The effects of plant growth-regulating substances on fruit-set and maturity of tomatoes grown in Manitoba

Abstract

One of the main factors limiting the production of tomatoes in Manitoba is the short growing season and the difficulty in bringing fruit to maturity. Gardeners must grow early varieties, often of inferior quality, or give plants special care in order to harvest ripe fruit early enough in the season to command profitable prices. The total value of Manitoba grown tomatoes sold to various Winnipeg marketing agencies during the period August 1, 1944 to July 31, 1945 was $74,936. During this period tomatoes valued at over $400,000 were shipped into Winnipeg. If this period is taken as representative of the situation generally, it is readily seen that locally grown tomatoes constitute only a very small proportion of the tomatoes sold in Manitoba. Considerable success in hastening the maturity of tomatoes, through the use of plant growth-regulating substances has been reported in several areas of the United States. A project was undertaken in 1949 and 1950 to test the value of these chemicals in hastening tomato fruit-set and maturity in Manitoba and a report of the work and results and herewith presented.