THE EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT TRUSS-VIBRATION DURATIONS ON POLLINATION AND FRUIT SET OF GREENHOUSE GROWN TOMATOES

Some conditions in greenhouses are unfavourable for successful tomato production on result in poor fruit set. This might be due to in sufficient viable pollen grains reaching the stigma or to low amounts of pollen grains being produced by the anthers. Thus, in practice, truss-vibration is considered as an extremely efficient method to promote pollen transfer for high fruit set.

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of different durations of truss-vibration on pollination and fruit set of greenhouse grown tomato. It has been carried out at the University of EGE, Faculty of Agriculture.

The following treatments have been tested:

1. Truss-vibration for one second,
2. Truss-vibration for three seconds,
3. Truss-vibration for five seconds,
4. Unvibrated (control).

The number of pollen grains fallen on the stigma, the germination rate and the growth of pollen tubes in the style within 2, 5, 7 and 24 hours after pollination treatments have been studied.

As compared to unvibrated control, truss-vibrated plants gave in average 75 % higher yield. 5, 3 and 1 second treatments increased total yield by 87.4 %, 67.7 % and 70.6 %, respectively. Differences between treatment duration were not statistically significant.