Productivity Of Tomato Plants Research Articles

Reduced Container Volume Increases Tomato Pollen Fertility at Low Ambient Temperatures

Using soil bed cultivations as controls and under two temperature regimes (maximum/minimum ≈20/4 °C and 25/10 °C), effects of container volume (16-, 10-, and 3-L pots) on in vitro germination, in vivo tube growth, acetocarmine staining, and quantity of pollen of tomato [Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. `Moneymaker', L. pennellii (Corr.) D'Arcy accession PE-45, and of the corresponding F1 hybrid] were studied. Under the 20/4 °C regime, in comparison with soil-bed cultivated control plants, the cold sensitive cultivar, Moneymaker, grown in the two smaller pots showed significant increases of in vitro pollen germination, acetocarmine staining, and number of pollen grains produced per flower. Similar results were observed with the F1 except for the number of pollen grains which were not significantly different. Pollen of accession PE-45 was unaffected by cold and no container effect was detected. Results of in vivo pollen tube growth in `Moneymaker' at the 20/4 °C regime showed that fruit set was only possible in 3-L pots. Reduction of the negative effects of cold on pollen from plants grown in the 3-L pots may be explained in part by the daytime rise of root-zone temperatures that did not occur in the 10- or 16-L pots or in the soil bed. Therefore, fruit production of tomato plants grown under low temperatures in small pots may not be a valid predictor of commercial winter fruit production of plants cultivated in soil beds.

Effect of increased cobalt treatments on sewage sludge amended soil: Nitrogen species in soil and tranference to tomato plants

The effects of increased cobalt additions (0, 50, 100 and 200 v mg v kg m 1 soil) in sewage sludge-amended soil on organic matter, N Kjeldahl, ammonium and nitrate were studied in this experiment. Three different rates of sewage sludge were applied (0, 30 and 60 v tn v ha m 1 ) to soil as main plots, using tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum Mill var. Ramy) such testing cultivation. Plant biomass and nitrogen content in tomato leaf were also monitored. The organic matter in the soil was clearly affected by the fertilization. N Kjeldahl, ammonium and nitrate were favoured by organic treatments. Co seemed to reduce the transformation of ammonium to nitrate on amended soils, with accumulation of ammonium forms, especially at the higher application rates of sewage sludge. This incidence of Co on nitrogen species in soil decreased with the time of experiment, probably due to the reduction of availability of the pollutant. Aerial biomass production and nitrogen content in leaf were increased for the organic fertilization compared to the control. Only very high levels of Co in soil reduced significantly the aerial biomass production of tomato plants in amended soils. Co seemed to induce a decrease of the nitrogen in leaf in the amended soils, but not for the non-fertilized soils.

Comparison of fluorescent lamps as an energy source for production of tomato plants in a controlled environment

The relative efficiency of 12 fluorescent lamps used for growing tomato seedlings in a controlled-environment chamber was investigated. Fresh weight, dry weight, leaf area and plant height were recorded and compared to the incident radiation flux. The highest fresh weight, dry weight and leaf area were found under Philips TL 33 and TL 83 when compared on the basis of equal wattage input. TL 33 also produced the most compact plants expressed as mg dry wt. per cm height. Fresh or dry weight production was not closely correlated to the measured incident photosynthetic photon flux (PPF), which indicates that light quality or specific energy distribution is an important factor. The highest relative efficiency (g mol CO 2 × 100/mol abs.) was found under a combination of TL 27 + Osram L-Fluora, although this higher efficiency was not great enough to counteract the lower radiation flux emitted. The findings show that the efficiency of the lamps to convert electrical power to visible radiation is not a reliable criterion for the selection of lamps for plant illumination.

The effects of various night-temperature regimes on the vegetative growth and fruit production of tomato plants

The fruit production of tomato cultivar ‘Moneymaker’ was not reduced by interruption of the optimal night-temperature regime by short intervals of lower temperature. The same treatment increased the yield of ‘Cherry’ by 82% in the comparison with a constant night temperature of 18°C. The increase in yield of this cultivar was due to a larger number of fruits per plant.Interruption of the optimal night-temperature regime by a pulsing temperature regime (PTR) may be introduced as a method in the cultivation of greenhouse tomato plants for energy saving and for promotion of fruit-set in certain tomato cultivars.

INTERACTIONS ENTRE LES TEMPERATURES RACINAIRES ET NOCTURNES SUR LE DEVELOPPEMENT FOLIAIRE ET LA CAPACITE PHOTOSYNTHETIQUE DE PLANTS DE TOMATE CV. VENDOR

Six-week-old tomato plants (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. ’Vendor’) were maintained at five root temperatures (12, 18, 24, 30 or 36 °C) and five night air temperatures (8, 12, 16, 20 or 24 °C) for a period of 4 wk. Increase in root temperature partly offset the negative effects of low night air temperature on leaf dry weight and leaf area. Our results showed that higher root temperatures (30 °C) are required at low night air temperature (8 °C) for optimum plant growth. Lower rates of plant photosynthesis at low root and/or night air temperatures resulted mainly from reduced leaf growth and expansion, but also from a decrease in the photosynthetic capacity of the leaves. Our results suggest combining split-night temperature and soil warming techniques to improve the productivity of tomato plants and to reduce greenhouse heating costs.Key words: Tomato substrate, temperature, photosynthesis, growth

Studies on the Fruit Production of Tomato Plants on the Basis of the Source-Sink Theory (Part 4) : Effect of Spacing and Topping of hte Production of Total Dry Matter and Fruits

Studies on the Fruit Production of Tomato Plants on the Basis of the Source-Sink Theory (Part 4) : Effect of Spacing and Topping of hte Production of Total Dry Matter and Fruits

Effect of CO2concentration on Growth and Fruit Production of Tomato Plants

(1974). Effect of CO2 concentration on Growth and Fruit Production of Tomato Plants. Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica: Vol. 24, No. 3, pp. 242-246.

5. Studies on the Fruit Production of Tomato Plants on the Basis of the Source-Sink Theory (Part 1) : Growth Pattern and Effect of the Removal of Lateral Buds and Apex

5. Studies on the Fruit Production of Tomato Plants on the Basis of the Source-Sink Theory (Part 1) : Growth Pattern and Effect of the Removal of Lateral Buds and Apex

The influence of the chemical composition of a nutrient solution on the production of tomato plants

The influence of 12 combinations of 5 different relative anion ratios and 3 different relative cation ratios in a nutrient solution on the production of tomato plants has been investigated in gravel culture during the years 1962, 1963 and 1964.