| Abstrakt: |
To test the potential suitability of ten tomato varieties in the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area of New South Wales to mechanical harvesting, the yields from 'once-over' harvests were compared with the yields from a harvest consisting of four pickings at weekly intervals. In a second experiment the effect of plant spacing, time of harvest, and side-dressing with nitrogen fertilizer were studied for the most promising varieties from the first experiment. The varieties Roma 884, VF145-22-8, and VF145 held their crops for prolonged periods without deterioration and so showed potential for mechanical harvesting. High planting density gave the highest yields from a single picking, and later picking and nitrogen side-dressing also increased yield. |
