Abstract
Ethephon is a tool that has been widely used to advance maturity in processing tomatoes. However, it's use has largely been restricted to mid- or late-season applications, due to concerns about the chemical's stability and resultant phytotoxicity if hot ambient air temperatures occur during or immediately following applications. Four years of tests evaluating decreased rates of ethephon have been conducted in commercial processing tomato fields. Each test included 10–15 early season cultivars. Fruit quality, maturity and yield were evaluated. In all cases, ethephon rates of 1–1.5 pints of product per acre resulted in maturity enhancements of 8–15 days, compared to paired untreated control plots. There were no adverse effects on fruit soluble solids, color or yield. Industry adoption of this technology has provided a tool to increase acreage by spreading production over a longer period of time and maintain harvest schedules that are adversely impacted by cool weather or replanting.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
