134 Growth, Photosynthesis, Fruit Yield, and Quality of Greenhouse Tomato Grown in Open or Closed Rockwool Production Systems with Different Nutrient Feedings

Two long-season tomato crops (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv. Trust; in 1996 and 1997) were grown in an open rockwool system (conventional culture method) and in closed rockwool culture systems with different nutrient feedings to develop a closed tomato production system with zero discharge of nutrient solutions to the environment. The tomato grown in the closed rockwool systems with a modified rockwool or nutrient film technique (NFT) feeding formula achieved similar marketable yield as the tomato grown in the conventional open rockwool system. Similarly, there were no differences in early plant growth and photosynthesis, total plant biomass and biomass partitioning, fruit yield, or fruit size and grades. The tomato plants grown in the closed rockwool systems senesced slower, as demonstrated by higher photosynthesis in old leaves, and had better root systems than the plants grown in the conventional open rockwool system. The fruit quality of tomato produced in the closed rockwool systems was better than that of tomato produced in the open rockwool system in one of two crops. These results demonstrated that the closed rockwool system with optimized nutrient feeding is an economically and environmentally sound alternative to the conventional open rockwool production method.

Download Full-text

Effect of Compost Amendments on Disease Severity and Yield of Tomato in Conventional and Organic Production Systems

Plant Disease ◽

10.1094/pdis.2002.86.2.156 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 86 (2) ◽

pp. 156-161 ◽

Cited By ~ 83

Author(s):

P. A. Abbasi ◽

J. Al-Dahmani ◽

F. Sahin ◽

H. A. J. Hoitink ◽

S. A. Miller

Keyword(s):

Disease Severity ◽

Production Systems ◽

Disease Incidence ◽

Organic Production ◽

Fruit Rot ◽

High Rate ◽

Bacterial Spot ◽

Marketable Yield ◽

Tomato Production ◽

Compost Amendments

Field trials were conducted over 2 years to assess the effects of compost amendments on disease development in organic and conventional processing tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) production systems. The incidence of anthracnose fruit rot was reduced in organic tomato plots amended with a high rate of composted cannery wastes compared with the incidence in nonamended control plots in 1998 when disease incidence was high. Marketable yield was increased by 33% in compost-amended organic plots. Plots amended with a high compost rate had more ripe fruit than the nonamended control. The incidence of anthracnose and of total disease on fruit was less on the cultivar OH 8245 than on Peto 696. Total fruit yield of OH 8245 but not Peto 696 in organic plots was increased by amendment with composted cannery wastes. In conventional tomato production, composted yard wastes increased disease severity on foliage both years but reduced bacterial spot incidence on fruit in 1997, when disease pressure was high. The incidence of anthracnose was not affected by composted yard wastes. Marketable and total fruit yields of Peto 696 were not increased in compost-amended conventional plots. The plant activator Actigard reduced foliar disease severity and the incidence of bacterial spot and anthracnose on fruit, while increasing yield of marketable fruit.

Download Full-text

Growth, photosynthesis and productivity of greenhouse tomato cultivated in open or closed rockwool systems

Canadian Journal of Plant Science ◽

10.4141/p01-113 ◽

2002 ◽

Vol 82 (4) ◽

pp. 771-780 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

X. Hao ◽

A. P. Papadopoulos

Keyword(s):

