Tomato (Jinglu 6335) was selected for assessing the impact of varying fertilizer (F:N-P2O5-K2O) and aeration rates on crop quality, as well as water and fertilizer utilization efficiency during the cyclic aeration subsurface drip irrigation process. Four aeration treatments (O1, O2, O3, and S, representing aeration ratios of 16.25%, 14.58%, 11.79%, and non-aerated treatment, respectively) and three fertilizer applications (F1: 240-120-150 kg/hm2, F2: 180-90-112.5 kg/hm2, F3: 120-60-75 kg/hm2) were compared in a total of 12 treatments in this study. This study revealed that cyclic aerated drip irrigation improved the fruit quality. The aerated treatment resulted in increased accumulation of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, with the level of aeration positively correlating with the increase in nutrient accumulation, reaching the highest values in the high aeration irrigation treatment. The highest nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and water use efficiency occurred under the medium fertilizer with high aeration treatment. The maximum partial productivity of the fertilizer occurred under the low fertilizer with high aeration treatment, while the minimum occurred in the high fertilizer with non-aerated treatment. Taking all factors into consideration, the high-aeration and medium-fertilizer treatment was the most effective combination for greenhouse tomatoes under the conditions in this experiment.
Keywords: cyclic aeration underground drip irrigation; fertilizer utilization efficiency; greenhouse tomatoes; quality; water use efficiency.