I received several calls, last fall and winter, about problems with greenhouse tomatoes related to heaters. Some symptoms described by growers were: "the plants are drooping but aren't wilted", "the flowers on a cluster are falling off", "the plants have a twisted appearance", and "the plants don't look like they did last year". These symptoms coupled with other factors such as: a new heater was installed, using a very old heater, and using an unvented heater could mean ethylene damage.

Cantaloupe or muskmelon (Cucumis melo) production is an important vegetable crop in Virginia. In 2001, Virginia producers grew 800 acres of cantaloupes valued at $1.4 million.