THE INFLUENCE OF VARIOUS TEMPERATURES AND (2-CHLOROETHYL) TRIMETHYLAMMONIUM CHLORIDE AND (ALLYL) TRIMETHYLAMMONIUM BROMIDE ON PEPPERS AND TOMATOES

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Fireball tomato and Calwonder pepper plants were subjected, in the seedling stage, to different temperatures and to both drench and foliar applications of (2-chloroethyl) trimethylammonium chloride (CCC) and (allyl) trimethylammonium bromide (AMAB).Seedlings were exposed to minimum night temperatures of 54° to 56°F. and of 64° to 68°F. from the appearance of the first true leaf for 3 weeks for peppers and until field setting (6 weeks) for tomatoes. For both crops the lower temperature treatment gave an increase in early fruit number and yield.Drench applications of 100 milliliters per band to tomatoes and 900 milliliters per square foot to peppers of 10−3and 10−4 M solutions of CCC or of AMAB produced shorter, stockier, darker-green plants with reduced foliage spread. Growth was further reduced by the lower temperature treatments. Both drenches reduced total yields in both tomatoes and peppers.Foliar treatments of CCC and of AMAB increased the total yield of peppers started at the warmer temperature. At the cooler temperature, however, yield was not affected by the CCC treatment but was reduced by the AMAB treatment. Foliar treatments with either chemical did not affect the total yield of tomatoes after seedling treatment at either temperature.