Morphological, Leaf Nutrient, and Fruit Quality Characteristics of Diverse Tomato Cultivars under Organic Low-Input Management

Increasing fruit yield and quality of tomatoes under organic low-input conditions remains a challenge for producers and breeders. Therefore, it is necessary to identify superior tomato cultivars that are suitable for production and use as parents in breeding programmes. In the present study, the variations in plant morphology and fruit quality characteristics of tomato cultivars were assessed to reveal the traits associated with improved yield and fruit quality. Sixty diverse tomato cultivars were screened in 2015, and in 2016, a subset of 20 cultivars was selected for further evaluation under organic low-input conditions. The results showed high variability among cultivars in all 28 traits that were observed. Salad cultivars had lower plant growth and fruit quality (minerals, dry matter, total soluble solids, and total phenolics) by 10–70%, but they displayed 10–60% higher fruit yield and leaf minerals than cocktail cultivars. Salad tomato cultivars with superior yield and harvest index were mainly derived from breeding for intensive indoor production. Cocktail cultivars with superior yield were mainly derived from organic and outdoor breeding programs. There was a trade-off between fruit yield and quality, indicating a challenge for simultaneous improvement of yield and quality. The importance of Mg was highlighted because of its contribution to the fruit mineral concentration and fruit quality. Cultivars superior in one trait or trait combination under organic low-input conditions were identified to be used by producers and breeders as superior cultivars to meet their production targets and breeding objectives. The importance of Mg provides a novel path for further research on improving soil-available Mg in organic tomato production to enhance fruit mineral concentration and fruit quality in general.

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Evaluation of Tropical Tomato for Growth, Yield, Nutrient, and Water Use Efficiency in Recirculating Hydroponic System

Agriculture ◽

10.3390/agriculture10070252 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (7) ◽

pp. 252

Author(s):

Alex Williams Ayarna ◽

Satoru Tsukagoshi ◽

George Oduro Nkansah ◽

Na Lu ◽

Kazuya Maeda

Keyword(s):

Fruit Quality ◽

Block Design ◽

Fruit Yield ◽

Soluble Solids ◽

Tomato Production ◽

Use Of Resources ◽

Yield And Quality ◽

Nutrient Use ◽

The Tropics

The issue of low tomato production in the tropics like Ghana has been a long-standing challenge. The advent of greenhouse technology has not significantly improved the yield of tomato compared to Japan and the Netherlands. Immediate technological interventions are needed. Through hydroponics, the low-node order pinching at a high-density planting system has been recommended in some studies. This system was intended to be established in Ghana, and it would be expected to improve the yield and fruit quality of tomato. In effect, a study was carried out in the greenhouse, at Chiba University using this system. A tropical tomato cultivar (Jaguar) was evaluated with Momotaro York at 3.8 m s2 and pinched at the fourth truss. Data collected were water and nutrient use efficiencies, plant growth rate, dry matter partitioning, and fruit yield and quality, as well as some physiological characteristics. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Results showed that Jaguar cultivar was two times more efficient in water and nutrient use than Momotaro York at first harvest. Root tissue density recorded in Jaguar was significantly lower compared to Momotaro York. The net assimilation rate (NAR) recorded was markedly higher in Jaguar than Momotaro York at last harvest. All the physiological attributes recorded in both cultivars were not significantly different. Plant dry mass (DM) recorded was similar in the two cultivars; however, the DM partitioned to fruits was 55% in Jaguar compared to 46.5% DM for Momotaro York. Fruit yield per area did not differ in the two cultivars. Fruit yields of 28.8 and 30 kg m−2 per year were recorded in Jaguar and Momotaro York, respectively. In comparison, this yield result is 1.2–1.25 times less and 14.4–15 times higher than current tomato yields recorded in Japan (greenhouse) and Ghana, respectively. Fruit quality, in terms of total soluble solids recorded in Jaguar cultivar being 5.4 %Brix, was within the 3.5–5.6 %Brix recorded in Ghana. This system could effectively enhance the yield and quality of tomato in the tropics as well as economising on the use of resources.