Lycopersicon Esculentum ◽

Plant Biomass ◽

Alternative Methods ◽

Marketable Yield ◽

Tomato Production ◽

Greenhouse Tomato ◽

Tomato Yield ◽

Nutrient Film Technique ◽

Closed Systems ◽

Environmentally Sound

Two full spring season tomato crops (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. “Trust”) were grown in an open rockwool system with standard rockwool feeding formulae (O-R; conventional method), and in closed rockwool systems with standard rockwool (C-R) or Nutrient Film Technique (C-NFT) feeding formulae (modified in 1997) in 1996 and 1997 to examine the feasibility of a fully closed rockwool production system with appropriate feeding formulae. The closed rockwool system with optimized feeding formulae achieved high marketable yield, similar to that of the open rockwool system. There were no differences in early plant growth, plant biomass or biomass partitioning, and in total fruit yield, size and grades except for the closed rockwool system with the standard rockwool feeding formulae (C-R), which had lower yield than C-NFT in the last month of harvest in 1996. The photosynthesis of old foliage was higher and the root systems at the end of the experiments were rated healthier in plants grown in the closed (C-R and C-NFT) systems than in plants grown in the open (O-R) system. Over 30% of water and fertilizer was saved with the closed systems in comparison to the conventional open system. These results demonstrated that closed rockwool systems with optimized nutrient feedings are economically and environmentally sound alternative methods for greenhouse tomato production in Ontario. Key words: Lycopersicon esculentum, tomato, yield, recycling, rockwool, greenhouse

Download Full-text

Optimizing N Fertilization to Improve Yield, Technological and Nutritional Quality of Tomato Grown in High Fertility Soil Conditions

Plants ◽

10.3390/plants9050575 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (5) ◽

pp. 575 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Domenico Ronga ◽

Alfonso Pentangelo ◽

Mario Parisi

Keyword(s):

N Fertilization ◽

Fruit Yield ◽

Soil Conditions ◽

High Fertility ◽

Marketable Yield ◽

Tomato Crop ◽

Processing Tomato ◽

Yield And Quality ◽

N Rates

Processing tomato is the second most important worldwide cash crop, generally produced in high-input systems. However, fruit yield and quality are affected by agronomic management, particularly nitrogen (N) fertilization, whose application to indeterminate growth genotypes for canning has yet to be investigated in depth. Hence, the objective of this work was to assess the effects of different N rates (0, 50, 125, 200, 275, and 350 kg ha−1) on fruit yield and quality characteristics of processing tomato ‘San Marzano’ landrace. The results of our study showed that 125 and 200 kg of N ha−1 are the most appropriate rates in soil with high fertility, ensuring the highest values of marketable yield and brix yield. However, plants fertilized with 125 kg of N ha−1 attained higher values of N efficiency and fruit K and P concentrations than plants fertilized with 200 kg of N ha−1. Our results suggest that overdoses of N supplies negatively affected fruit yield and quality of San Marzano landrace grown in high soil fertility conditions, also reducing the agricultural sustainability. Hence, specific agronomic protocol and extension services are required to optimally manage tomato crop systems.

Download Full-text

546 PB 090 OPTIMIZING TOMATO YIELDS IN HIGH TUNNELS

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.29.5.509f ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 29 (5) ◽

pp. 509f-509

Author(s):

Otho S. Wells

Keyword(s):

Fruit Size ◽

Field Conditions ◽

Yield Response ◽

Row Spacing ◽

Marketable Yield ◽

Tomato Production ◽

Low Input ◽

High Tunnels ◽

Comparable Experiment ◽

Marketable Fruit

Tomato production in high tunnels is very intensive, although relatively low-input. However, optimal use of every square foot of growing space is critical to maximizing returns. Utilizing the basket-weave trellis system, `Ultrasweet' tomatoes were grown in 4 (replicated), 14-foot-wide high tunnels in 4 rows per tunnel at 3.5 ft between rows. In-row spacing of 12, 18, and 24 inches was combined with removal of sideshoots below the first flower cluster: one or three shoots at 18 and 24-inch spacing and none or one at 12-inch spacing. The highest marketable yield per plant was 22 lbs at 24 inches and three sideshoots, while the lowest yield per plant was 13.9 lbs at 12 inches and no sideshoots. The highest yield per sq ft was 4.2 lbs at 12 inches and no sideshoots, while the lowest yield per sq ft was 2.5 lbs at 24 inches and one sideshoot. The yield response to spacing and side-shoot removal was inverse for lbs per plant and lbs per sq ft. There was no difference in fruit size among any of the treatments. In a comparable experiment under field conditions, the highest yield per plant was 12.6 lbs at 24 inches and one sideshoot; and the highest yield per sq ft was 2 lbs at 12 inches and one sideshoot. The percentage of marketable fruit in the tunnels and in the field was 93.0 and 85.1, respectively.

