Effect of temperature perturbations on tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) quality and production scheduling

SUMMARY Controlled environment experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of a 2-week change in air temperature imposed after first fruit-set on tomato production scheduling and on the quality of vine-ripened fruit. Experiments were conducted with hydroponically-grown tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill., cv. ‘Laura’). Air temperature was altered from control day/night temperature values of 23°/18°C for a 2-week period starting 10 d after fruit-set. Plants were returned to the 23°/18°C temperature and a minimum of eight fruits per treatment were harvested at three ripening stages, breaker (when 25% of the fruit skin had acquired a red tint), breaker plus 3 d, and breaker plus 6 d. A perturbation of ± 5°C (28°/23°C and 18°/13°C) was used in two Experiments (E1 and E2) and ± 7°C (30°/25°C and 16°/11°C) was used in a third Experiment (E3). Fruits were more responsive to an increase than to a decrease in temperature. Reductions in days to harvest (from 3.1 ‐ 8.5 d) and fruit fresh weight at later stages of vine-ripening were observed for the high temperature treatments. Colour indices, soluble solids contents (SSC), acidity and viscosity at each ripening stage were significantly affected by high temperature treatments. The results indicate that short-term temperature perturbations following first fruit-set can influence the rates at which changes occurred in the external appearance of fruit (colour) and in their internal characteristics. The results can be used to improve environmental control and management strategies for tomato growers.