Latest Causes of Poor Coloring in Winter Tomatoes and Solutions
After entering winter, temperatures are relatively low, and for farmers growing tomatoes in greenhouses, how to promote normal color development of tomato fruit in a short time has become one of the difficult problems. So what causes poor coloring in winter tomatoes? And how should it be solved? Let's take a look together.
I. Causes of Poor Coloring
1. Unsuitable temperature
Unsuitable temperature is the main cause of poor coloring in tomatoes. After tomatoes enter the mature green stage, their chlorophyll content is relatively high while carotenoid content is low. Lycopene is readily formed at temperatures between 18-26 degrees. When the temperature drops to 13-14 degrees, lycopene cannot form normally, but carotenoids will still form, so under low-temperature conditions the fruit will turn yellow and pale. In addition, when the temperature is above 32 degrees, the fruit ripens faster, but lycopene formation is also blocked, which also affects normal coloring.
⟦NL>2. Improper fertilizer and water management
When too much nitrogen fertilizer is applied, the plant grows vigorously, but insufficient water can also cause poor fruit coloring; when a certain element is lacking, poor coloring can also appear in different parts of the fruit, for example, yellow shoulders appear when nitrogen is deficient, and yellow-green shoulders appear when potassium is deficient.
3. Poor ventilation and air permeability
When the ventilation and air permeability of the greenhouse are poor, it will also affect the normal coloring of the fruit. Tomatoes grown in greenhouses with insufficient light also do not have as bright a color as those grown in open fields.
II. Solutions
1. Strengthen insulation measures
Temperature is an important factor in ensuring good tomato coloring, so in winter the greenhouse temperature must be well controlled and kept between 18-26 degrees, so that tomatoes can develop color normally.
2. Supplement light
In winter, straw mats should be uncovered as early as possible and covered as late as possible to extend the time tomatoes are exposed to light as much as possible. After rain and snow stop, while ensuring the temperature does not drop, the straw mats should be uncovered in time so that the vegetables can get more light. A reflective screen can also be set up at the greenhouse wall to increase light.
3. Supplement potassium and boron fertilizer
Potassium fertilizer can help tomato coloring, but it should be applied sufficiently in advance, because the fertilizer effect of potassium fertilizer takes effect relatively slowly after application. If it is supplemented during the tomato coloring period, it often has no effect at that time.
The above is an introduction to the causes of poor coloring in winter tomatoes and the solutions. We hope it can help you. To learn more related knowledge, please stay tuned to us.