Studies on the growth and development of the tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Massey University

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;.;.'Tuni:::::; ON TIIE GRO\'!l'H AND Di:N.>LOill:.J·n' OF me ^TC!J!ATO

<Igc;mersicon e,oct1lontum r.�ill.)

A thesis prosonted ⁱⁿ pnrt1nl fulfil.Dmt of the requil"''lrenta far ^the dee;roc o£

Doctor of Rlilosopby at

Uauey Univers 1 ty.

Keitb James Fisher 1974

Cbnpter

1

1.1 1.1.1

1.1. 2

1.1.3 1.1.4 1.1.5 1.1.6

1.1.7 1.1.8

1.1.9 1.1.10 1.2 1.2.1 1.2.2

1.2.3 1.2.4 1.:::!.5

1.2.0

.\bstr�ct

r, c�::nowl.edgcment ^s Liot of T<1bles Lint of Pisurea Introduction

Review of LiterBturo The yo'l.lllg 't01%1to ^plant

Introduction

Tho r:: te of le:1f production _and tllo r:· te of

Page

1 1

1

le�� ^��th. 1

L.e�<f ntlli.ber below the first :Ln:florooconce 2 Time ^to initi:1t:Loa � the firfit infloroscence

3 F

l.o>ver number in ^the first inf lorosc<m,�e 4 3eusonal effect on time to flot.-.'Orin',_; of the

first inflorescence 7

Arrested developmnt of the ^first inflorescence 8 The ^{effects of} temperature nnd Ught in^tonaⁱ

ty

^an

the growth of young tomato plunts. 11

E-arliness 12

3�ry

14

The ^{mature p}l^ant 14

Introduct10D ¹⁴

SGWJOJ.lul effects an the grorJth and developmcmt of the tomato plant.

Pnrtitia.ning of dry DJtter 1n the tont1to Ei':tectn o:t ^modifying the ^{fruit loP.d}

Effect o:t leaf removal tre�tmtmts :'De� t::e preoonce of extr:J. ^ler,ves

Effect of nutrition

15 20 21

Chnptor

3

1.2.7 1.2.8 1,2,9

2.1

2.3.1

2.3.3

3.4

" <1 .,

... ;«.-

2.4.3

3,1 3,2 3,2.1 3,2.2 3.2.3 3,3 3.3.1 3.3.2

!.ssil:'lilnte distribution in tho tom:�to plant CompentJlilti<m effects between inflorescences

nnd trus ces

:·�.ry

Tho ^effect of ni trocon su;>ply durinr: prop� tion 27

31 33

Ofl fla.vorinc !"nd fru1 ting. 36

Introduction 30

H-� terb ls nnd methods

37

nesults 38

Introduction 38

Vc. in e:ffects 39

Inter:,ctions 42

Response of plants to n clr..nge in ::;itrogon lovol, 43

Discussion 45

Flower ini tint ion and number 45

8::rly growth r�nd yield 45

Fin:1l growth cmd ^yield 40

E ^... q)ln.n� tian of tho effect o:f high :-.. itrocen prior to truss initbtion incrc;:u;ine fruit yield in

truss

1. 47

The effect of tempe�1 ture l.evol G t different st�ses during propag�tion _on the yield ^of

inglo-truss tomatoes.

Introduction

Mater1e.ls ^{azt.d metbooa} C'reneral

Treatmonta

Post treatment stage Results

Intrcdlction

4ffoct of tempernture level nt different

stnges during propnr,ntion cm yield, Illlnber :md rner...n \''Oight of fruit.

50

52 52 53 53 54 5S 57 57

57

Cht>ptar

3.3.3 3.3.4 3.3.5

3,3.6 3.3.7 3.3.8 3.3.9

3.4 3. •1.1 3.4.2

3.5 4

4.1 4.2 4.3 4,3.1 4.3.2

4.3.3

<1,3,4 4,4

Tl"e�trxmt effects on

yield

58

Rel-;;.tionship between yield �-,nd :frul.t number par

plr.cnt.

⁵⁹

Relationship bett�een I;lO:'n '!.','Ci;;'1t ^{::1�d nu.:.ber of} :fruit per plant.

Shoot dry matter contont of yo::nz pl:mts.

r:ffect ^of toq:JOrnturc ^level r.t difforont ^st;.1ges

59 50

during propogntion on dr.! · .. ci•_·l:t of pl.rmt top. 00

n.oln.tionship

between drj· weight of pl··nt top

and fruit yield. 61

Relatiawhip hehJeen perCEmt totnl shoot dry

·,,·airrht 1n le�vea

and

fruit ^yield.

niscusaion Fruit yield

Dry '\.\'ttight of ^pl.nnt top cmd pcr,�ont tot'11 shoot dry woir,ht in tho lenves.

