In 1998-99, 43,400 acres of tomatoes were harvested in Florida, yielding 61.3 million 25-pound cartons worth over $460 million. Tomatoes accounted for almost 30% of the total value for all vegetables grown during 1998-99, making it the most important vegetable produced in the state. The Palmetto-Ruskin area (west-central Florida) accounted for over 36% of the state’s total fresh market tomato production in 1998-99.

A tomato variety trial was conducted in spring 2000 at the Gulf Coast Research & Education Center-Bradenton located in west-central Florida to evaluate fresh market tomato varieties and breeding lines. Eighteen large-fruited and five plum/saladette entries were evaluated in a replicated yield trial.

Seeds were sown on 11 January into planter flats (1.5 x 1.5 x 2.5-inch cells) containing a commercial mix of vermiculite, Canadian sphagnum peat and poly beads and then covered with a layer of coarse vermiculite and germinated in a greenhouse. Plants were conditioned before transplanting by limiting water and nutrients in the final phase of production.

The EauGallie fine sand was prepared in early February. Beds were formed and fumigated with methyl bromide: chloropicrin, 67:33 at 2.3 lb/100 lbf. Banded fertilizer was applied in shallow grooves on the bed shoulders after the beds were pressed and before the black polyethylene mulch was applied. The total fertilizer applied was equivalent to 203-0-283 lb N-P₂0₅-K₂0/A. The final beds were 32 in. wide and 8 in. high, and were spaced on 5 ft centers with six beds between seepage irrigation/drainage ditches which were on 41 ft centers.

Transplants were set in the field on 2 March and spaced 24 in. apart in single rows down the center of each bed. Transplants were immediately drenched with water containing 16 fl. oz./acre of imidacloprid for silverleaf whitefly control. Four replications of 10 plants per entry were arranged in a randomized complete block design. Plants were lightly pruned, staked and tied.

Plants were scouted for pests throughout the season. Lepidopterous larvae, leafminers and silverleaf whitefly were the primary insects found. Bacillus thuringiensis, insecticidal soap, spinosad, buprofezin, endosulfan, tebufenozide, and permethrin were used according to label instructions to manage insect pest populations during the season. A preventative spray program using maneb, mancozeb, and chlorothalonil was followed for management of plant pathogens. Tomato yellow leaf curl virus affected plants were removed and disposed of early in the season, but were allowed to remain after the second tie.

Fruit were harvested at or beyond the mature-green stage on 10 and 22 May and 2 June. Tomatoes were graded as cull or marketable by U.S. standards for grades and marketable fruit were sized by machine. Both cull and marketable fruit were counted and weighed.

Fresh Market Early Harvest Yields: Early yields ranged from 781 25-lb cartons/acre for RFT 6153 to 1974 cartons/acre for HA-3017 (Table 1). Two other entries, ‘Agriset 761’ and Fla. 7885 had yields similar to HA-3017. Extra large fruit yield varied from 721 cartons/acre for RFT 6153 to 1598 cartons/acre for ‘Agriset 761’. Five other entries; HA-3017, Fla. 7885, ASX 9100, ‘Florida 47’, and PS 150535 had early extra large fruit yields similar to those of ‘Agriset 761’. Large fruit yields varied from 50 cartons/acre for RFT 6153 to 376 cartons/acre for HA-3017. Average fruit weight for the early harvests ranged from 6.4 oz for NC 96365 and ‘Sun Chaser’ to 8.2 oz for PS 150535. Plant stand was significantly lower for HA-3017 and ‘Sun Chaser’ than for the other entries. Cull fruit by weight for the early harvests varied from 8% for ‘Solimar’ to 23% for Fla. 7922 and ‘Sanibel’. The principal defects were blossom-end rot, large blossom scars, persistent green shoulders and rough shoulders.

Seasonal yields from three harvests ranged from1968 cartons/acre for RFT 6153 to 3247 cartons/acre for Fla. 7885 (Table 2). Seven other entries had yields similar to those of Fla. 7885. All entries produced yields greater than the state average yield for spring 1998-99 of 1591 cartons/acre.

Yields of extra large fruit varied from 1392 cartons/acre for NC 96365 to 2611 cartons/acre for PS 150535. Ten other entries had extra large fruit yields similar to those of PS 150535. Large fruit yields ranged from 230 cartons/acre for ‘Sunbeam’ to 726 cartons/acre for NC 96365. Cull fruit for the entire season varied from 11% for PS 150535 to 25% for ‘Sanibel’ and ‘Solar Set’. Blossom-end rot and persistent green shoulder affected fruit were the principal defects. Average fruit weight was from 5.8 oz for NC 96365 to 7.8 oz for ‘Agriset 761’, PS 150535, and ‘Florida 91’. The incidence of tomato yellow leaf curl virus infection was low and varied from none for HA-3017, ‘Agriset 761’, and PS 150535 to 13% for RFT 6153, but there was no significant difference among the entries.

Overall, total marketable yields surpassed those obtained at this location in recent spring seasons. In spring 2000, yields ranged from over 1900 cartons/acre to more than 3200 cartons/acre.

