scholarly journals (6) Sucker Removal and Pruning Affect on Heirloom Tomato Yield and Fruit Size

HortScience ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 41 (4) ◽  
pp. 1015C-1015
Author(s):  
Wesley L. Kline ◽  
Stephen A. Garrison ◽  
June F. Sudal

Heirloom tomato production is increasing in the Eastern United states as consumer demand increases. Pruning and suckering heirloom tomatoes have not been studied to see if there is any need for this labor-intensive activity. A 2-year study was undertaken to evaluate whether pruning or suckering would affect yield or fruit size for two heirloom cultivars (`Mortgage Lifter' and `Prudens Purple'). The treatments imposed on the cultivars were 1) removing all suckers from the second or third stem down after the flower cluster; 2) removing the bottom two suckers, or 3) removing no suckers. Pruning had no effect on early yield or fruit size (harvests 1–4). Mid-season (harvests 5–7) total and marketable yields were significantly higher for removing two suckers or not suckering over the other two treatments for year 1, but not year 2. The tomato fruit size was only reduced for the non-suckering treatment. There were no statistical differences among the pruning treatments for yield or fruit size for late season harvests (8-10) for both years. Marketable yields were statistically higher for no suckering over the two- and three-stem treatments, but not different from two suckers when all harvests were combined for the season for year 1. No statistical differences were observed in year 2. However, fruit size was reduced when not suckering compared to the other treatments. The cultivar `Prudens Purple' did have higher total and marketable yield than `Mortgage Lifter' for both early and total combined harvests, but not for mid- or late-season harvests in year 1. There were no statistical differences between the two cultivars for year 2.

1964 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 455-460 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keith A. Dixon

AbstractThe ring vessel (or “doughnut jar”) and the stirrup spout-handle concepts probably diffused together, not only from Peru to Mesoamerica during the pre-Classic, but also from Mesoamerica to the southwestern and eastern United States. In the Southwest they first appeared in the San Juan area around A.D. 500; later they were accepted by other Anasazi and Anasazi-influenced cultures and persisted to the historic period. The apparent interest of the early Anasazi in odd vessel shapes may account for the acceptance of these two shape concepts by the Anasazi rather than by the Hohokam or Mogollon. The ring vessels and stirrup tubes may have continued into the historic period because, unlike most of the other odd forms, these had come to be traditional in certain persisting ceremonial contexts. However, before these suggestions can be adequately evaluated, more information from the Southwest is needed, and the meanings and associations of the two forms in Mesoamerica must be analyzed.


2002 ◽  
Vol 82 (4) ◽  
pp. 771-780 ◽  
Author(s):  
X. Hao ◽  
A. P. Papadopoulos

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


1968 ◽  
Vol 48 (3) ◽  
pp. 267-272
Author(s):  
C. O. Gourley

Captan, dichlofluanid at a high and a low rate, thiram, and a mixture of captan and thiram were tested in a field trial to control gray mold fruit rot caused by Botrytis cinerea Pers. on the strawberry varieties Gorella, Midway, Redcoat and Sparkle. The mean marketable yield of the varieties was increased by dichlofluanid (low) and thiram but not by the other treatments over that of non-sprayed plots. Dichlofluanid (high) gave better control of pre-harvest fruit rot than captan. Dichlofluanid (high) significantly reduced mean fruit size. Redcoat yields were higher with the low rate than the high rate of dichlofluanid, but pre-harvest fruit rot control and fruit size did not differ with the two rates. Gorella yields and fruit size were smaller with captan + thiram than with captan or thiram. Thiram reduced fruit size on Midway. The varietal reaction to fungicides suggests that marketable yield is the most important variable in selecting a fungicide for the control of gray mold fruit rot of strawberries.


HortScience ◽  
1994 ◽  
Vol 29 (5) ◽  
pp. 509f-509
Author(s):  
Otho S. Wells

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.


HortScience ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 42 (3) ◽  
pp. 514-520 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin P.N. Gent

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.


1970 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 189-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Ahmad ◽  
MS Islam ◽  
MA Hoque

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


2016 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 869-876
Author(s):  
Elsa Sánchez ◽  
Thomas Butzler ◽  
Lee Stivers ◽  
Robert Pollock ◽  
Timothy Elkner ◽  
...  

