Male sterility induced in tomato by sodium 2, 3-dichloroisobutyrate.

Spraying tomatoes with 0.3 percent sodium 2,3-dichloroisobutyrate (FW-450) at anthesis induced male sterility for 12 days, beginning 12 days after treatment. Only 20 percent fewer fruits were set on treated plants hand-pollinated with pollen from unsprayed plants than were set on untreated plants. The flowers again showed normal fertility 37 days after treatment.