What's New? Crossville Tomato Variety Trial
Variety trial of six greenhouse tomato varieties grown over two short (Fall & Spring) cropping cycles.
VARIETIES TESTED (all from DeRuiter Seeds):
1.
Dundee
2.
Geronimo
3.
Grace
4.
Matrix
5.
Style
6.
Trust
Horticultural Management: Plants were grown in 3 gallon bags containing coco-coir. Two plants were transplanted into each bag. Bags were placed 18inches on center within rows, with six feet between rows. The entire greenhouse was irrigated automatically with drip irrigation lines controlled by a timer. Fertilizer was provided to each plant by means of a series of Dosatron injectors and liquid stock fertilizers. The same fertilizer mix was provided to all varieties. Plants were pruned to a single stem clipped to a string and grown to a height of ten feet. Plants were topped when they reached the support wire and the crop was terminated after 5 months. Pollination was achieved using commercial bumblebees.
Yields: Highlights of the yields for each variety include: (See full report for graphs -html) (pdf)
During the 8 week harvest period in the Fall 2006 crop, Dundee produced the highest yields of total marketable fruit (6.4 pounds per plant), followed closely by Geronimo (6.2 pounds per plant), although Geronimo produced slightly more jumbo sized fruit than Dundee (4.4 vs. 3.8 pounds per plant, respectively). Grace and Matrix were identical in total yields (5.5 pounds per plant), although Matrix produced more jumbo fruit (3.3 pounds per plant) than Grace (2.5 pounds per plant). Style yielded 4.8 total pounds per plant, of which 2.7 were jumbo grade. Trust weighed in last with 4.6 total pounds per plant, including only 2.0 pounds of jumbos per plant.
Notes: In many
of the fresh vegetable markets in Tennessee, jumbo size fruit can demand a premium
price over standard large and extra large fruit. Each variety tested offers
different attributes that should be weighed carefully in addition to the total
fruit yield. Dundee is a longer shelf life variety, ripening
slowly and keeping well at room temperature. Dundee and Geronimo are very
fast growing vines, aggressively reaching heights well above the other varieties
early in the crop's life cycle and may not be the best choices for growers
in low greenhouses who do not intend to lean and lower the crop over a long
growing cycle. Grace and Style are similar in that they are moderately fast
growing vines with good fruit set. Matrix is a shorter vine, growing slower
than the previously discussed varieties, but has a remarkably even rate of
fruit production, which may be valuable to growers desiring uniform yields
over time (see Figure 2 in full report). Finally, Trust is the standard variety
grown in greenhouses throughout the