Recent hypothetical modeling suggests that increasing commercial broccoli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) acreage in the eastern United States has the potential to notably reduce the costs of transportation within the broccoli supply chain. In this region, increasing broccoli acreage will require production improvements. Here, research was conducted to determine the best yielding commercially available cultivars for broccoli production. Eighteen to 19 cultivars of broccoli were evaluated in spring and fall evaluations using diverse production systems during 2014–15 in three locations across Pennsylvania. Data collected included production, yield, and quality attributes. Most interactions between site, year, and cultivar were significant suggesting that environmental conditions influence broccoli yield, quality, and concentration of harvest. Overall, the cultivars evaluated were not different from, Imperial, the standard used, for marketable yield, head diameter, and concentration of harvest within a site year. Blue Wind was consistently the first cultivar harvested, and Avenger and Emerald Jewel the last overall site years and growing seasons. These three cultivars may be good options for extending the growing season.


Horticulturae ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 27
Author(s):  
Fernando Teruhiko Hata ◽  
Mauricio Ursi Ventura ◽  
Gustavo Adolfo de Freitas Fregonezi ◽  
Romário Fortunato de Lima

Research on organic fertilizers are of crucial importance for sustainable production systems with high efficiency of natural resource use. The objective of this study was to evaluate organic sources of fertilization (boiled manure (BM), effective microorganism (EM) Bokashi, and Penergetic) for their effects on agronomic variables (fruit size and yield, total soluble solids) and on foliar powdery mildew severity of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). The crops were grown during two cropping cycles in protected cultivation. The treatments were: Control (water only); 50 g per plant of EM Bokashi compost in two applications; Penergetic at 1.5 g L−1 applied to the substrate before planting or sprayed on the plants 14 days after transplanting; and BM at 2.5%, 5.0%, 7.5%, and 10% concentrations (vol/vol) in water, via fertigation. Fruit production and quality were assessed. The effects of treatments on powdery mildew (Leveillula taurica Lév. G. Arnaud) were analyzed by using a diagrammatic scale. Bokashi, 10% BM, and Penergetic increased fruit production of the first three fruit trusses. Bokashi treatment increased tomato fruit diameter. The effects on fruit length and total soluble solids varied with each crop cycle. Powdery mildew severity increased with 10% BM, compared to the control. Both 10% BM and Penergetic presented similar fruit production to Bokashi and are good candidates as substitutes for Bokashi as organic fertilizers/amendments while maintaining tomato yield.


HortScience ◽  
1999 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 653-656 ◽  
Author(s):  
George Hochmuth ◽  
Osmar Carrijo ◽  
Ken Shuler

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) was grown in southeastern Florida on sandy soils that tested very high in Mehlich-1 P to evaluate the yield response to P fertilization. One location was used in 1995–96, another in 1996–97. Prefertilization soil samples contained 290 (location 1) and 63 (location 2) mg·kg–1 Mehlich-1 P. Both soil test results were interpreted as very high in P, and P fertilizer was not recommended for the crop. Fertilizer treatments at both sites were 0, 25, 50, 100, 150, and 200 kg·ha–1 P. Neither total marketable yield nor yield in any fruit size category was affected by P fertilization in either season. Amounts of cull (undersized or misshapened) fruits increased quadratically with P fertilization in the second season. Whole-leaf P concentrations increased linearly or quadratically with P application, depending on sample periods, and were always above sufficiency values. Although many tomato growers apply P fertilizer irrespective of soil test recommendations, our results showed that added P was not needed on soils testing very high in P. Furthermore, withholding P applications to soils with high P concentrations will minimize potential P pollution of surface water and groundwater.


1997 ◽  
Vol 129 (1) ◽  
pp. 81-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter H. Adler ◽  
Peter G. Mason

AbstractA 5-year study of the black flies of east-central Saskatchewan revealed 21 species, including Simulium incognitum sp.nov. Chromosomal and ecological evidence for reproductive isolation is presented for this new species, formerly known as S. venustum Say CC4, and S. venustum Say CC. All 21 species in the study are associated with productive streams and rivers. As many as nine of these species might comprise the pest assemblage harassing livestock. The major pest, S. luggeri Nicholson and Mickel, is cytologically distinct from populations in the eastern United States on the basis of a two-step, Y-linked inversion in the IIS chromosomal arm. Simulium luggeri is the only livestock pest that breeds almost solely in large streams and rivers. The other eight probable pests breed entirely or partly in streams less than 10 m wide, often below beaver dams, suggesting that management efforts should specifically target these sites.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document