FIELD SURVIVAL AND ESTABLISHMENT OF TOMATO TRANSPLANTS OF VARIOUS AGE AND SIZE

Plant survival, growth and yield of tomato (Lycopersicon lycopersicum Karsten) fields established by greenhouse plant tray transplants of varying cell size from 3.0 cc to 35 cc and transplant seedling ages from four to seven weeks old, were evaluated and compared to southern transplants, I.e., seedlings that were sown outdoors in a southern climate in early spring and transported north to the tomato fields.
Sandblasting, caused by strong winds blowing over sandy fields, greatly reduced plant survival of 1) southern, and 2) four week old plant tray transplants.
The older plant tray seedlings, i.e., five, six, and seven week old transplants survived the sandblasting.
Though early yields of the youngest (four week) plant tray transplants were lower than the other transplants, total yields were comparable for all transplant types.
Dry weights of the plant tray seedlings were lower than the southern transplants until about mid June at which time they surpossed the growth of the latter plants.
It is concluded that the greenhouse-grown plant tray seedlings’ performance in the field can be superior to that of southern plants.

I International Symposium on Vegetables for Processing

A. Liptay

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1988.220.27