Differences in Flower-bud Differentiation of Malformed Fruit in Two Tomato Cultivars

Abstract

Differences in fruit malformation were studied in two tomato cultivars (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.). The degree of fruit malformation of ‘Ogatafukuju’ was greater than that of ‘Kyokko’, when seedlings were exposed to low nighttime temperatures (10°C). Leaf number and stem length to the first truss in both cultivars decreased significantly on exposure to low temperature compared to those of the control. Locule numbers in both cultivars increased significantly on exposure to low temperature.
When both cultivars were cultured at low temperature, flower bud formed in ‘Ogatafukuju’ was more irregular and deformed than that in ‘Kyokko’, based on observation by SEM.