Technique and Preliminary Observations on Growth of the Roots of Glasshouse Tomatoes in Relation to That of the Tops |
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| Authors: | E R Leonard G C Head |
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| Institution: | 1. Experimental and Research Station, Cheshunt, Herts.;2. now at Glasshouse Crops Research Institute, Littlehampton, Sussex |
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| Abstract: | The use of glass-sided boxes and trenches for observing the growth of the roots of glasshouse tomatoes has been investigated. Marked seasonal trends have been found with two varieties in two years. There was a rise to a peak followed by a rapid fall in total root length, due to death and disappearance of the roots, with a subsequent recovery. This trend occurred in all horizons of soil.Growth of the stem and leaves was relatively steady from planting-out (March) until mid-May, when there was a slight decrease with subsequent recovery until the main stem and laterals were “stopped” in July.The number of flowers per truss was high in the bottom five or six trusses, in which fruit set was high, fell in the median trusses which had low set, and rose in the uppermost trusses accompanied by increased set. The resulting production of fruit weight was high in the bottom trusses and low in the top.The peak of root length development coincided with the swelling of the fruit in the bottom trusses; a trough occurred when the number of flowers per truss and the number set were low, and root length recovered when the first trusses were picked. |
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