Bumam.ry

f:!ffoct of the amount :-·nd position ^of le�f tisoue

on tlv yield of o1nglc-trus3 to�t��.

Introduction

. 4� terin ls ^r nd ^methods

i!esul ts :me discussion

Uelntionship between fresh woir;!<t of ^fruit and

lenf dry weir;ht.

Rolutioo.ship between percent tot:ll ^{pl:-,nt dry}

v:eight in reproductive t^iss^ues �nl.l percent total plant dry weight in leuvco.

Relationship betwoen percent totnl plnnt dry weight 1n reproductive t1srmeD �nd pcrcant total

pln.nt

dry \';'Oight

in roots.

Importance of led ^positic«t Stlltll'tlry

61 61 61

G4

<35

67 67 67 G9

71

72 73 73

Chuptor

5

5.1 5.2 5.3 5.3.1 5,3.2 5.3.3 S.3.4

5.4 G

6.1 1.2

.. � I.J,...,

6.3.1

),3. 2

6.3.3 G.3.4

G.�i.S

O.:J.G (\3. 7 G.3.8

G,4

7

Coffii:Jeti tion effects bot·;,'t>on fr,\it trt�nsos Introduction

H · terl� la 'md l':lftt 1oda n.o::mlte ":ne: diso ssion

.·..nnlysis of results

Frt:i t ^yield

Dr.f ·"·oicht of pl_nnt _top

Sffoct ot truus nunoor on net ssir1il ticn

7-1 71 7-1 70

7G 77 DO

rn�c of too unstoppod series 81

:�umrn.:tr'J 83

::tfect of lo·:f level, pollin-tion lov�'l ·'r..c

tX".tOS number on gr�·;th r.:nc! dcvr� lor-ment ^{8· >}

Introduction 24

l �� tcr1.-ls :md nethocls M

1:cmultz end discussion ⁸⁶

Introduction BG

Yield truss 1. ₈₇

Yiold ^truss 2. 89

Yiold ^truss 3. 00

Total yield ⁰⁰

Soed ntL�r

per

^{fruit 94}

!>ry wci�:ht of plnnt top 95

R�'l.tio of dry y:eicht a! ^{lo:1 to} dry r;cir;'ht

of pl'tl'l.t top no

summery 07

Tho source economic sink ^{rol tionship}

.1\.ppondices 31bliog:r;"lphy

Dur c ^the propn.gatim o£ tarto pl...nt& _� h"t(;l1 end n low level ^{o£ t.itrozon ,.} applied in fnctort�l :tn:�Li ^{· bcfo:} �tnd

c.ftcr ini t14-: tion of ^{truac 1 .} ?he ^high lovol of nitrogon prior

to initiation proouced arlior flo� ^rinG and nn increnccd ^yield

int 1. ^It s suggested ^that _a oontributtncr factor to tbo lutter r ponso s th�:.t, v:!lero a eh r:e in nitroc;on 1ovol

s

involved, the clY.:.ngo from .high nttro3on to low nitrogen producoo . tx.')re productive plant ^{respons thc.n} '.:hon too aor. lonce of

��ppli�tions w ^.. s roversod. Flower nut\ber unci ^enrlin ss of i'lowerinc of certnin _{truaooa was ineroasod}

by t

^. l gh lovol of

ini tint1cm. tniti�lly _{t .c} pl.nts nitro n ^applied at

f... tor md ^{c appod lior} in rcozxnc to i(;!1 tro b ^t tbere t10re no i:t'i'oroncos in ^{i ther the :t'in:t 1 "}

fin·�.l crop.

tof ·;.;tl or t

ran ^.. onoc of tho pl"nts to �.1

ch··n;:;c

in ⁿⁱ troc=on lov l SUr"r"estod th·t oo oi' tho incre ce 1n ylold ^c to o ^ure Oi'

'"'nae in youna plr-nt�. to cold to ..

to�r<turo lcvol. \!a

tur

nntl cold tOE!tl tu:o ^{ro thoro ore}

o.pplicd int ^torin.l ecsnbine\ tioo. bofo f�or hlitiat o (9 ^nights) ana t subGO .

init ...,tton t� go,

during

th ta...�n

t iod

(1

1nc: d ^yield

1neluc t flower

Co ro ros

mc;,nn fruit ·.eight. The enrly trentn�nt \lr.:"!S the tJ:>ot effective.

