• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.267-272
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• 2011

Several reports indicated that astaxanthin and zeaxanthin have more active anticancer activity than pro-vitamin A carotenes. ${\beta}$-carotene hydroxylase is a key enzyme to synthesize zeaxanthin and astaxanthin in carotenoids biosynthesis pathway. We isolated the ChyB gene encoding ${\beta}$-carotene hydroxylase from tomato leaves. The ChyB gene (1.5Kbp) fragment was cloned into the binary vector and designated to pIG121-ChyB-tom. Agrobacterium-mediated infiltration was used for transient assay in Nicotiana benthamiana. Leaf samples were collected 0, 1, 2, 3 days after infiltration (DAI). RT-PCR result showed that the expression of ${\beta}$-carotene hydroxylase transcripts was not detected in control (0DAI), but its expression was detected after 1 DPI and increased later on. When the activity of ${\beta}$-carotene hydroxylase was measured, the 1,1-diphenyl-pricryl hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity (27%) at 2 DAI was significantly higher than that (21%) at 0 DAI. These results indicated that anti-oxidant activity dramatically increased at 2 DAI in tobacco leaves was due to over expression of tomato ${\beta}$-carotene hydroxylase. These results can be the foundation to develop tomato cultivars with high oxy-carotenoids content using the ChyB gene transformation.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.140-143
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• 2003

This study was performed to develop a more rapid and simple nutrient diagnosis method of plants than the conventional leaf analysis method. tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv. super momotaro) was planted in the mixed media produced by mixing perlite and rock wool at 1 . 1 (v/v) ratio. The Yamazakki nutrient solutions for cucumber and tomato were supplied to the media using the micro-drip irrigation system. Experimental plots produced consisted of no fertilization, deficient fertilization, adequate fertilization and surplus fertilization for N, P and K, respectively. Each experimental plot was replicated four times. Specific color different sensor values (SCDSV) measured by the chlorophyll meter were closely related to total-N concentrations in the leaves measured by the conventional method. Nitrate, $PO_4$ and K concentrations in petiole sap measured by test strips #(Reflectoquant^{\circledR},\;Merck,\;Germany)$ showed a significant relationship with total-N, p and K concentrations in leaves. The linear regression equations between $NO_3,\;PO_4$ and K concentrations in petiole sap and total-N, p and K concentrations in the leaves were prepared. The optimum levels of $NO_3,\;PO_4$ and K in petiole sap were obtained by plugging the optimum concentrations of total-N, p and K in the leaves by other researchers into the equations. In conclusion, the SCDSV by the chlorophyll meter and concentrations of NO3, p and K in petiole sap measured by the test strips would be suitable for rapid estimation of plant nutrient status.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.325-328
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• 2001

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of plug cell volume and medium on rooting and growth of lateral shoot cuttings of a few tomato cultivars. Plug cell volume was varied from 23 to 300 mL or control (cutting bed) and media used were carbonized rice hull (CRH), CRH+perlite, CRH+peatmoss and perlite+peatmoss. Nursery plants were able to be transplanted in 15 to 20 days after lateral shoots cutting in tomato. In volume of cutting media, the pots of 23 to 300 mL were proper, although root growth was gradually limited in decreased media volume. Rooting and growth was not influenced by plug tray cell medium of 120 mL or more. Cherry tomato Pepe (c.v.) showed 100% rooting and better growth, while in Momotaro (c.v.) rooting was 90%. There were 100% rooting and no considerable changes grown in all media tested of cutting plug tray volume of 30 mL.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.320-324
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• 2001

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of mechanical stimulation and growth regulators known to control overgrowth in hot temperature tomato transplants on the seedling quality and the growth and yield after planting. Brushing and impedance were applied as mechanical stimulation, and diniconazole and hexaconazole as chemical growth regulator were used in various ways at different concentrations and treatment times. Diniconazole treatment regardless of concentration and treatment times reduced plant height, leaf area and fresh weight of young plant. Though treatments of high concentration and many times reduced the yield of tomato after planting, these of proper amount and proper times maintained the level of control. Hexaconazole treatment controlled less plant height of transplants than diniconazole, and its effect also didn't support continuously after planting. However, hexaconazole treatment reduced the yield due to little fruit number and malformed plants, and also delayed the harvesting time as compared to the control. Both brushing and impedance controlled plant height of transplants. However, impedance treatment reduced the yield due to malformed plants after planting, and also delayed the harvesting time, while brushing treatment didn't reduced growth and yield as compared to the control. From the above results, it was thought that proper application of brushing and diniconazole can control excessive overgrowth without reducing yield.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.6-11
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• 2010