Diploid (seeded) watermelons generally weigh from 18 to 35 lb and represent most of the commercial crop grown in Florida. Icebox watermelons weigh 6 to 12 lb each and are grown on a very small acreage. Triploid (seedless) watermelons, usually weighing 12 to 18 lb, are grown in Florida on an increasing scale. Florida produced 10.5 million cwt of watermelons of all types from 35,000 harvested acres in 1998-99 which provided an average yield of 300 cwt/acre. The average price was $6.90/cwt resulting in a crop value of over $72 million which accounted for 4.6% of the gross value of the state’s vegetable crops.

‘Allsweet’ and blocky ‘Crimson Sweet’ types are the most commonly grown diploid watermelons in Florida. Hybrids have replaced open-pollinated varieties in most production areas.

The purpose of this trial was to evaluate some of the recently introduced commercial varieties and experimental lines of the blocky ‘Crimson Sweet’ and ‘Allsweet’ types.

The EauGallie fine sand was prepared in early February when beds were formed and fumigated with methyl bromide: chloropicrin. Banded fertilizer was applied in shallow grooves on the bed shoulders after the beds were pressed and before application of the black polyethylene mulch. The total fertilizer applied was equivalent to 148-40-206 lb N-P₂0₅-K₂0/acre. The final beds were 32-in. wide and 8-in. high and were spaced on 9-ft centers, with four beds between seepage irrigation/drainage ditches which were on 41-ft centers. The diploid watermelons were planted in rows adjacent to the ditches and also served as pollenizers for triploid watermelons that were being evaluated in the two center beds of each land.

Watermelon seeds were planted on 22 February in holes punched in the polyethylene mulch at 3-ft in-row spacing. Seedlings were thinned at the two true-leaf stage to one per hole. Thirty-four entries were included in the trial. The 30-ft long plots had ten plants each and were replicated four times in a randomized complete-block design. Weed control in row middles was accomplished by cultivation and application of paraquat. Plant stands recorded just before vines grew together showed no significant difference among plots. Pesticides were applied as needed for control of silverleaf whitefly (endosulfan and imidacloprid), gummy stem blight (chlorothalonil and azoxystrobin), and lepidopterous larvae (Bacillus thuringiensis, spinosad and methomyl).

Watermelons were harvested on 15-25 May and 30 May -15 June. Marketable fruit (U.S. No. 1 or better) according to U.S. Standards for Grades of Watermelons were separated from culls and counted and weighed individually. Fruit 12 lbs and larger were assumed to be marketable. Soluble solids (a measure of sweetness) determinations were made with a digital, hand-held refractometer on six fruit of each entry at each harvest, polar and equatorial dimensions were obtained and the incidence of hollowheart was recorded for these fruits. Cell separations, however slight, were noted as hollowheart, even though the fruit may be commercially acceptable.

Early yields, based on the first of two harvests, ranged from 0 for ‘Royal Sweet’ to 341 cwt/acre for ‘Celebration’ (Table 1). Nineteen other entries had early yields similar to those of ‘Celebration’. Average fruit weight ranged from 18.9 lbs. for ‘Royal Star’ to 33.6 lbs. for WX-22.

Total yields varied from 557 cwt/acre for SWD 8307 to 958 cwt/acre for XWD 7201. Only seven other entries had yields similar to those of XWD 7201. Average fruit weight over the entire season ranged from 19.6 lbs. for ‘Fiesta’ to 27.0 lbs for WX-22. ‘Royal Star’ and WX-15 average fruit weight was 26.4 lb. and a number of other entries had substantial average fruit weights. Fruit per plant varied from 1.5 for ‘Summer Gold’ to 2.4 for XWD 7302 and RWM 8102. Soluble solids concentrations ranged from 12.1% for ‘Summer Gold’ to 14.2% for ‘Sentinel’. Seasonal average soluble solids for all entries exceeded the 10% specified for optional use to designate very good internal quality in the U.S. Standards for Grades of Watermelons (U.S. Dept. Agr., 1978). The incidence of hollowheart in those fruit sampled varied from 19% in ACX 5451 and XIT-101 to 88% in ‘Summer Gold’.

Diploid watermelon variety evaluations have been conducted at this location each spring season since 1991. The highest yields ranged from 439 cwt/acre in 1996 to 1026 cwt/acre in 1993. In spring 2000, the highest yield was 958 cwt/acre which was considerably greater than the 9-year average yield of 738 cwt/acre.

Based on this and previous trials, the following Allsweet and blocky Crimson Sweet type varieties are expected to perform well in Florida: ‘Celebration’, ‘Fiesta’, ‘Mardi Gras’, ‘Piņata’, ‘Regency’, ‘Royal Flush’, ‘Royal Star’, ‘Royal Sweet’, ‘Sentinel’, ‘Starbrite’, ‘Stars-N-Stripes’ and Summer Flavor 800 and 900 series. Other varieties may perform equally well on some farms.

Readers needing additional information should request GCREC Research Report BRA 2000-5 from the author.