Influence of Ground Bed Heating and Cultivar on Tomato Fruit Cracking1

Increased temperature of the growing bed had no effect on fruit yield, fruit cracking, skin strength, or plant growth of tomato ( Lycopersicon esculentum mill.). Yield losses from cracking were 2, 16 and 35% in the fall, spring and summer crops, respectively. The pink-fruited ‘Ohio-Indiana Hybrid O’ and ‘Missouri Hybrid 756’ had greater fruit losses due to cracking than the red-fruited ‘Floradel’ and ‘Rapids’. Large fruit were more susceptible to cracking. Fruit cracking in the fall crop was predominantly concentric in nature whereas cracked fruit in the summer was predominantly radial. Skin puncture resistance was inversely related to fruit cracking.