Autoguidance system operated at high speed causes almost no tomato damage

November 2005
VOLUME 15, NUMBER 11

Ten hybrids and 20 triploid (seedless) varieties and / or advanced breeding lines were evaluated at five locations (La Pryor, Lubbock, College Station, Comanche and Weslaco). The entries were evaluated using a randomized complete block design having a minimum of three replicates / entry. All trials were established on 6’ - 8‘ wide, black plastic mulched raised beds, except for the Lubbock site, due to high winds and damage. Transplants were set at an in row spacing of 2.5‘ - 3‘ spacing depending upon the availability of transplanting units. Drip irrigation was used at all locations to supply water needs, except for the Comanche site, where overhead center pivot sprinkers were used. Windbreaks were established in the trials at Lubbock, Weslaco, Comanche and College Station. The varieties ‘Royal Sweet’ and ‘TriX 313’ were considered the hybrid and triploid checks respectively. Once-over harvest was employed at all locations except Weslaco, Lubbock and College Station, where the plots were harvested on three occasions.

Total marketable yield data for each location as well as the average marketable yield across all locations is presented in Table 1. On the basis of statewide average yields, a considerable amount of triploid entries produced greater yield than the check, ‘Tri-X 313’, which produced 67,207 lbs/A. Topping the list was RWT 8145 at 84,865 lbs/A. Summer Sweet # 5244, a variety widely considered one of the industry standards, faired well with 80,681 lbs/A.

In the hybrid category all of the entries produced greater yields than the check, 'Royal Sweet', with Ole topping the list at 72,078 lb/A. Summer Flavor 800, another variety widely considered one of the industry standards, was second on the list with 70,944 lbs/A.

Entry	Total Mkt. Yield (lbs/A)	Marketable Yield / Location
Entry	Total Mkt. Yield (lbs/A)	College Station	La Pryor	Comanche	Lubbock	Weslaco
Diploids
Ole	72,078	71,693	114,563	38,914	60,821	74,400
Summer Flavor 800	70,944	60,421	84,506	49,223	64,913	95,658
ACX 2800	70,538	90,314	101,930	63,598	54,684	42,166
WX 260	68,172	77,744	108,319	33,977	68,550	52,272
Jamboree	64,639	63,598	101,350	37,462	44,641	76,143
RWM 8169	63,603	85,949	73,616	39,494	46,819	72,135
WX 264	63,006	65,676	84,071	43,270	54,236	67,779
WX 257	62,524	67,754	93,218	35,284	56,079	60,287
WX 272*	59,839	56,828	112,530	49,078	36,852	43,908
Royal Sweet	50,542	68,426	65,921	28,750	18,177	71438
Triploids
RWT 8145	84,865	92,120	151,153	33,396	65,937	81,719
SVR 8339	80,803	81,775	152,460	47,771	55,275	66,734
Summer Sweet #5244	80,681	96,095	139,247	39,059	54,431	74,575
ACX 601	76,216	93,254	128,212	38,188	43,367	78,060
Super Seedless #7167	75,186	105,324	87,556	42,689	65,962	74,400
5003	74,833	100,723	126,905	21,344	48,351	76,840
Sweet Slice	73,435	87,347	156,090	23,377	51,051	49,310
Apollo	72,148	87,855	112,675	31,218	63,131	65,863
Tri-X Carousel	72,091	85,405	138,666	18,876	49,903	67,605
Summervill	70,909	76,185	107,448	45,157	53,271	72,484
Tri-X Palomar	70,858	75,487	114,127	24,103	48,226	92,347
Sweet Delight	70,178	69,297	100,478	44,576	57,957	78,582
RWT 8166	68,758	68,961	124,291	24,394	53,832	72,310
Tri-X 313	67,207	80,768	110,206	29,040	40,576	75,446
RWT 8181	64,666	103,174	116,015	20,764	35,289	48,090
Sugar Time	62,575	87,565	97,139	29,766	46,656	51,749
WX-29	61,623	70,640	104,544	22,361	48,887	61,681
Sugar Shack	61,551	70,558	104,399	33,977	39,229	59,590
WX 270	61,392	48,769	78,698	29,621	62,750	87,120
ACR 2572	61,266	74,923	97,685	30,347	48,662	54,711

*WX 272 is selected to be a small seeded melon.