EFFECTS OF THE PLANT GROWTH REGULATOR “STIMULATE^TM” ON SOME POSTHARVEST QUALITIES OF TOMATO GROWN IN TROPICAL GREENHOUSE

This study investigated the effects of different concentrations of an exogenous plant growth regulator (Stimulate^™, a commercial product consisting of a mixture of auxin, gibberellin and cytokinin), on some post harvest quality attributes of ‘Albaron’ tomato fruits, grown in greenhouses.
Foliar applications of Stimulate™ were made every fourteen days.
After harvesting, fresh and dry mass, diameter and colour per tomato fruit were assessed.
The dry mass were 5.23, 5.68, 5.26 and 5.35 g/100 g fresh mass, the diameters were 6.06, 5.72, 6.35 and 6.24 cm, respectively for control (water) and increasing concentrations: 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 µg/ml for each GA and IBA, with corresponding 0.9, 1.8 and 3.6 µg/ml of kinetin.
No significant differences were observed.
The rate of colour change from red orange to red was faster for the treated (7 days) compared to the control (9 days) plants.
A positive correlation was observed for diameter and fruit mass.
These results suggested that the exogenous application of the plant growth regulator Stimulate™ had no effect on the size of the fruits, but hastened colour changes.

VI International Postharvest Symposium

S. Steen, N. Benkeblia, J. Cohen

auxin, gibberellin, kinetin, fruit ripening, fruit mass, tropical greenhouse, Lycopersicon esculentum

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2010.877.31