Characteristics of determinate type tomatoes [Lycopersicon esculentum]

The growth characteristics of nine determinate type varieties, and "Kyoryoku-Beiju" as indeterminate type of tomato were investigated and the new cropping type with them was studied from these results. The number of leaves on the trunk between flower clusters of "Kyoryoku-Beiju" and "Fruit-A" were three, and these varieties were not recognized as determinate type. While, leaves between flower clusters of other varieties were one to three, and the variety with fewer leaves showed typical determinate type growth habit. From observation of growth of "Kyoryoku-Beiju", "Meteru-Youzu", "Kurume-Kon No.101", "Meteru-Youzu" ceased to elongate at 120cm height, "Kurume-Kon No.101" stopped to elongate at 110cm height and "Kyoryoku-Beiju" did not stop. Whole plant weight of three varieties was almost the same till fifty days after seeding. Thereafter "Meteru-Youzu" and "Kurume-Kon No.101" grew less, and at ninety days after seeding these weights of two varieties were slightly less than 200g as compared with "Kyoryoku-Beiju", the number of leaves of "Meteru-Youzu" and "Kurume-Kon No.101" increased three times more than "Kyoryoku-Beiju", and the many leaves at these two varieties distributed vertically about 90cm height. However the number of "Kyoryoku-Beiju" flowers was constant during survey period, while those of "Meteru-Youzu" and "Kurume-Kon No.101" were more due to their longer period of flowering. The number of flowers of "Meteru-Youzu" and "Kurume-Kon No.101" was three times of "Kyoryoku-Beiju", whereas the number of set fruits of these two varieties was twice that of "Kyoryoku-Beiju" because of the severe flower drop. The harvest period of "Meteru-Youzu" and "Kurume-Kon No.101" was very short; fruit weight, however, was low, due to competition among fruits. This competition might be reduced by picking the first flower cluster and the second one on the trunk