2018 ASHS Annual Conference

Influence of tomato seedling grafting on the growth, fruit yield and quality, and plant health was investigated using 3 cultivars (Big Beef, Celebrity, Cannonball) as scions and two rootstock cultivars (Blocking, Maxifort). Plants of most graft combinations outperformed non-grafted plants in terms of plant size, number and quality of fruits harvested, and general foliage health. The number of days required for first flowering was significantly delayed in grafted plants of Cannonball/Maxifort (60 days) and Celebrity/Maxifort (61 days) compared to non-grafted Cannonball (57 days) and Celebrity (54 days) plants. Similarly, the days to fruit maturity for Cannonball/Maxifort (95 days) and Celebrity/Maxifort (92 days) were significantly greater than their non-grafted counter parts Cannonball (84 days) and Celebrity (86 days). The yield, average weight of fruits and number of fruits per plant in Big Beef/Maxifort (10.4 kg per plant, 0.5 kg/fruit, and 33 fruits/plant) were significantly higher than the non-grafted Big Beef (2.3 kg per plant, 0.2 kg/fruit, and 9.4 fruits/plant). Grafted plants were taller than non-grafted plants as shown by Big Beef/Maxifort (137 cm) and Big Beef/Blocking (127 cm) as compared to Big Beef (94.8 cm). The number of fruits per plant in grafted plants (33 fruits in Big Beef/Maxifort, 23 fruits in Big Beef/Blocking) was greater than that in non-grafted plants (10 fruits in Big Beef). In general, fruits harvested from grafted plants had slightly higher sugar contents (as determined by Brix reading) and greater firmness (as determined by a hand-held penetrometer). All grafted plants had healthier foliage with less blemishes compared to non-grafted plants. However, there was no statistical differences in the size and diameter of individual fruits and fruit tissue pH between grafted and non-grafted plants.