Zoltán Pék

Managing crop yields and optimizing water use is a global challenge, as fresh water supply decreases rapidly and demand remains high. Therefore, understanding how plants react to varying water levels is crucial for efficient water usage. This study evaluates how tomato plants adapt to varying water levels (100%, 50% of crop evapotranspiration, and non-irrigated control) over two growing seasons in 2020 and 2021. Root images were captured weekly during an 8-week monitoring period in 2020 and 6 weeks in 2021 using a non-destructive CI-600 in-situ root imager at depths between 10 and 70 cm. Under water stress, plants developed deeper, more extensive root systems to maximize water uptake, consistent with prior research. Root depth and architecture varied with soil depth and the severity of water stress. Year-to-year variations were also found, likely due to changes in irrigation levels and environmental conditions such as temperature. SPAD values were higher under control conditions, especially in the 2021 growing season, suggesting reduced chlorophyll degradation, while no significant differences were observed in chlorophyll fluorescence (Fv/Fm) between treatments, suggesting stable photosynthetic efficiency under varied water stress conditions. These findings contribute to our understanding of root zone optimization and drought-resilient cultivar breeding, contributing to more sustainable agricultural practices.