Download Full-text

Effect of Degree and Duration of Shade on Quality of Greenhouse Tomato

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.42.3.514 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 42 (3) ◽

pp. 514-520 ◽

Cited By ~ 25

Author(s):

Martin P.N. Gent

Keyword(s):

Tomato Fruit ◽

Total Yield ◽

Fruit Size ◽

Direct Sunlight ◽

Marketable Yield ◽

Warm Weather ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Blossom End Rot ◽

Simultaneous Comparisons

Some amount of shade may be optimal to produce high-quality tomatoes in a greenhouse during summer months in the northeast United States. Simultaneous comparisons were made among greenhouse sections that were either not shaded or covered with reflective aluminized shadecloth that attenuated 15%, 30%, or 50% of direct sunlight. The shadecloth was applied at the start of warm weather in June. The houses were shaded for the rest of the summer, and fruit was picked until late August. Total yield decreased linearly with increasing shade, but there was no significant difference among shade treatments in marketable yield. The fraction of fruit that was marketable was greatest for plants grown under 50% shade. This fraction was 9% greater than in a greenhouse with no shade in 2003 and 7% greater in 2004 and 2005. Cracked skin was the defect most affected by shade. Among sensitive cultivars, up to 35% of the fruit produced in greenhouses with no shade had cracked skin, whereas in greenhouses covered with 50% shade, only 24% to 26% of the tomatoes had cracked skin. There was no consistent trend for shade density in the fraction of fruit with green shoulder, blossom end rot, or irregular shape. The effect of shade increased with duration of shading. There was no effect of 50% shade compared with no shade on total yield within 20 days, but yield decreased by 20% in the interval from 25 to 45 days after shading and by 30% after 50 or more days of shading in 2005. Marketable yield only decreased after more than 45 days of shading for cultivars that were not sensitive to cracked skin or uneven ripening. Shade decreased fruit size over the entire season only in 2003. In general, shading increased the fraction of marketable tomato fruit without affecting fruit size.

Download Full-text

Performances Of Heat Tolerant Tomato (Solanum Lycopersicum) Hybrids During Rainy Season

Bangladesh Journal of Agricultural Research ◽

10.3329/bjar.v36i2.9243 ◽

1970 ◽

Vol 36 (2) ◽

pp. 189-196 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

S Ahmad ◽

MS Islam ◽

MA Hoque

Keyword(s):

Rainy Season ◽

Fruit Size ◽

Fruit Weight ◽

Fruit Yield ◽

Research Centre ◽

Tomato Production ◽

Tomato Yield ◽

Treated Plant ◽

Heat Tolerant ◽

Hybrid Lines

An investigation was undertaken with a view to observing the performance of newly developed summer tomato hybrids during May 2008 to September 2008 at experimental field of Horticulture Research Centre, BARI, Gazipur. Number of fruits per plant, individual fruit weight, fruit size, etc. was significantly higher when the plants were treated with hormone. Fruit yield per plant was quite high in the hormone treated plant (1.57 kg) compared to untreated plants (0.90 kg). In general, all the hybrids performed better when treated with hormone in respect of yield compared to their corresponding untreated plants. The hybrid WP7 × C- 51 had the highest individual fruit weight (56.0 g) Among the hybrids, HT019 × WP10 had the highest fruit yield per plant (1.87 kg) closely followed by C-11 × WP10 (1.81 kg) when the plants were treated with hormone. The untreated plants of the hybrid lines C-41 × WP8, HT019 × WP10 and C-41 × WP10 produced more than 1.0 kg of fruits per plant. This indicates that there is bright scope of tomato production during summer through with and without hormone application, though application of hormone had positive effect on tomato yield. Keywords: Heat tolerant tomato hybrids; rainy season. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bjar.v36i2.9243 BJAR 2011; 36(2): 189-196

Download Full-text

Yield and Nutritional Quality of Vesuvian Piennolo Tomato PDO as Affected by Farming System and Biostimulant Application

