ISHS Acta Horticulturae 417: International Symposium on Greenhouse Crop Models
A STOCHASTIC MODEL OF TRUSS SET IN A LONG-SEASON TOMATO CROP |
| Authors: | S. Pearson, P. Hadley, A.E. Wheldon, N. Dungey |
| Keywords: | Lycopersicum esculentum Mill, temperature, light integral, thermal time |
| Abstract:
A model of the effects of temperature on the truss set for a long season tomato crop is presented. The model is stochastic and predicts that the variability in truss number between plants will increase with time. The model assumed that the set of a truss on any plant was subject to variation described by a normal distribution. Temperature affected the rate at which consecutive trusses were set. The model was calibrated using data collected from small tomato crops grown in greenhouse compartments at temperatures between 12 and 28°C. This showed that consecutive trusses on tomato cv. Counter were set after the accumulation of 159°Cd above a base temperature of 0.9°C. The model was validated on an experimental crop of tomatoes, and also used to simulate the rate of truss production, on any day, for a commercial long-season tomato crop. | |
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