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Fruit production and quality of mini-watermelon with different number of stems, in troughs cultivation system and substrate reuse

Semina Ciências Agrárias ◽

10.5433/1679-0359.2021v42n2p471 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 42 (2) ◽

pp. 471-486

Author(s):

Josiéle Garcia Dutra ◽

◽

Roberta Marins Nogueira Peil ◽

Tatiana da Silva Duarte ◽

Cesar Valmor Rombaldi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fruit Quality ◽

Positive Impact ◽

Fruit Weight ◽

Fruit Yield ◽

Soluble Solids ◽

Plant Management ◽

Cultivation System ◽

Fruit Number ◽

Yield And Quality ◽

The One

Substrate-filled pots are growing systems commonly used for vegetable farming. However, few are the studies available relating them to mini-watermelon cultivation. Our study presents a growing system using substrate-filled troughs and leachate recirculation as a low-cost and less environmentally harmful soilless cultivation system for mini-watermelons. For a growing system to be viable and provide high fruit yield and quality, several aspects must be studied, including substrate physical properties and reuse potential in successive crops, besides plant management-related aspects. Therefore, our goal was to evaluate the effects of a trough system and substrate reuse on changes in the properties of raw rice husk and on fruit yield and quality for mini-watermelons at different stem training. To this purpose, two trials were conducted using nutrient solution recirculation systems. In the first, we evaluated the effects of pot and trough systems. In the second, first- and second-use substrates were compared in the trough system. In both trials, one and two-stem training systems were analyzed. The results of the first trial show that the trough system had a greater positive impact on substrate water holding capacity (WHC), which increased from 7.9 to 15.6%, while the pots increased substrate WHC only to 11.2%. However, both systems neither affected fruit yield (8 kg/m² on average) nor fruit quality. The two-stem training promoted higher fruit yields (4.2 kg/plant) and contents of total soluble solids - TSS (11.4 °Brix) but did not affect average fruit weight. Moreover, the one-stem training provided higher fruit number (7.3 fruits/m²) and fruit yield (9.7 kg/m²). In the second trial, the reused substrate showed a higher WHC (12.4%) than the one used for the first time (9.9%). The reused substrate also provided better results in terms of fruit yield and quality (5.9 fruits/m², 5.3 kg/m², and 10.5o Brix). In the second trial, two-stem training also increased average fruit weight, and hence yields per plant. Nevertheless, the stem number did not affect fruit number per plant, fruit yield per square meter, and fruit quality.

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Soilless Media and Containers for Greenhouse Production of `Galia' Type Muskmelon

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.41.5.1200 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 41 (5) ◽

pp. 1200-1205 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

J.C. Rodriguez ◽

D.J. Cantliffe ◽

N.L. Shaw ◽

Z. Karchi

Keyword(s):

Fruit Quality ◽

Fruit Yield ◽

Pine Bark ◽

Soluble Solids ◽

Greenhouse Production ◽

Yield And Quality ◽

Feasible Option ◽

Polyethylene Bags ◽

Reducing Costs ◽

Solids Content

In the spring of 2001 and 2002, different combinations of media (coarse perlite, medium perlite, and pine bark) and containers (polyethylene bags and plastic pots) were used for hydroponic production of `Galia' muskmelons (Cucumis melo L.) to determine their effect on fruit yield and quality, and their influence on costs of production. Marketable yields obtained for `Gal-152' in the spring 2001 and 2002 were 25.5 kg·m–2 and 39.0 kg·m–2 respectively. When data were combined for 2001 and 2002, fruit yield and fruit quality were unaffected by any combination of media and container. Average soluble solids content was generally greater than 10° Brix. It was determined that the use of pine bark media and plastic pots instead of perlite and bags would save $18,200 per year (two crops)—a feasible option for reducing costs of producing `Galia' muskmelons in greenhouses using soilless culture without loss of yield and fruit quality.

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Deficit Irrigation to Enhance Fruit Quality of the ‘African Rose’ Plum under the Egyptian Semi-Arid Conditions

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy11071405 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (7) ◽

pp. 1405

Author(s):

Islam F. Hassan ◽

Maybelle S. Gaballah ◽

Hanan M. El-Hoseiny ◽

Mohamed E. El-Sharnouby ◽

Shamel M. Alam-Eldein

Keyword(s):

