tomato monoculture.(3) Plant growth, bulb weight and total yield of G110appears preponderant tomonoculture, but the ratio and yield of single-clove bulb was significant higher when it wasintercropped with tomato. The ratio of single-clove bulb reach up to58.1%and the reason forthis is mainly because the shadow of tomato. Therefore, we can harvest single-clove bulb orgarlic and garlic bolt through change plant type of tomato.(4) The substrate pH value of autumn tomato was decreased first and increased later.Intercropping with garlic one or two times enhanced EC value at late growth stage of tomato.Compare to tomato monoculture, intercropping increased the number of bacteria andactinomycete and reduced ratio of fungi. Compare with tomato/garlic intercropping one times,intercropping two times decreased the number of actinomycete and increased bacteria.Alkaline hydrolysis content of substrate decreased during the whole growth period of tomato,but available phosphorus increased and available potassium increased first but decreased afterfruit set stage. intercropping with garlic one or two times can increased the availablephosphorus and potassium content of substrate.Consequently, tomato/garlic intercropping can improve population of microorganism andenzyme activity, reduce the continuous cropping obstacle of tomato cultivation.