Faculty Research & Creative Activity

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

January 1990

Abstract

A relationship between ovary size at anthesis and final fruit diameter of 12 tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) cultivars with a range of fruit sizes, shapes, and maturation rates was determined. ‘Fireball’, ‘Michigan/Ohio Hybrid’, and ‘New Yorker’ produced nonfasciated, spherical fruits of intermediate maturation rate and showed a significantly higher correlation between ovary diameter at anthesis and final fruit diameter than ‘Small Fry’, ‘Roma VF’, ‘Early Cascade’, ‘Campbell 1327’, or ‘Ponderosa’. A linear regression of final fruit diameter at maturity on ovary diameter at anthesis of the cultivars was highly significant (r2 = 0.92**; ÿ = 22.5X - 0.3). Continuous root application of 0.01 µ�� BA to seedlings of ‘Fireball’ significantly delayed anthesis. A single foliar application of 0.37 mM NOA to ‘Fireball’ plants at the appearance of the first inflorescence significantly increased ovary diameter on the first inflorescence, but decreased ovary diameter on the second inflorescence. Treatment with NOA altered final fruit shape but not final fruit diameter. Single foliar applications of 0.1 mM GA stimulated stem and peduncle elongation but did not affect fruit size. Chemical names used: ß-naphthoxyacetic acid (NOA), N6-benzylaminopurine (BA), gibberellic acid, (GA).

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