ISHS Acta Horticulturae 93: Symposium on Quality of Vegetables
INFLUENCE OF THE GROWTH REGULATOR 2-CHLOROETHYLPHOSPHONIC ACID (ETHEPHON) ON A FEW QUALITY CRITERIA OF TOMATO |
| Authors: | E. Van Wambeke, A. Vanachter, L. Vaes, C. Van Assche |
| Abstract:
A few experiments were carried out to reveal possible physiological alterations in the tomato fruit and residues due to the use of ethephon when used as preharvest ripening accelerator. A comparison was made between application techniques : spraying leaves or fruit or by manual application of a concentrated formulation on wounded stem bases of tomato plants. All treatments were done at an equal high concentration, i.e. 4800 ppm except for stem application with 1 ml concentrated experimental formulation (480 g ethephon/l) per plant. The data treat on dry matter and ash content, pH, titratable acidity, pectin, total reducing sugar and fructose content. Ethephon residues were estimated for the last experiment and related to the mode of application, truss number and time of harvest. The titratable acid content was the most alterable criterion. Significant differences were even found between the application modes. Measurements of pH showed higher values in the case of leaf treatment. Stem application could give rise to a significant higher pectin content when compared to check plants. Leaf spray provoked lower sugar content. More fruits were simultaneously harvested as a result of fruit or stem treatment than by leaf spray and all three modes were giving more ripe fruit on the treated plants when compared to the control. Fruit and stem treatment showed the highest residues. Finally, it could be concluded that the quality of the tomato fruit is very little influenced by the use of ethephon, and lower, practical doses (e.g. 720 ppm) would give very low residues. | |
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