Fruit Quality ◽

Deficit Irrigation ◽

Total Yield ◽

Fruit Yield ◽

Soluble Solids ◽

Limited Information ◽

Yield And Quality ◽

Arid Conditions ◽

Semi Arid

Evolved in South Africa and released to market in 2009, the ‘African Rose’ plum has been introduced and grown under the Egyptian semi-arid conditions since 2010. Within that time, this cultivar has faced significant fruit quality issues, mainly poor color and low total soluble solids (TSS). Several trials using foliarly applied growth regulators have been conducted, but with little conspicuous results on fruit yield and quality. There is very limited information about the relationship between irrigation regime and fruit quality for this cultivar. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted to study the effect of deficit irrigation on the quality of the ‘African Rose’ plum during the 2019 and 2020 seasons. Five-year-old hedge growing trees were subjected to three deficit irrigation regimes: 100% (control), 80%, and 60% of the crop evapotranspiration (ETc) after the pit hardening stage until the end of the harvest season (May to June period) were evaluated. Results indicated that deficit irrigation positively enhanced the levels of abscisic acid (ABA), total phenols, and anthocyanins with improved fruit TSS and maturity index, although fruit yield, acidity, size, and firmness were decreased. Deficit irrigation could be suggested as a sustainable novel solution to improve the fruit quality of the ‘African Rose’ plum grown under the semi-arid conditions of Egypt. Although the total yield and some quality characteristics were not improved, the early harvested fruit with enhanced color and taste could be a good start for additional research to solve other quality-related issues under such conditions.

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Chemical thinning of 'BRS Kampai' peach trees

Pesquisa Agropecuária Brasileira ◽

10.1590/s1678-3921.pab2019.v54.01353 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 54 ◽

Author(s):

Roseli de Mello Farias ◽

Caroline Farias Barreto ◽

Renan Ricardo Zandoná ◽

Carlos Roberto Martins ◽

Paulo Mello-Farias ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fruit Quality ◽

Prunus Persica ◽

Fruit Yield ◽

Soluble Solids ◽

Total Phenolic ◽

Full Bloom ◽

Fruit Abscission ◽

Yield And Quality ◽

Peach Trees

Abstract: The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of thinning with metamitron on the fruit yield and quality of 'BRS Kampai' peach (Prunus persica) trees. The experiment was carried out in the municipality of Eldorado do Sul, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, in the 2016 and 2017 crop years. Treatments consisted of the application of 100, 200, 300, and 400 mg L-1 metamitron and of hand thinning 40 days after full bloom, besides control plants. Fruit abscission, effective fructification, number of fruits, and fruit yield per plant were evaluated. Regarding fruit quality, fresh fruit biomass, epidermis color, pulp firmness, soluble solids, total phenolic compounds, and antioxidant activity were assessed; fruits were also classified into diameter classes. For fruit abscission, the effect of the application of 100 mg L-1 metamitron is similar to that of hand thinning. Fruit yield and mean mass in all treatments with metamitron are similar to those obtained by hand thinning. The application of metamitron does not affect the fruit quality of peach trees. Chemical thinning with metamitron may be an alternative to hand thinning in peach trees used for the production of fruits for fresh consumption.

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450 Effects of Transplant Production and Handling Practices on Processing Tomato Production

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.35.3.471c ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 35 (3) ◽

pp. 471C-471

Author(s):

T.K. Hartz ◽

E.M. Miyao ◽

C. Giannini

Keyword(s):

Fruit Quality ◽

Block Design ◽

Fruit Yield ◽

Soluble Solids ◽

Significant Treatment ◽

Tomato Production ◽

Processing Tomato ◽

Conditioning Treatment ◽

Handling Practices ◽

Crop Maturity

Three field trials were conducted in central California in 1999 to assess the effects of transplant production and handling practices on yield, crop maturity, and fruit quality of processing tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.). For each trial, transplants of `Halley' tomato were obtained from a variety of commercial greenhouse transplant growers and subjected to various conditioning treatments during the week prior to planting. These treatments included N and/or P fertilization, varying temperature exposure or degree of water stress, or storage in the dark for 2 days before transplanting to simulate shipment from greenhouse to field. Nine transplant treatments (combinations of transplant source and conditioning treatment) were evaluated in each trial, with five 30 m long single-row plots per treatment arranged in a randomized complete-block design. Plots were mechanically harvested. Despite large differences among treatments in initial transplant characteristics (plant height, root cell volume, macronutrient content), there were no significant treatment differences in fruit yield in two trials; in the third trial, one treatment had significantly lower yield than the highest yielding treatment. In no trial were treatment differences in crop maturity (percent green fruit) or fruit quality (soluble solids content or juice color) significant. Across trials, the only transplant characteristic positively correlated with relative fruit yield (treatment yield/mean yield of that trial) was shoot P concentration, which varied among treatments from 1.3 to 11.7 g·kg–1.

