Journal of Crops Improvement

Journal of Crops Improvement

The Effect of Grafting and Stem Number on the Morphological and Physiological Characteristics and Yield of Greenhouse JANAN Tomato

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
Ahmad nodrati 1
Rasoul Azarmi 2
Behrooz Esmaeilpour 3
mohammad hasanzadeh 4
1 Department of Horticultural Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran.
2 Department of Horticultural Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran
3 Department of Horticultural Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil. Iran.
4 Department of Plant Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran.
10.22059/jci.2026.407192.2966
Abstract
Objective: Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is one of the most important greenhouse vegetables, and owing to its content of lycopene, ascorbic acid, tocopherol, and organic acids, it plays a significant role in human health. Improving crop yield and quality is a central aim of modern agriculture and greenhouse cultivation, and can be pursued through advanced techniques such as plant grafting and management of stem number. Optimal control of stem number is important for balancing vegetative growth, reproductive development, and yield attributes.
Method: To investigate the effects of rootstock and stem number on the growth, physiological traits, and yield of tomato, a factorial experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with four replications in 2022 and 2023 in the greenhouse complex of Parsabad City, Iran. The experiment examined the effects of rootstock type (non-grafted, wild tomato, 'King Kong', and 'Emperador') and stem number (single-stem and double-stem training) on the vegetative characteristics and yield of greenhouse tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L. cv. JANAN F1). Measured traits included leaf fresh and dry weight, number of leaves, plant height, stem diameter, total chlorophyll content, carotenoid content, leaf stomatal conductance, number of clusters, number of fruits, fruit weight, and fruit postharvest life.
Results: Rootstock significantly affected plant height, leaf number, and stem diameter at all measurement dates (30–210 days after transplanting), with the greatest values for these traits recorded on the 'Emperador' rootstock. The 'Emperador' and 'King Kong' rootstocks significantly increased leaf fresh and dry weight, number of clusters, number of fruits, leaf carotenoid content, and stomatal conductance. Total chlorophyll content and stomatal conductance in plants grafted onto 'Emperador' were 19% and 25% higher, respectively, than in non-grafted plants. Plants trained to double stems produced higher leaf fresh and dry weight, more clusters, more fruits, and greater carotenoid content than single-stem plants. Fruit yield on the 'Emperador' rootstock was approximately 105% higher than that of non-grafted plants, and the highest fruit weight was obtained from double-stemmed grafted plants, particularly those on 'Emperador' and 'King Kong' rootstocks. In contrast, the lowest fruit weight was recorded in non-grafted controls and wild-type rootstocks trained to a single stem.
Conclusions: The findings indicate that the use of vigorous rootstocks such as 'Emperador' and 'King Kong', combined with appropriate stem number management, can substantially enhance the vegetative growth and yield of greenhouse-grown tomato.
Keywords
Stem number
Rootstock
Vegetative growth
Yield
Tomato
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Journal of Crops Improvement
Volume 28, Issue 3
Summer 2026
Pages 435-453