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of greenhouse orientation on the greenhouse environment and the growth and yield of tomato cv 'Momotaro-Yoku' in forcing culture. The photosynthetic phpton flux density (PPFD) of a.m was higher in north-south orientation than that in east-west orientation and it was opposed in the p.m. Mean PPFD of a day was higher in east-west orientation than that in north-south orientation because the light transmitting area became larger in east-west orientation with decrease of incidence angle. The PPFD at 60 cm point above ground of all furrows was poor due to shadows near plants and it was higher in north-south orientation than that in east-west orientation. The air temperature in the greenhouse was higher in east-west orientation than that in north-south orientation but there was no significant difference since mid February as solar altitude goes up. The soil temperature was some higher in east-west orientation than that in north-south orientation and there was not significant difference among ridges. In east-west orientation, as ripening was promoted, high early yield of tomato were obtained. So total yield was greater about 8% in east-west orientation than that in north-south orientation. Therefore, it was considered that east-west orientation is more advantageous than north-south orientation for forcing culture of tomato.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.284-288
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• 2005

This study was conducted to clarify the effects of supplying methods of selenium on the growth and Se uptake of hydroponically grown tomato plants. Tomato seeds (Lycopersicum esculentum Mill. cv. Momotaro T-93, Daki Seed Co.) were sown in plug tray with fifty holes, and raised for sixty days. Tomato seedlings transplanted to coco fiber slabs were supplied with the nutrient solutions adjusted to EC $2.3dS{\cdot}m^{-1}$ and pH $5.8\~6.2$ recommended by the Japanese Horticultural Experiment Station. Selenium forms used were inorganic $SeO_2$ (here in after referred to Se) and organic selenium chlenium with sugar fatty acid ester (here in after referred to chelated-Se). 10 ppm selenium solutions were treated to tomato plants with foliar applications, drenching, and foliar application plus drenching. Growth characteristics in terms of plant height, number of leaves, leaf area and chlorophyll content were significantly increased in the plot of foliar application ot Se, and in the plot of foliar application plus drenching of chelated-Se than other plots, respectively. Transported contents of selenium into the tomato fruits were highest as 0.302 ppm in the plot of foliar application plus drenching of chelated-Se. Also, it had tended to be higher in the plot of foliar application plus drenching than in the plots of foliar application or drenching in both of Se and chelated-Se. Foliar application and drenching of organic chelated-Se were effective to produce the functional tomato fruits.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.345-351
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• 2011

This study was carried out to develop a model system using selection method for disease resistant plant breeding programs using a herbicide bialaphos-resistant patII gene as a gene-based marker. Spraying bialaphos could eliminate the susceptible plants from the segregating populations such as ${F_2}^{\prime}s$ and thereafter. Tomato cv. Momotaro-yoke was transformed with patII gene 60 independent transformants were acquired. Total 42 transformants were analyzed in transgene copy numbers by Southern blotting and the segregation ratios for the bialaphos resistance. Statistical analysis revealed that the transgene copy numbers and the segregation ratios were not always coincided, especially having the tendency of underestimating the real numbers of the transgenes in the multicopy lines. A two-stepwise screening method was applied to select $T_1$ tomato plants which linked the transgenic patII to a disease resistance gene (I2 and Ve). Based on the resistant to susceptible ratios, T-20 plant was finally selected due to the estimated linkage 12-13 cM between the patII gene to the I2 gene on chromosome 11. This newly developed system could be applied to any economical crop in breeding programs.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.53-68
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• 2006

