There are a number of measurement types available for crop registration. See the below list for descriptions of these types and how to measure them.
Measurement | Units | Definition | Tool | Detailed Instructions |
Aborted flowers |
Number of aborted flowers per plant. Flower abortion can be due to improper pollination, disease, stress, etc.) |
N/A | ||
Diameter of fruit | cm | Diameter of the first fruit of the bottom most complete/unharvested truss | Caliper | Fruit Diameter |
Flowering truss |
Topmost flowering truss. This is recorded as a decimal number. Each open flower/set fruit in a truss is getting a 0.1. Always start counting from the open flower/set fruit on the base of the truss. Replace missing open flower/set fruit with 0.1. For example, truss 19 has 2 open flowers, 2 partially open flowers, 1 bud, while truss 18 is fully set and it is complete. Therefore, the flowering truss notation would be 18.2 |
N/A | Flowering Truss | |
Fruit weight | g | Average weight of the harvested fruit of each plant | Weighing balance | |
Fruits per truss | Number of fruits per truss the grower is planning to keep for the tomato type/variety grown, i.e. typical number of fruits kept per truss | N/A | Fruits per truss | |
Fruits in each truss |
Number of fruits in each truss recorded against the truss number. e.g. |
N/A | ||
Growth |
cm | Length of the main stem or growth of main stem from last week to current week. Using a permanent marker, mark the tomato vine hanging string at the top of the plant/head. During next measurement (e.g., after a week), mark the top of the plant on the string and measure the distance between the two markings | Ruler, tape | |
Harvest truss |
Truss that is to be harvested in a given week. This is recorded as a decimal number. Each fruit in a truss is assigned a 0.1. Replace any missing fruit with 0.1. For example, if two fruits are harvested from truss 10, harvest fruit notation would be 9.2 |
N/A | Harvest truss | |
Head density | per m2 | Number of stems/branches per m2 as calculated by dividing the total number of plants of a type/variety by the area taken up by those plants | N/A | Head Density |
Leaf length | cm | Length of the topmost mature leaf (5th or 6th leaf greater than 15 cm from the top of the branch/stem). Leaf length is measured from the base of the leaf to the tip of the leaf | Ruler, tape | Leaf Length |
Leaf width |
cm | Width of the topmost mature leaf (5th or 6th leaf greater than 15 cm from the top of the branch/stem). Leaf width is measured at the widest point of the leaf | N/A | Leaf width |
Number of flowers | Number of open flowers per plant | N/A | ||
Number of flowers pruned | Number of flowers and flower buds pruned per plant | N/A | ||
Number of fruits | Number of set, developing and mature fruits on the plant | N/A | ||
Number of fruits pruned | Number of set, developing, mature fruits pruned per plant | N/A | ||
Number of leaves |
Number of leaves on the plant which has a leaf length greater than 15 cm |
N/A | Number of leaves | |
Number of leaves pruned |
Number of leaves pruned per plant | N/A | ||
Number of branches/stems per plant | Number of branches per plant. Some growers call the branches as stems as well. | N/A | ||
Set truss |
Topmost set truss. This is recorded as a decimal number. Each open flower/set fruit in a truss is getting a 0.1. Always start counting from the open flower/set fruit on the base of the truss. Replace missing open flower/set fruit with 0.1. For example, truss 18 has 2 set fruits, 2 open flowers, 1 bud while truss 17 is fully set and it is complete. Therefore, the set truss notation would be 17.2 |
N/A | Set truss | |
Stem diameter | mm | Diameter of the stem measured at the previous week’s mark on the string | N/A | Stem diameter |
Top to flower truss | cm | Distance from the topmost flowering truss to the top of the plant. If there is no flowering truss, measure distance from the top of the plant to the previous mark on the string which is equal to “Growth” measurement | N/A | Top to flowering truss |
Truss angle category | category |
Angle of the truss from the vertical axis or the axis of the stem/branch as recorded as categories, 1 or 2: 1: Erect truss: a truss with a straight, less curved axis with flowers also arranged on straight stalks and less pendant 2: Pendant truss: A truss with good curvature, penance with pendant flowers on it |
N/A | |
Truss height | cm | Distance/length measured from the node of the topmost flowering truss to node of the next truss below. If there is no flowering truss, measure distance from the top of the plant to the topmost set truss below | N/A | Truss height |