Journal of Applied Horticulture. 2001: 3(1): 53-55

Floral descriptors of field evaluated tomato germplasm

Srinivas, T R

National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources, Regional Station, Hyderabad - 500 030, India.

The flowers of 188 exotic tomato germplasms were characterized and evaluated in Andhra Pradesh, India, during 1997-98. Of the accessions, most were of the same level as stamen type of flowers (SLASF; 40.34%), followed by the inserted (INSF; 24.36%), the slightly exerted (SEF; 22.69%) and the highly exerted type of flowers (HEF; 12.61%). Majority of the accessions (96.64%) had simple style shape and style hairiness. Among the flower types, the average corolla and stamen length were highest in HEF (9.96 and 7.59 mm, respectively). Calyx length was highest and lowest in the INSF (7.80 mm) and HEF (5.69 mm), respectively. The variability in corolla length was highest in INSF, while variability in calyx and stamen lengths was highest in HEF. The average number of days to flower was highest in SEF (64.6), followed by INSF (64.4), HEF (63.2) and SLASF (61.8). The variability for days to 50% flowering was highest in SLASF. The average flower number per inflorescence and the average fruit number per cluster was highest in HEF (7.17 and 3.90, respectively). The variability in flower number per inflorescence and fruit number per cluster was highest in HEF and SEF, respectively. Fruit set was highest in SLASF (55.1%), followed by HEF (54.3%). The average fruit yield per plant was highest in SEF and SLASF (2197 and 2115 g, respectively). The variability in yield was highest in HEF.