The response to temperature of leaf area in tomato genotypes. II. The rate of leaf production

Abstract

Genotypic variation in the response to temperature of the rate of leaf production is reported . Leaf production was measured as the rate of successive leaves passing a specific length and by dissecting plants to obtain the rate of leaf initiation . These results together with the results of leaf size from the previous paper, are compared to the effect of temperature on the total leaf area . The use of information from these experiments in selecting for increased leaf area at low temperature is discussed .

GENOTYPIC VARIATION IN THE RESPONSE TO SUB‐OPTIMAL TEMPERATURES OF GROWTH IN TOMATO (LYCOPERSICON ESCULENTUM MILL.)

“…In maize the variation was also greater at low than at high temperature (E)uncan & Hesketh, 1968). In the few reports of comparisons within a crop species variation in RGR has been found to be low, as for example in pasture species under near optimal conditions (Elias & Chadwick, 1979), in tomato (Augustine, Stevens & Breidenbach, 1979;Paul, 1984b) and between wild and cultivated tomato species (Warren Wilson, 1972). Keiralla & Whittington (1962) reported significant differences between tomato genotypes at individual harvests but, as in this study, the ranking order of the genotypes changed during the course of the experiment.…”

Tomato Leaf Development and Distribution as Influenced by Leaf Removal and Decapitation

“…The canopy of mature tomato plants typically consists of leaves initiated from the apical meristem (main or "true" leaves) and axillary meristems (axillary leaves or "suckers"). The initiation of main leaves in tomato is influenced by temperature (Paul, 1984a(Paul, , 1984b, light (Hussey, 1963a), and other environmental factors (Tucker, 1975).…”