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After pre-sowing electromagnetic treatments by expanded experimental plan from B3 type and after theoretical studies of the constructed response surfaces and lines of the response -- laboratory germination of the seeds from tomato variety Milyana it was theoretically confirmed that the positive results are obtained in the following values of the controlled factors: voltage of treatments U=12 kV, duration of treatment τ=35 s and length of stay to sowing T=12 days. It is proven that an effective impact could be obtained in combined increase of the controlled factor voltage of treatment and shortening of the duration of treatment τ=2 s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pericarp firmness and overall fruit firmness of different in growth habit tomatoes were investigated during ripening and storage in order to determine the texture changes as affected by the temperature. The study was carried out with eight tomato varieties. Mature-breaker tomato fruits were ripened at 12°C (chilled) and at 18- 22°C (non-chilled). After postharvest ripening the chilled fruits were stored at 1°C and 6°C and non-chilled - under the ripening temperature. All tomato fruits were stored up to 7% loss of water content. The regression analysis showed that pericarp and fruit firmness decrease during the ripening and storage. This negative correlation between texture quality and storage time depended on both, used temperature and growth habit. The pericarp firmness of chilled tomatoes retained higher values compared with non-chilled. However, effects of the different temperatures on overall fruit firmness were not detected. The smallest texture changes were established for indeterminate large tomatoes at prolonged shelf life. Regression models for the texture changes were obtained, which are applied to determine the shelf-life at the relevant temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]