It wns ouggestcd thn.t ].()';,. temperatures produced nn c..\t"!hnncod

fiupply

of GDGitlilntas to tbo f\POX, ^v:hich then initi-tnd _ooro flrn.�'Ors n..."ld th;^'t cold tot'tlor�ltures npper,red to influoncc yield solo�; due to its

o:ffoct cm flower muabor.

:md it W::l5 sugr,eatc!d thr•. t compoti tion occurs for •:soir.1U.ntos between t!'P lcm.ves ::-..00 f'ru1 t.

The romoinine investigntiona we re devoted to the rc:latianship bet�:ecn vegetative _{nnd ro}produ<!ti_w gl'Oi�·th (srurco sink relationship) in ^{tho tomc-.to plant. By}

the

use of leaf romov;'ll

tro:-,'troonts

n study

ern the it-zport:mco ot the amount and ^{poa1 tioo} of lon.f tis�;ue on the yield of single-truss tomato pL'1nts wns carried out. ^A close positⁱve

relntionsbip wns shorm to exist

between

leaf d.r:.1 weir;ht and yield,

\7hile ^{leaf position} did not ^appear to be important. Tbe ^leaf and root tissues were ohown ^to be in coq:>eti tion c:i th the roproducti w tissues for dry t:Jntter.

The nitroeen oxperiment indicated thttt oompotition occurred

be't-;'leen fruit trusses �or asaimilntes. By c.llorri.nc pL<tnta to develop

different nt.Il!lbers of ^{trusces nnd t·} en exru'!lining

the effoets

o:f these tro:!tments _on the yield of '1. pnrticulnr trusc, coq->etition

effects bet-..:een

^trusses wore shown _to e:�tist with nll trus:::e::; except truss 1.

The fin:'l 1nvesttg:1tion wns designed to deunnstr:tte th-•t the yield a£ ^truos 1 coold be reduced by oompot1tion for a.ssim1l.."l. tee. _The

trt):-.ttoonts consisted of 3 _{lenf levels,} 2 polli.n..:tion levels end 3 truas numbers 1n frlCtorinl combinatim. Canpotitioo effects reduced tbe

yield of truss 1 and it was shown ^{tm t} such o:ffocto wore influoncod by tho level of sink strength. Tobl ^{yield w::�s} incronsoo by incrousos in lenf ^level m1en sink stroneth \ttl&

hi:;h �

by

additiaru\l trusses _or extrn pollin··t:l.on when tho ruoount of ^{loo.f tisouo} vras adequnto.

l::Vidonca wns presented 1n too ln.at three sb.lt'.ios th . t

economic yield in too taaato plnnt _{can bo}

limited &il11.lltnneous�

by

^{lt:ck of both} swrce and sink strength. The studios on COJ!t)eti tion effects betwoon trusses indicntad tm t tho not assimilation _rato in the toD'lto ^{plllJlt c:m} be deproor.ted by luck a£ ^sink streil{;th. /\speeta of the source sink rolnt10ill8hip 1n the to�to plant aro discussed.

GratefUl aekl'lOWledgemnt ^{is mudD to} 'Professor

J

^{• .} tt.. Veale, for hia eneoure�;ement nnd guidance in this project. Thnnks

nre nloo due to Professor R.J. Townsley for ndvioo on stn tist1c.'ll procedures used, to the st�•ff of the !,1nssey University Library for their assistnnco wit�1 bibliocrnphic.."ll prohlems -:nd te> cy wife who typc:d t'>1s t�¥�::�1�:.

Tnblo

�:· . ¹

2.3 2.4

3.3

3."

5.1 0.1

0.3 0.4

a.G

LIST OP T\BLGS

t<ail;. effcr.ta o1' ::1i troe;en levels ·,�d.'o::.•r r:d ^· fter flower in1 ti· tion on fla: er nmlber, �� j·s to

flo' orir'.g "!n<l shoot dry · ^{•. ei[:ht .}

r.:::lin ef:f'ects � ^{nitrogen levels} 'bcfm:c ncJ

:>:ftor

flo:.'f'.!r initi; ^.. tion on yiolc.l, mc·11 ·."Clli[:l�t nri numbor

30

of ^fruit. 40

:acnifi�·.nt intcrnctiona of ^nitrocon 10\-cl bn:tore

<•t<rl nitrogen level nfter initi;1tion of tru�::; 1.

