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Research Report 2000-02 |
Evaluation
of Greenhouse Beefsteak and Cluster Tomato Varieties
for North Florida, 1999-2000 Season
Robert C. Hochmuth, Lei Lani Davis, Norma Tillman1
Materials
and Methods
This trial was conducted at the
University of Florida, North Florida Research and Education Center - Suwannee
Valley, near Live Oak, Florida in a single 22 x 60-ft stand-alone greenhouse
with 8-ft sidewalls. The structure was covered with two layers of 6mil
polyethylene and the area between the two layers was inflated with air.
The greenhouse was equipped with an evaporative cooling pad on one
end-wall and ventilation fans on the opposite end-wall.
Propane gas was used to heat the greenhouse and provide a minimum
temperature of 62°F. Warm air was
conveyed by 12-inch ventilation tubes along the floor between the double rows of
tomatoes. The same ventilation
tubes were used to recirculate greenhouse air in the crop canopy to minimize
free water formation on the tomato plants.
In addition, horizontal airflow fans were located above the crop and also
used to reduce moisture and disease on the plants.
Seeds of seventeen varieties (Table
1) were planted into rockwool seeding cubes (1.5 x 1.5 x 1.5 inches) on 27
August 1999. The transplants were grown in these cubes using water and nutrient
solution as needed until transplanting. The
transplants were planted into lay-flat bags of perlite on 29 September 1999.
The crop was grown in accordance with the standard lay-flat perlite bag
production practices. The nitrogen
level was maintained at 70 ppm N at the beginning of the season and raised to
150 ppm by first harvest and was maintained at 150 ppm N for the remainder of
the crop season.
The tomato crop was maintained
with standard practices for training, suckering, pruning lower leaves, and
cluster pruning. The seed company
made the determination of fruit class, cluster or beefsteak.
Clusters of fruit from cluster varieties were harvested at a range of
fruit maturity from “breaker” to “ripe”.
Cluster varieties were harvested by clipping entire clusters, weighing
each cluster and counting fruit on each cluster (Table.2).
Beefsteak fruits were harvested individually at the breaker stage and
graded marketable (4 ounces and over) or cull.
Cull fruit in the beefsteak varieties were those fruit less than four
ounces or with other defects (Table 3).
Postharvest evaluations were
made on March 30, 2000 on harvested fruit from all varieties.
Evaluations were made on ripe fruit that had been at room temperature for
5 days after harvest. Ratings were
taken on several fruit quality parameters including external and internal fruit
quality and taste (Table 4).
Discussion
This study was conducted as an observational trial due to
the limited greenhouse space at the Research Center.
The trial is intended to provide some basic information about overall
yield and quality on tomato varieties. Fruit
quality has been the most important set of factors in choosing a greenhouse
tomato variety for North Florida. Fruit
russeting and other fruit cracking disorders have been especially important in
variety selection. Ratings in Table
4 give a opportunity to make relative comparisons to standard varieties used in
North Florida such as “Trust”, and “Tradiro”.
Changes in tomato varieties
should always be made with caution. In
addition to yield potential, fruit quality characteristics must be considered in
making any change.
Table 1. Seed source,
presence of greenback fruit trait, and plant habit for cluster and beefsteak
greenhouse tomato varieties, 1999 – 2000 season at North Florida REC –
Suwannee Valley, Live Oak, Florida.
Variety
|
Seed
Source
|
Greenback
Traitz
|
Plant
Heighty
|
Cluster
|
|
|
|
|
Apetito |
Rijk Zwaan |
N |
T |
|
Brillante |
Hazera |
G |
M |
|
DRW4628 |
DeRuiter |
N |
S |
|
E20.30772 |
Enza Zaden |
N |
T |
|
Emanuelle |
Hazera |
G |
M |
|
HA-3103 |
Hazera |
G |
M |
|
HA-3104 |
Hazera |
G |
M |
|
Petual |
Rijk Zwaan |
N |
T |
|
Rougella |
Rijk Zwaan |
N |
T |
|
Thomas |
Novartis |
N |
T |
|
Tradiro |
DeRuiter |
N |
S |
Beefsteak
|
|
|
|
|
Alcudia |
Novartis |
N |
T |
|
Barione |
Rijk Zwaan |
N |
M |
|
Blitz |
DeRuiter |
N |
S |
|
Mississippi |
Rijk Zwaan |
N |
S |
|
Quest |
DeRuiter |
N |
S |
|
Trust |
DeRuiter |
N |
S |
|
|
|
|
|
z Greenback
trait is either non-greenback (N) or greenback (G).
y Plant height was measured for each variety when the tallest
plants reached the trellis cable height of 7.5 feet.
Varieties were placed in these categories: over 6-ft (T), 4-6-ft (M), or
less than 4-ft (S).
Table 2. Yield, cluster
characteristics, and average fruit weight of several greenhouse cluster tomato
varieties, 1999 – 2000.
Variety
|
Total
yield
|
Early
yield
|
No
clusters
|
Avg
No fruit
|
Avg
fruit wt
|
|
|
(lbs/plt)
|
(lbs/plt)z
|
per
plant
|
per
cluster
|
(lbs)
|
|
Apetito |
15 |
1 |
20 |
4 |
0.20 |
|
Brillante |
19 |
2 |
23 |
3 |
0.26 |
|
DRW4628 |
19 |
2 |
21 |
3 |
0.29 |
|
E20.20772 |
16 |
2 |
21 |
3 |
0.22 |
|
Emanuelle |
13 |
2 |
15 |
3 |
0.28 |
|
HA-3103 |
14 |
1 |
22 |
4 |
0.16 |
|
HA-3104 |
14 |
1 |
22 |
4 |
0.16 |
|
Petula |
20 |
1 |
23 |
4 |
0.23 |
|
Rougella |
15 |
1 |
23 |
4 |
0.17 |
|
Thomas |
16 |
2 |
21 |
3 |
0.23 |
|
Tradiro |
12 |
1 |
15 |
3 |
0.25 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
z Early
fruit yield was a total of the harvest period of December 21, 1999 to January
10, 2000 (first four harvests).
Table 3.
Yield and average fruit weight for greenhouse beefsteak tomato varieties,
1999-2000.
|
|
Total
Mkt Wt
|
Early
Yield
|
Avg
Fruit Wt
|
|
Alcudia |
Novartis |
18 |
2 |
0.39 |
|
Barione |
Rijk Zwaan |
25 |
5 |
0.43 |
|
Blitz |
Deruiter |
20 |
3 |
0.38 |
|
Mississippi |
Rijk Zwaan |
27 |
3 |
0.45 |
|
Quest |
Deruiter |
18 |
3 |
0.44 |
|
Trust |
Deruiter |
25 |
3 |
0.44 |
Z Early fruit
yield was a total of the harvest period of December 21, 1999 to January 10, 2000
(first four harvests).
Table 4. Observational quality rating for several greenhouse tomato cluster and beefsteak varieties on March 30, 2000.
(click table to enlarge)
-
Robert C. Hochmuth, Multi-County Extension Agent, University of Florida, North Florida Research and Education Center – Suwannee Valley, 7580 County Road 136, Live Oak, FL 32060-7434.
-
Lei Lani Davis, Sr. Lab Technician, University of Florida, North Florida Research and Education Center – Suwannee Valley, 7580 County Road 136, Live Oak, FL 32060-7434.
- Norma Tillman, Greenhouse Assistant, University of Florida, North Florida Research and Education Center – Suwannee Valley, 7580 County Road 136, Live Oak, FL 32060-7434.
