Tomato (Veg 1.2)

Transplant Growth in Zeoponic Substrate

     This test was to evaluate tomato transplant growth in various zeoponic substrates.  A randomized complete block design with 3 replications was used.  Eight treatments were established.  The control consisted of a 20:80 v/v mixture of sand and a peat:perlite (3:1) potting mix.  The sand was a golf course greensmix sand (90:10 v/v sand:peat;pH8.2) The control received a conventional fertigation rate of 500 ml of 200 ppm N as 20-10-20 plus micronutrients once per week.  All of the zeoponic treatments received no supplemental fertilization.  The zeoponic treatments were based on 80 % by volume the control potting mix and 20% zeoponic material or sand.  The amount of zeoponic material ranged from 12% to 20%.  The tomato used in the test was the indeterminate hybrid "Better Boy."  The test was conducted in 4" plastic pots with a single pot comprising an experimental unit.  One tomato plant was planted into each pot on March 14, 1996.  Plugs were 8" - 10" tall when transplanted.  Tomato plants were harvested on April 11, 1996, 4 weeks after transplant.  Data collected included plant height, number of open flowers, whole plant top fresh weight and whole plant top dry weight. 
     Visual growth rates increased with increases in zeoponic rate.  The experiment indicated the zeoponic media with no fertigation can substantially outperform a control media receiving weekly applications of nutrient solution.  The graphs below display two measurements for the control and the 5 different concentrations of zeoponic material.

Copyright 2000 by ZeoponiX, Inc. and Boulder Innovative Technologies, Inc.
P.O. Box 19105, Boulder, CO 80308 USA   (303) 673-00098