Growth rates of tomato seedlings and seasonal radiation.

Abstract

Over 3 years 34 sowings of tomato cv. Moneymaker were made at regular intervals and the plant fresh weight was determined once or twice a week until flowering. The daily growth percentages and the number of days required for plants to develop from 0.1 to 10 g fresh weight/plant were then related to the total radiation and average daily radiation for each of the growing periods and also to data from other trials. The length of the growing period up to attainment of 10 g fresh weight/plant was determined by the amount of irradiation in winter only; from the beginning of March until after mid-September the length of the growing period remained constant. The light efficiency and also the maximum growth rate of the plants in these trials were higher than those obtained in trials by other workers. Some batches of plants grew less rapidly than others despite adequate light, but the reasons for this are not known. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission)