Effects of Increasing Doses of Sulfur Dioxide and Ambient Ozone on Tomatoes: Plant Growth, Leaf Injury, Elemental Composition, Fruit Yields, and Quality

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Abstract
Jet star, an indeterminant tomato [Lycopersicon esculentum] cultivar, was exposed to 0.011, 0.059, 0.118, 0.235, and 0.468 ppm SO2 in open-top field chambers supplied with nonfiltered (NF) air and to 0.005, 0.113, and 0.466 ppm SO2 in chambers with charcoal-filtered (CF) air. Treatments were given 5 hr/day, 5 days/wk, for a total of 57 days during July, August, and September. Ripe fruit yield were decreased 16% by O3 in NF compared with CF air. The highest dose of SO2 given in CF air reduced fruit yield by 18%. Ambient O3 and the SO2 teatments were additive in their effect on fruit yield. Significant reductions in fruit numbers were observed. Fruit quality was not measurably altered. A negative linear response for ripe fruit yield SO2 exposure dose was demonstrated. As the SO2 dose was increased, sulfur (S) content of the leaves increased linearly. In NF air, S content ranged from 1.62 to 2.56%. In both CF and NF air, S content of fruit was 0.24%; and the SO2 treatments did not cause measurable changes. Foliar concentrations of other elements were changed significantly by leaf position and harvest date, but not by SO2 treatments.