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Addition of nitrogen had no effect on yield and quality of apples in an high density orchard carrying a dwarf rootstock

Revista Brasileira de Fruticultura ◽

10.1590/s0100-29452008000400044 ◽

2008 ◽

Vol 30 (4) ◽

pp. 1113-1118 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

Paulo Roberto Ernani ◽

Douglas Antônio Rogeri ◽

Marcelo Machado Proença ◽

Jaques Dias

Keyword(s):

Organic Matter ◽

Fruit Quality ◽

Fruit Production ◽

High Density ◽

Fruit Yield ◽

Soluble Solids ◽

N Addition ◽

Yield And Quality ◽

Effect On Yield

The effect of N addition on apple yield and quality may vary according to the tree vigor. Apple trees developed over vigorous rootstocks had shown no response to N application in Brazil. In this study it was evaluated the effect of N addition to the soil on yield and quality of ´Royal Gala´ apples grafted on a dwarf rootstock (M.9). The orchard was planted in 1995 (2,857 trees ha-1) on an Oxisol containing 40 g kg-1 of organic matter and pH 6.0. The experiment was carried out from 1998 up to 2005. Treatments consisted of rates of N (0, 50, 100 and 150 kg ha-1 year-1 from 1998 to 2001, and respectively 0, 100, 200 and 300 kg ha-1 afterwards), all broadcasted within the tree row in two equal splits, at bud break and after harvest, as ammonium sulfate. Addition of N to the soil had no effect on fruit yield over the six years regardless of the applied rate. Averaged across treatments and years, fruit yield was 52.3 t ha-1. Nitrogen in the leaves (average of 24 g kg-1) or in the fruits (average of 346 mg kg-1) as well as some attributes related to fruit quality (color, firmness, acidity, soluble solids, physiological disorders) were unaffected by N addition. Some plant parameters related to tree vigor, however, grew higher with the increase on N rate. Thus, it is not necessary to apply N to deep Brazilian soils containing high organic matter in order to assure good fruit quality and yield on high-density orchards carrying dwarf rootstocks probably because the N required for tree growth and fruit production is supplied from soil organic matter decay.

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Performance of ‘Valencia’ sweet orange grafted in different rootstocks, Colombia Tropical Lowland. 2001-2013

Agronomía Colombiana ◽

10.15446/agron.colomb.v33n1.49497 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 33 (1) ◽

pp. 43-48 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Heberth Augusto Velásquez ◽

Javier Orlando Orduz-Rodríguez

Keyword(s):

Fruit Quality ◽

Vegetative Growth ◽

Sweet Orange ◽

Fruit Yield ◽

Soluble Solids ◽

Yield Efficiency ◽

Tropical Lowland ◽

Yield And Quality ◽

Tropical Lowlands ◽

Swingle Citrumelo

‘Valencia’ sweet orange is widely cultivated in Colombian tropical lowlands, with low yields and a lack of technology. As a result, nine rootstocks commonly used in tropical zones: ‘C-35’, ‘Carrizo’, ‘Swingle’ citrumelo or CPB 4475, ‘Cleopatra’, ‘Sunki ´ English’, ‘Volkamer’, ‘Webberi’ and ‘Yuma’ were evaluated. The plants were established in 2001 and were evaluated for vegetative growth, fruit yield and quality for 10 years (2004-2013). The obtained results indicated that ‘Sunki × English’ and ‘Volkamer’ were the best rootstocks for fruit yield and the worst was ‘Yuma’. Furthermore, all of the rootstocks, except ‘Yuma’, stabilized their height in the last year. In terms of volume, ‘Amblycarpa’ and ‘Cleopatra’ were the bigger plants and ‘Yuma’ was the smallest. In addition, for yield efficiency, ‘Yuma’ had the best rootstocks, followed by ‘Sunki × English’. All of the rootstocks showed a similar fruit quality, except for ‘Sunki × English’, which obtained the highest total soluble solids/total titratable acids ratio.

