Charles A. Mullins and A. Brent Smith

A small harvest of tomatoes was experienced during the 2001 growing season. All the cultivars tested had similar yields, and had high numbers of cull rated fruit. Low numbers of No. 1 rated fruit were harvested in all cultivars, with No. 2 fruit making up the large portion of fruit.

Tomatoes are the highest value vegetable crop grown in Tennessee. Tennessee tomatoes are grown primarily for fresh market usage. Although some tomatoes are grown for local markets, most tomatoes are grown for the shipping market. This market prefers relatively large fruit that are firm and free from defects. S A relatively large part of the tomato acreage is on the Cumberland Plateau and in east Tennessee, but tomatoes are grown through the state. Cultivars have been found to perform differently at different locations. Diseases are a problem on tomatoes in humid Tennessee, and spotted wilt virus, and Race 3 Fusarium wilt were reported problems on standard cultivars in 2000. An experiment was conducted at the Plateau Experiment Station in Crossville, TN in 2001 to evaluate performance of 5 tomato cultivars.

The site was prepared for planting by conventional tillage methods. Fertilizer was broadcast at 600 lb/A of 115-15-15 and incorporated with a disk on May 15. Pebulate (Tillam) was soil incorporated at 6.0 lb ai/A on May 16 weed control. Four foot wide black plastic mulch was laid on 6 ft centers on May 16. Drip irrigation tape was laid with the plastic mulch. Greenhouse grown seedlings were transplanted to the field on May 22. Plot size was one row, 12 ft. long with 6 ft between rows. Each row contained 8 plants. Experimental plot design was a randomized complete block with four replications. Metribuzin (Sencor) at 0.5 lb ai/A and Sethoxydim (Poast) at 0.2 lb ai/A were applied for post emergence weed control on May 30. Five applications of insecticides were applied to the planting. Insecticides were carbaryl (Sevin) at 1.0 lb ai/A or esfenvalerate (Asana) at 0.05 lb ai/A. Five applications of fungicides were made, and fungicides used were a combination of mancozeb (Dithane DF) at 1.6 lb ai/A plus chlorothalonil (Bravo) at 1.5 lb ai/A alternated with azoxystrobin (Quadris) at 0.1 lb ai/A.

Eight harvests were made on a weekly schedule. Some tomatoes were ripe using this frequency, but breaker tomatoes also were harvested at each harvest date. Tomatoes were graded into grades of No. 1, No. 2, and cull. Reasons for defects that reduced grade to cull were recorded by number. Catface included fruit with a blossom scar over an inch in length. Crack fruit had cracks over an

inch in length. Shape was fruit that were off shape. Size was fruit that weighed less than 0.25 lb. All data were analyzed by analysis of variance methods, and means were separated by Duncan’s multiple range tests at the 0.05 level of probability.

Tomato yields were relatively low for all cultivars (Table 1). All the cultivars in this test performed similarly. The amount of No. 1 grade fruit harvested was low for all cultivars. The No. 1 grade is usually the only grade that is marketed. No. 2 grade fruit is sometimes marketable, but much of this grade is not marketable. All the varieties tested had similar numbers of cull rated fruit with ‘Florida 47' having the most culls. Culls were a large percentage of the harvested fruit, possibly attributed to unusual weather conditions experienced during the 2001 growing season. The fruit of all cultivars had similar weight during this trial. All cultivars were round shaped and red in color. Sources of seed used in the trial are presented in Table 1.

Defects that reduced grade to cull are presented by number of fruit per acre (Table 2). ‘BHN 444' produced more catfaced fruit than all cultivars except ‘Florida 47'. All cultivars produced similar numbers cracked fruit as well as small sized fruit. The most fruit with a poor shape were produced by ‘EX 144058'. Levels of blossom rot and rot were high during the trial. All cultivars produced similar levels of blossom rot and rot.

Table 1. Yield in tons per acre of No. 1, No. 2, and cull grade fruit of tomato cultivars at The University of Tennessee Plateau Experiment Station at Crossville, 2001.

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Copyright © 1999 by The University of Tennessee. All rights reserved.

This research represents one season's data and does not constitute recommendations.  After sufficient data is collected over the appropriate number of seasons, final recommendations will be made through research and extension publications.