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Effect of Ozone on the Yield and Plant Biomass of a Commercial Variety of Tomato
Author(s) -
Oshima R. J.,
Taylor O. C.,
Braegelmann P. K.,
Baldwin D. W.
Publication year - 1975
Publication title -
journal of environmental quality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1537-2537
pISSN - 0047-2425
DOI - 10.2134/jeq1975.00472425000400040008x
Subject(s) - lycopersicon , ozone , yield (engineering) , biomass (ecology) , horticulture , agronomy , biology , chemistry , materials science , metallurgy , organic chemistry
Abstract A commercial variety of pole tomato ( Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. H‐11) was exposed to 20 and 35 parts per hundred million (pphm) ozone for 2.5 hours, 3 days each week over a period of weeks. Extensive foliar injury, defoliation, and highly significant reductions in plant biomass occurred at both exposure levels. However, fruit yield was significantly reduced only at the higher 35 pphm ozone concentration. This reduction was due to a decrease in the number of fruit and not to a decrease in fruit weight. Fruit yield in the 20 pphm treatment was equal to that of the control despite a 27% reduction in total dry weight of plants. These results indicate the presence of a threshold for the effect of ozone on yield.