CHEMICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL OF GROWTH DURING PROPAGATION OF TOMATO PLANTS FOR TRANSPLANTING

Data describe how the manipulation of the shoot and root environments and the application of growth regulators during propagation can modify the development of tomato plants.
CO₂ enrichment enhanced both vegetative and reproductive growth, while under conditions of poor natural lighting the use of supplementary or replacement illumination dramatically increased effective leaf area and dry matter accumulation.
Benefits from the above techniques were significantly reduced where unsuitable composts were used or where transplanting was delayed.

The response of plants to the application of the two growth retardants chlormequat and daminozide is described.
Both were effective in reducing plant size, but there may be some undesirable economic consequences.
The use of n-meta tolyl phthalamic acid induced significant increases in flower and fruit numbers per inflorescence, but the severe formative and side effects reduce the usefulness of this chemical.

Symposium on Tomato Production on Arid Land

J.V. Morgan

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1986.190.60