ISHS Acta Horticulturae 191: Symposium on Protected Cultivation of Solanacea in Mild Winter Climates
THE INFLUENCE OF PROTECTED CULTIVATION ON TOMATO FRUIT PRODUCTION AND QUALITY |
| Authors: | M.J. Díez, F. Nuez, M. Báguena, J. Cuartero, J. Costa |
| Abstract:
Seven hybrids and 51 of their descendents obtained by means of at least four selfings, were cultivated during winter-spring in a non-heated poliethylene plastic-house and during spring-summer in the open-air. An attempt was made to compare production factors (i.e. fruit weight, number of fruits per plant and per cluster) as well as quality factors (hollowness and vascular necrosis on fruit wall). Under plastic-house conditions, production is 50% more than in the open-air. Fruit weight does not vary significantly between the two cultivation methods. Therefore, production increase is due to the greater number of fruits/plant and of fruits/cluster under plastic-house (7.4) than in the open-air (4.7). Nevertheless, fruit quality deteriorates under plastic-house conditions as 17% of fruits show hollowness; whilst in the open-air less than 2% indicated it. Generally the hollownesses observed were small, smaller than twice the fruit wall, and didn't further affect them, but they clearly tended to appear more frequently under plastic-house conditions. The incidence of vascular necrosis was also greater under plastic-house conditions, than in the open-air and it was greater on the descendents lines than on the hybrids for both cultivation methods. | |
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