to installation of seeds. Transplants are usually raised in a greenhouse to optimize growing

conditions (Hochmuth, 1988a). A large percentage of tomato growers purchase their transplants

for installation.


 Staking. Stakes are approximately forty-eight inches in length and are placed in the

ground within the row when plants are approximately two to three weeks old. Plastic twine is

used to tie the plant to the stake and is usually done three to four times during the growth of the

plant. Plastic twine is used due to the ease of removal by burning. Once the final harvest is

complete, plants are killed with herbicides (usually Paraquat which is a quick reacting contact

spray), and then the plastic is slit down the middle and lifted out of the soil (unless a second

crop is planted to re-use the plastic). Stakes can be removed by a stake puller and sterilized by

either steam or methyl bromide (Hochmuth, 1988a). When sterilizing stakes with methyl

bromide, the stakes must first be moistened, then a tarp is placed over the entire stack and

fumigated. This method is usually only done in areas of high fungal disease activity,

however this is not a common practice. Another method used to sterilize stakes is placing

stakes in a barrel containing a solution of clorox and water (Stall, 1993).


Diseases

 Methyl bromide is used as a method of control for several diseases found in tomato

production including fusarium crown and root rot, bacterial wilt, southern blight, and

verticillium wilt.

 Fusarium crown and root rot (Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. radius lycopersici (FORL))

is a fungus which is severe in southern production regions of Florida. FORL invades the plant