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Utilization of rice straw and tea composts for strawberry and tomato production

Progressive Agriculture ◽

10.3329/pa.v30i4.46887 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 30 (4) ◽

pp. 335-343

Author(s):

R Ashrafi ◽

RM Saiem ◽

M Kamruzzaman ◽

MSAA Mamun ◽

HA Begum

Keyword(s):

Rice Straw ◽

Agricultural Waste ◽

Total Sugar ◽

Fruit Yield ◽

Compost Tea ◽

Tomato Production ◽

Horticultural Crops ◽

Beneficial Effects ◽

Combined Application ◽

Yield And Quality

The use of agricultural waste is of great interest to sustainable agriculture. An investigation was carried out to evaluate the effects of compost and compost tea made from agricultural waste rice straw on the yield and quality of two horticultural crops strawberry and tomato. In strawberry experiment, six treatments were considered which wereT1: 100% soil (as a control), T2: 80% soil + 20% compost, T3: 60% soil + 40% compost, T4: 40% soil + 60% compost, T5: 20% soil + 80% compost & T6: 100% compost. Results revealed that number of fruit, fruit yield and total sugar (%)was increased with the increasing level of compost up to 80% after that decreased at 100% compost. The treatment T5: 20% soil + 80% compost gave the best results among the treatments to grow strawberry with good yield (185.3 g/plant) and sweetness (total sugar 5.19%). On the other hand, six treatments i.e. T1: Control, T2: Compost (5 t/ha), T3: Compost tea (50% concentration), T4: Compost (5 t/ha) + Compost tea (50% concentration), T5: Compost tea (100% concentration) and T6: Compost (5t/ha) + Compost tea (100% concentration) were considered in tomato experiment. As a result, it was observed that combined application of compost (5 t/ha) along with compost tea (100% conc.) (T6) gave the highest yield of tomato than not only control (T1) but also single application of compost or compost tea (T2, T3, T4&T5). Level of compost tea concentration also showed significant effect on fruit yield of tomato. Comparing between treatment T4 and T6, fruit yield was found higher (1027.67 g/plant) in treatment T6: Compost (5t/ha) + Compost tea (100% conc.) than 961.3 g/plant in T4: Compost (5 t/ha) + Compost tea (50% conc.). So, it could be summarized that use of rice straw as compost and compost tea affects positively both in two experiments. The results of this study confirm the beneficial effects of compost to increase the yield and sweetness of strawberry and combination of compost and compost tea to increase the yield of tomato. Progressive Agriculture 30 (4): 335-343, 2019

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Effects of Interspecific Grafting Between Capsicum Species on Scion Fruit Quality Characteristics

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci15948-21 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-7

Author(s):

Andrey Vega-Alfaro ◽

Paul C. Bethke ◽

James Nienhuis

Keyword(s):

Fruit Quality ◽

Agricultural Research ◽

Sweet Pepper ◽

Fruit Shape ◽

Quality Characteristics ◽

Fruit Weight ◽

Soluble Solids ◽

Width Ratio ◽

Soilborne Pathogens ◽

Soil Pathogens

Production of Capsicum annuum peppers is often limited, especially in tropical environments, by susceptibility to soil pathogens including Ralstonia solanacearum. Grafting desirable cultivars onto selected rootstocks can increase adaptation to abiotic stress and is an alternative to pesticides for managing soilborne pathogens. Cultivars of two other pepper species, Capsicum baccatum and Capsicum chinense, are tolerant or resistant to an array of soilborne pathogens and have potential as rootstocks; however, knowledge of how interspecific grafting may affect scion fruit quality is lacking. Flowering time, yield, and fruit quality characteristics were evaluated in 2017 and 2020 for C. annuum cultivars Dulcitico, Nathalie (2017), Gypsy (2020), and California Wonder used as scions grafted onto Aji Rico (C. baccatum) and Primero Red (C. chinense) rootstocks, including self-grafted and nongrafted scion checks. In 2020, the rootstocks per se were evaluated. The two rootstocks (‘Aji Rico’ and ‘Primero Red’), three scions, and self- and nongrafted scions were evaluated using a factorial, replicated, completely randomized design in fields at the West Madison and Eagle Heights Agricultural Research Stations located in Madison, WI, in 2017 and 2020, respectively. Differences among the main effects for scion fruit quality characteristics were consistent with cultivar descriptions. No scion × rootstock interactions were observed. Rootstocks did not result in changes in total fruit number, yield, fruit shape (length-to-width ratio), or soluble solids of scion fruit compared with self- and nongrafted checks. The rootstock ‘Primero Red’ increased fruit weight and decreased time to flowering regardless of scion compared with self- and nongrafted checks. All scions were sweet (nonpungent) cultivars and both rootstocks were pungent cultivars. No capsaicinoids were detected in the fruit of sweet pepper scions grafted onto pungent pepper rootstocks. The results indicate that interspecific grafts involving ‘Aji Rico’ and ‘Primero Red’ will not have deleterious effects on fruit quality characteristics of sweet pepper scions.

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