Abstract
From the standpoint of varietal selection for juice production, comparative studies on the growth, yield and pigment contents of tomato fruits were carried out with Experimental Farm of Shinshu University in Nagano Prefecture.
1. The plant heights of varieties Matsudoponderosa, Oogata-Akafuku and Fukuju-Ichigo were taller and those of Toohoku-Yongo, Jubiree and Shugyoku were lower than those of the other varieties. The number of nodes did not coincide with the length of stem.
2. It was observed through the varieties that the number of flowers increased in the higher flower clusters, but their fruit set decreased. Accordingly, the coefficient of fruit set decreased in the higher flower clusters. Varieties Shugyoku, Ponderosa and Aichi tomato had more flowers than the others. Variety Shugyoku showed the highest fruit set among the varieties observed, and its coefficient of fruit set on three flower clusters was 97.5 per cent.
3. The yield of each variety depended on the number of fruits harvested and the total weight of individual fruits. Variety Fukuju-Nigo showed the highest yield in 1958, and variety Oogata-Akafuku in 1959. Variety Shugyoku had the largest number of fruits harvested, but the weight of its individual fruit was only 50g. or less. Therefore the yield of the variety was the poorest among the varieties.
4. The measurements on the dry matter coefficient, viscosity, pH value, sugar content, hardiness and coloring in matured fruits were made. The coefficients of dry matter were higher in varieties Shugyoku and Matsudoponderosa. The differences in pH value ranging from 3.85 to 4.35 were not remarkable among varieties. The sugar contents were higher in Akafuku-Sango, Sekaiichi, Matsudoponderosa and Kiyosu-Nigo, and lower in Jubiree and Toohoku-Yongo than those in the others.
5. Lycopene contents were higher in Kikyoiku-Ichigo, Kiyosu-Nigo and Furuyawase in 1958 and in Oogata-Akafuku and Oogata-Fukuju in 1959 than in the other varieties. Lycopene contents of all varieties were higher in 1959 than those in 1958, while there were no differences in carotene and xanthophyll contents between the fruits produced in both years.
