The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of cell trays on the production of Italian type tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) in the field. This study was carried out in Piracicaba (SP), Brazil, from May to August 2005. The treatments consisted of four recipients with three expanded polystyrene trays, measuring 121.2; 34.6, and 12.0 cm³ and one tray of rigid plastic, measuring 14.0 cm³ (72, 128, 288 and 450 cells, respectively) combined with four vegetative ages at transplanting (19, 24, 29 and 34 days after sowing). A randomized experimental design was done for the production of seedlings, by using five plants per plot and three replications. The leaf area, the height, the fresh and dry mass of the aerial part and the root, and the quality of the seedlings were analyzed. In the field production, the statistical design was a randomized block, using ten plants in each row with three replications. Harvest precocity was evaluated, as well as the commercial and total production of each plant. The larger volume trays (121.2 and 34.6 cm³) caused the best quality of seedlings. On fruit production, the commercial and the total number of fruits per plant were superior in the seedlings of 24 days of age. However, there was no difference between the treatments for the total fruit production. The treatments performed in the recipients of 121.2 and 34.6 cm³ presented a gain in the harvest precocity. The tray cells of 14.0 cm³ (450 cells) provided poor quality, elongated and stunted seedlings.
Lycopersicon esculentum Mill; cv. Neptune; fruit number; quality
