NUE hybrids from promising pure lines of tomato and eggplant tested in greenhouse and field conditions by UNIRC

Starting from January 2025, three different trials in pots and greenhouse were conducted on tomato and eggplant at two different locations in Sicily and Calabria. In detail, a greenhouse experiment was set up and monitored in collaboration with a private company (SATA srl) at Rosolini (RG) location and a field experiment at ARSAC (Agenzia Regionale Sviluppo Agricolo Calabria) experimental field in San Marco Argentano (CS). The analysis of correlation (between hydroponic/growth chamber vs. greenhouse/field conditions) of plant reactions (not only in terms of crop production but also for key genes expression during stress) to N limited condition are actually under evaluation.  

The best performant eggplant genotypes for tolerance to low N condition were also analyzed for salt tolerance at Marsala (TP) location in pots under greenhouse
A very large experiment, including the best eggplant genotypes for NUE, were conducted under two different salt levels (30 mM vs. 120mM). The eggplant production performances were analyzed and a Salt Tolerance Index were calculated based on this formula

STI = (DM_S/DM_C)/(ADM_S/ADM_C)

where DM_S and DM_C are the dry weights of each genotype, and ADM_S and ADM_C are the average values of dry weights of shoot, leaves and fruits of all genotypes under salt and control conditions, respectively.