Varieties of tomatoes for mechanical harvesting on the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area of NSW

Abstract

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.