EFFECT OF TOMATO TRANSPLANT STEM DIAMETER AND ETHEPHON TREATMENT ON TOMATO YIELD, FRUIT SIZE AND NUMBER

Abstract

Tomato transplants, grown in Georgia, U.S.A., were separated into three ranges of stem diameter (< 4.0 mm, 4.0–4.8 mm and > 4.8 mm) and evaluated for yield performance in Harrow, Ontario, Canada. The marketable stem size transplants (> 4.8 mm in diameter) had higher early yields than the small (4.0–4.8 mm) or very small (< 4.0 mm) stem size transplants. The latter two types had similar early yields. Ethephon, sprayed on the transplants a few days before harvesting in Georgia, caused the marketable stem size transplants to give higher early yields than their control counterparts; this effect was absent on the small and the very small stem size transplants. Total yields were similar among all the control transplants.