Pruit yield 1n first truss, shoot dry .,,eir)Jt, lonf area per unit shoot dry "eir;ht :-:.r:d s!-:oot dr; Ill::'.tter content.

T�r,�turoo 1n gbsshouses durinr.; tro: tnc:-1t ^period.

Troutmento ^{npplied to} study the effects of tompcrf'.turo during prop::�.gntion on tho ^yield of !>inclc-truas

tomn.toos.

Ef±'oct of tollll8rnture level nt different stugeo during propng;-:tion on yield, nunbcr r�-..,· t:JO:m · ^eiGht

of fruit.

Tre<:.tt�nt effects _on fruit yield.

c;hoot dry matter cootont of younc pbnts.

Effect of tamper�ture level at different nt··caa during propagr-tion on dry weight of pl.:mt top.

Nttmber ^. n<l ^position ot lenves ^{rot i.I' .....} ,�d. Yield trusa 5.

Trentment effects cm yield truss 1 . Treatment offocts an yield truss 2.

Troutoorrt ^effects an totnl yield.

Effect of pollination level on seed nunbcr per fruit.

Trout:rll;mt effects _en dry weight o:f plxlnt top.

Interactia1 of leaf level nnd pollin�tion level on

42

56

5S 50

60 00

78 87 89 91 94 OG

rntio of dry weight _{of lenf to dey ·. ·cicht of plnnt top. 97}

Figure

1. 1

1.2 3.1

3.3

3,4

4.4 5.1

5.2 5.3

5.4 5.5 5.7 5.8

LltT OF FIGURES

The <:r.q;ari.men tr..lly detorminacl ( ^u;.)p.or) n.nd dincrnm:rr.tie (l.O'r;'Or) se:: son� 1 ^pGttcrn of fruit

Between Pages

18-10 volume production (Cooper, 1963).

Trc:'1tmnts r\pplicd by Vcrkerlt (l<"·G::l) nol<':tion bot-.:'OCn yield :•nd :fruit r.u;··JJCr nel;.-;.tioo ^bet;�.Gan me�n ^w·ei{;ht ''l1d nunhcr

p:'.ge 25

of fruit.

n.el'l tion botr.een

dry weight

of pl : nt top rend yield.

Hebtion ^oot· .. ·een percent total shoot dr3·

woieht in loaves n.nd yield.

Rol�c.ticn bet·,·;een ^yielcJ r,nd leaf ^{dr<; voi,;ht.}

nob.tion between fruit dl"Y m.':!.ttcr cootcnt nnd 1 en! ^{dry weight.}

Relntion betv.'UOtl percent _totnl plant <ll"':' ·.:eight in reproductive tissues and lc::-,voo.

nol.:\tion bet-.:reen percent totnl plt�nt dry r:oich.t 1n

reproductive

tissues nnd roow.

Dinr;rr..nsnatic representation of tro.ntn:mts

applied.

Reln. t1on between yield truss 1 and truss 1'1.llri>er.

Rolntion !.xltv:oen monn fruit we:lght truss 1 n.nd truss ^nwnbor.

Relntion betf� yield truss 2 nd truss number.

Rebtion betv,-een ^yield truss 3 nnd truss nurber.

Rclfltion bet\:een. ^yiold tl"'USs 4 and tr'l.lf:s number.

Ralntion l:lett ·ecn ^{:f'rui t} number ^trwwas 2 '-�ncl 3 mlBtoppod series <'lld truss number.

Relntion bot•--een _mean fruit weicht trun�ns 3 and 4

una topped series _n.nfl truss m.mber.

::m-oo

139-70 71-72

71-72

pap 76 76-77

7G-77 77-7e 77-78 78-?n

78-70

-ro-ao

Figure

5.10 5,11

5,12

5.13

Relation bot�,;eon total yield anc tru:-:n nur.'.bor.

P.ol:l tion bet ¥Can tot nl fru1 t nur.1bor :--nd ^truss number.

helntion between dry vtaight oi" plf'n: to.r nnd

tr>JCS 1lU%ilbor ^•

11ol:� tion 1:>et�':'COn yield ··..nd dl-; ·.,-eigl:t of pLmt top.

I!el-;tion botv.-eon totrtl pl�t d%")' e:i(:!:t ( oove

c;rotmd p�rts) unstopped series , ncl tru:-;::: :umbor.

70-80 80-81

8o-81 81-82 81-82