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of diurnal alternation of nutrient solution salinity on growth and fruit quality of tomatoes (Lycoperisicon esculentum cv. 'House momotaro') hydroponically grown in root intercept bag-NFT (RIB-NFT) system. Plant height was the lowest in the high concentration during daytime (6/1 $dS\;m^{-1}$, day/night). Yield was very high in the concentration of 1/1 $dS\;m^{-1}$, it decreased with increasing the concentration of nutrient Yield was higher at low concentration (4/1 $dS\;m^{-1}$) at nighttime compared to the same concentration (4/4 $dS m^{-1}$) at daytime and nighttime, and the reverse (1/4 $dS\;m^{-1}$) was similar to the control (perlite culture). Yield was greatly reduced by higher concentration at daytime than nighttime, and the decrease was alleviated by lower concentration at nighttime. With increasing the concentration of nutrient solution during daytime, sugar content of tomato fruit was increased, but yield was decreased. In the other experiment, tomato plants were hydropoically cultured in NFT system diurnally alternated between Aichi's solution and $Ca(NO_3)_2$ solution. $Ca(NO_3)_2$ solution was supplied for 4 hours from 10:00 to 14:00 at daytime and from 22:00 to 2:00 at nighttime, respectively, and Aichi's solution was supplied for the time except the 4 hours. Ca content of leaves and sugar content of fruit were increased by supplying $Ca(NO_3)_2$ solution at daytime compared to nighttime, but plant growth was greatly suppressed by supplying $Ca(NO_3)_2$ solution with the concentration of 4 $dS\;m^{-1}(4/4^{Ca}\;dS\;m^{-1})$ at nighttime.

• Journal of Practical Agriculture & Fisheries Research
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.71-78
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• 2016

The present study was performed to examine the high temperature adaptability with CO₂ treatment for tomato under the condition of greenhouse cultivation during summer season. The plants with the CO₂ concentration of 1000 ppm recorded higher scores in Fm/Fo and Fv/Fm but lower score in Fo than others through the measurement of chlorophyll fluorescence, which implicated that the plants with the CO₂ concentration of 1000 ppm had more adaptability to high temperature than the others. At the condition of the same air temperature as 30℃ and 40℃, the photosynthetic rate was increased with the increase of CO₂ concentration. When in the high air temperature state of 40℃, although the photosynthic rate was low in comparison with 30℃, its value was about 18.5umolm^-2s^-1 in case of 1000ppm. The higher concentration of CO₂ made the more activated anti-oxidation enzyme (superoxide dismutase and peroxidase) for the both cultivars as 'momotaro' and 'minichal'. The cultivar of 'minichal' performed the high temperature limit as 41℃ at the CO₂ condition of 500 ppm and 43℃ at the CO₂ condition of 1000 ppm through the estimation on the variation of chlorophyll fluorescence Fo by CO₂ concentrations.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.181-187
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• 2002

The overall objective of this study was to improve tomato fruit quality, while maximizing yield. The variety of 'Momotaro' was grown in the basic nutrient solution of 1.6 dS.m$^{[-10]}$ which was supplemented by three levels of seawater with EC 1.0, 2.0 or 3.0 dS.m$^{[-10]}$ . Tomato plants were cultivated in cool seasons. Plant growth characteristics were compared between treatments, and fruits were classified to analyse fruit quality characteristics according to ripening stages： MG, Br, Br＋3, Br＋5, Br＋7 and Br＋10. Adding seawater generally did not affect the shoot growth parameters such as plant height, leaf length, leaf width, internode length and chlorophyll content. Adding seawater negatively affected yield parameters such as the height and weight of fruit, marketable fruit weight per plant and marketable fruit yield. Therefore, the more yield reduction was obtained with the increasing level of seawater treatment. Fruit quality was improved by seawater treatment. The degree of the effect for $^{\circ}$Bx degree and sugars were the highest with the EC of seawater 2.0~3.0 dS.m$^{[-10]}$ , and at the Br＋5~Br＋7 of ripening stages. The relative abundance of tomato flavor, volatile components, was not generally affected by the seawater treatment with an exception of 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one. The relative abundance of most volatile components increased as ripening progressed. The increment began at the Br stage and showed the highest increment at the Br＋5~Br＋7 stages. The results from these experiments suggest that seawater treatment of EC 3.6 dS.m$^{[-10]}$ for hydroponics is good for improving tomato quality. Fruit quality is the best at the Br＋5~Br＋7 ripening stages. It is considered that these results may be applied far use in hydroponic culture to improve fruit quality with minimum yield reduction.