USAGE OF SIGNAL MARKS BY TOMATO SELECTION FOR MECHANICAL HARVESTING

The most effective for production and as a starting material for selection were found specimen having determinant, space-saving, mid- growing or low-growing bush habitus (sp., cpt, d, mnt, br, bl gene and others) with evenly coloured, oval, oblong, dome-shaped fruits which are resistant to cracking (o, el, u, ug, rl genes and others) and do not have on stem joints (j-2, j-2 in genes).

Plant phenotypes combining aforementioned traits are characterized by resistance to mechanical exposures, even fruit formation and ripening, easy stem-free separation of fruits from plants during mechanical harvesting. Experimental data on using signal marks of brown seeds (bs, bs-2) by tomato selection are presented. Varieties and hybrids combining this seed mark with some other characteristics which determining suitability for mechanical harvesting are obtained.

The experiments carried out resulted in formation of peculiar tomato varieties and hybrids of different ripening time with better combination of marks needed for mechanical harvesting compared to zoned varieties.