Tomato Fruit Set Conditions


Effect of Temperature on Tomatoes



1. Temperatures above 55 deg for at least part of the night are required for FRUIT SET.

2. Night temnperatures above 75 deg inhibit fruit set.

3. It takes 50 hours or more for pollen to germinate and the tube to grow down to the pistil to the ovary.

4. When Night temperatures are below 50 deg the germination and tube growth is so slow the blossoms drop off before they are fertilized.

5. When flowers fail to set in a few days, an abscission layer forms and in a week or do they drop off.

Blossom Tear Deformation

is a growth defect that begins shortly after the setting of fruit. This occurrs when cool wet weather prevails during flowering periods causing the corolla to stick to the small ovary. As the ovary expands the corolla eventually breaks loose tearing away a small amount of the wall tissue. The hole enlarges as the fruit grows.

Rough Fruit

may be caused by low temperature. Temperatures in the 50's ( F ) cause flower distortion and results in ROUGH fruit similar to Cat-Facing.

Temperatures below 50 will not cause rough fruit because flower growth has completely stopped.

Beware

of faulty thermostats and GAP in degrees between the time that temperature reaches upper 50's and the time the furnace ( HEAT ) comes on.

You may need to set the thermostat between 65 and 68, instead of the expected setting of 62 degrees. ( BEWARE again, likely this cost careless and hap-hazard growers many DOLLARS ! )

Location of Thermostat

Flowers may be low on the plant. The thermostat location that is several inches or feet higher will result in several degrees difference. Fruit set and overall production will suffer due to the reasons mentioned above.

CO2 Importance

CO2 is as important as fertilizer. Make sure you are getting fresh air into the greenhouse in the early am.


Information courtesy of:


Growers Supply Center

3000 South Hwy 77 Unit-214

Lyn Haven, FL 32444

    Typed and Formatted by Wayne Fugitt, March 29, 1996

    ( any typos are likely mine as are spelling errors )

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