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy9090505 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 9 (9) ◽

pp. 505 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Gianluca Caruso ◽

Stefania De Pascale ◽

Eugenio Cozzolino ◽

Antonio Cuciniello ◽

Vincenzo Cenvinzo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Ascorbic Acid ◽

Organic Acids ◽

Plant Biomass ◽

Protein Hydrolysate ◽

Tomato Fruit ◽

Farming System ◽

Fruit Yield ◽

Soluble Solids ◽

Marketable Yield ◽

Area Index

Scientific investigations are being increasingly devoted to biostimulant effects on vegetable yield and quality, with the perspective of sustainable crop management. Two farming systems (conventional or organic) in factorial combination with two biostimulant treatments (tropical plant extract (PE); legume-derived protein hydrolysate (PH)) plus a non-treated control were compared in terms of tomato fruit yield, yield components, mineral composition, functional and nutritional indicators. PE- and PH-based biostimulants resulted in higher plant biomass, PH even in higher leaf area index, compared to non-treated control. Marketable yield was not significantly affected by farming system. PH and PE gave higher yield than non-treated control. PH treatment led to higher fruit number than the control, whereas PE incurred significant increase in yield only under organic farming. The mean fruit weight attained the highest value upon PE application under conventional management. Colour component a* (redness) was higher with the conventional system compared to the organic one, whereas an opposite trend was shown by the organic acids malate, oxalate and isocitrate. Irrespective of the farming system, the soluble solids, fruit brightness (L*) and redness as well as the target organic acids malate, oxalate, citrate and isocitrate were significantly higher than untreated plants by 10.1%, 16.1%, 19.8%, 18.9%, 12.1%, 13.5% and 26.8%, respectively, with no significant differences between the PH- and PE-based biostimulants. Higher lipophilic activity and total ascorbic acid concentration but lower lycopene were recorded under organic management. PE and PH application resulted in higher total phenol and ascorbic acid as well as in lycopene content, and lipophilic antioxidant activity than the non-treated control. Biostimulants proved to be an effective sustainable tool for enhancing tomato fruit yield and functional quality both under conventional and organic vegetable systems.

Download Full-text

Phenotypic variability for horticultural and fruit quality attributes in plastic house grown tomato

Journal of Horticultural Sciences ◽

10.24154/jhs.2020.v15i02.004 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 15 (2) ◽

pp. 136-146

Author(s):

O T Adeniji ◽

A V Tenebe ◽

A Ishaka ◽

E Jandong ◽

J T Adamu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Phenotypic Variability ◽

Fruit Size ◽

Fruit Yield ◽

Ecological Zone ◽

Yield Data ◽

Tomato Production ◽

Solanum Lycopersicum L ◽

Protected Cultivation ◽

Tropical Conditions ◽

Yield Quality

In Sudan's agro-ecological zone, tomato production is constrained by a dearth of high fruit yielding and quality (Solanum lycopersicum [L.]) varieties for cultivation in polyhouse. Exotic and indeterminate tomato genotypes with high fruit yield and quality were evaluated to gain information on variation for fruit yield, quality, shape, and interdependence between traits in Sudan agroecology. The seed was sown during 2018 and 2019. Fruit yield, quality, and phenomic traits were measured. Development, °Brix, and fruit yield responded to microclimate factors in the polyhouse over years. ‘Bruno’ was the best for fruit size and ‘Tofi’ for fruit number. Vine length at flowering, fruits/cluster, days to 50% flowering, and days to first flowering and fruit brix are heritable. The genotype responses suggest the need for stable and to develop high-yielding and quality tomato varieties for protected cultivation in the Sudan agro-ecological zone. Testing stable genotypes in locations could enhance breeding efficiency with respect to genotypic stability. The yield data gained under tropical conditions identified traits of superior genotypes for multiple environment studies and to encourage tomato growers to consider protected cultivation in the tropics.

Download Full-text

Using Mini-Rockwool Blocks as Growing Media for Limited-cluster Tomato Production

HortTechnology ◽

10.21273/horttech.11.2.175 ◽

2001 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 175-179 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Logan S. Logendra ◽

Thomas J. Gianfagna ◽

Harry W. Janes

Keyword(s):

Fruit Size ◽

Fruit Yield ◽

Standard Size ◽

Tomato Production ◽

Fruit Number ◽

Effective Combination ◽

Growing Medium ◽

Blossom End Rot ◽

Single Cluster ◽

Double Cluster

Rockwool is an excellent growing medium for the hydroponic production of tomato; however, the standard size rockwool blocks [4 × 4 × 2.5 inches (10 × 10 × 6.3 cm) or 3 × 3 × 2.5 inches (7.5 × 7.5 × 6.3 cm)] are expensive. The following experiments were conducted with less expensive minirock wool blocks (MRBs), on rayon polyester material (RPM) as a bench top liner, to reduce the production cost of tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum) grown in a limited-cluster, ebb and flood hydroponic cultivation system. Fruit yield for single-cluster plants growing in MRBs [2 × 2 × 1.6 inches (5 × 5 × 4 cm) and 1.6 × 1.6 × 1.6 inches (4 × 4 × 4 cm)] was not significantly different from plants grown in larger sized blocks (3 × 3 × 2.5 inches). When the bench top was lined with RPM, roots penetrated the RPM, and an extensive root mat developed between the RPM and the bench top. The fruit yield from plants on RPM was significantly increased compared to plants without RPM due to increases in fruit size and fruit number. RPM also significantly reduced the incidence of blossom-end rot. In a second experiment, single- and double-cluster plants were grown on RPM. Fruit yield for double-cluster plants was 40% greater than for single-cluster plants due to an increase in fruit number, although the fruit were smaller in size. As in the first experiment, fruit yield for all plants grown in MRBs was not significantly different from plants grown in the larger sized blocks. MRBs and a RPM bench liner are an effective combination in the production of limited-cluster hydroponic tomatoes.

Download Full-text

Heirloom Tomato Production in Conventional and Transitional-organic Managed Systems

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.47.8.1034 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 47 (8) ◽

pp. 1034-1037 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Paul B. Francis ◽

C. Robert Stark,

Keyword(s):

Production Systems ◽

Fruit Weight ◽

Organic Production ◽

Plastic Mulch ◽

Tomato Production ◽

Conventional Culture ◽

Cloudy Weather ◽

Main Plot ◽

Black Plastic ◽

Marketable Fruit

Demand for heirloom tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) and organically grown produce is increasing. The objective of this research was to compare heirloom tomato production in conventional (CS) and organic-transitional (OS) production systems. Heirloom cultivars Arkansas Traveler–the original, Cherokee Purple, Kentucky Beefsteak, Manulucie, and Persimmon Orange were grown in 2007 and 2008 on a raised bed, microirrigated, black plastic mulch culture in a split-plot design with production system as the main plot. Inorganic fertilizer at 160N–13P–50K kg·ha−1 [NH4NO3, Ca(H2PO4)2, KCl] or poultry litter (PL) at 5600 kg·ha−1 was applied in March and soil-incorporated. Transplanting occurred on 12 Apr. 2007 and 22 Apr. 2008. PL supplied 194N–133P–183K and 145N–83P–171K kg·ha−1 potential in 2007 and 2008, respectively. Overall, there were no system effects on total marketable fruit weight, marketable fruit numbers, average fruit weights, total cull weights, or percent marketable yields. Marketable yields averaged across systems ranged from 8,457 to 13,550 kg·ha−1 in 2007 and 1,224 to 5,974 kg·ha−1 in 2008. Weather-delayed transplanting followed by wet and cloudy weather in April and May and greater incidence of tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) were suspected for lower yields in 2008. Petiole sap nitrate-N of whole plot treatments were considered within sufficiency levels for both systems when checked at pre- and early harvest. Soil pH of the CS dropped from 7.2 to 5.6 after two seasons but did not change in the OS. Organic production of heirloom tomatoes using PL yielded equivalently to conventional culture for 2 years after transition from conventional management.

Download Full-text