Yield and fruit quality of high-tunnel tomato cultivars produced during the off-season in South Texas

Abstract

The Rio Grande Valley (RGV) of South Texas is one of the most diverse vegetable-producing regions in Texas. Traditionally, tomatoes in the RGV have been grown in open field during the spring and fall, but the production area has declined significantly due to the high pressure of pests and diseases. RGV open-field cultivation during winter is limited to cold-tolerant vegetables such spinach and cabbage due to the risk of cold days and nights. As an alternative, high tunnels offer an environment protected against pests and diseases, wind, and low temperatures. Here, we studied the feasibility of RGV high-tunnel tomato production to identify the planting date, tomato type, and cultivars best suited for producing high-quality tomatoes during winter. The high tunnel maintained temperatures above 21 °C during chilly days without providing additional heat. In addition, whitefly and thrips populations remained low during most of the cropping season, although pesticide control was required at crop establishment to lower their populations. Overall, higher yields were achieved in October compared to November planting and from determinate compared to indeterminate cultivars. Determinate tomato cultivars TAM Hot-Ty, Mykonos, and TAM HT1 transplanted in October produced up to 96.4, 129.13, and 85.98 t/ha, respectively. Among the cultivars tested, TAM Hot-Ty and TAM HT1 possessed the highest concentrations of soluble solids, with ° Brix >5 %. In an organoleptic test, fruits from high tunnel tomatoes were ranked higher than Texas supermarket tomatoes imported from other regions in terms of flavor, color, and overall characteristics. This study demonstrates that tomato high-tunnel production offers a viable alternative to open-field production in South Texas and could provide a source of high-quality locally produced tomatoes to Texas and nearby markets.