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This is the time of year when many gardeners are harvesting tomatoes.
这是一年中许多园丁收获番茄的时候。
Associated Press gardening expert Jessica Damiano recently reported about the many pictures of strangely shaped tomatoes sent to her from fans of her gardening advice.
美联社园艺专家杰西卡·达米亚诺最近报道说，听取她的园艺建议的粉丝给她发了很多形状奇怪的番茄的照片。
She said people sometimes question if the tomatoes are okay to eat.
她说，人们有时会质疑这样的番茄是否可以食用。
The good news, Damiano said, is that there is nothing wrong with the deformed fruits.
达米亚诺说，好消息是，这些变形的水果没有什么问题。
Unless otherwise diseased, they are perfectly good for eating.
除非有其他疾病，否则它们完全可以食用。
Their unusual appearance does not affect their taste or nutritional value.
它们不同寻常的外观并不会影响它们的味道或营养价值。
If you have ever cut open a tomato, you know they are divided into internal parts, called locules, which contain seeds and a substance called gel.
如果你曾经切开过番茄，你就会知道它们被分成内部部分，称为子房室，里面含有种子和一种叫做胶体的物质。
Most tomatoes have about four or five locules; other kinds of the fruit, like cherry tomatoes, contain two or three.
大多数西红柿大约有四到五个子房室；其他种类的水果，如樱桃番茄，有两到三个子房室。
Plum or Roma tomatoes have two locules.
李子形番茄（即罗马番茄）有两个子房室。
But when a plant experiences temperature extremes, cell division in the developing fruit can go off track.
但当植物经历极端温度时，正在发育的果实中的细胞分裂可能会偏离轨道。
Temperatures over 32 degrees Celsius during the day and 27 overnight can lead the tomato to form an extra locule.
白天气温超过32摄氏度，夜间气温超过27摄氏度，会导致番茄形成额外的子房室。
But there is not enough room inside a tomato for the extra part, so it grows on the outside of the fruit.
但是番茄内部没有足够的空间容纳多余的部分，所以它长在番茄的外面。
Not every tomato on an affected plant will be deformed, however.
然而，并非受影响植株上的每一个番茄都会变形。
"Under the right conditions (temperatures that are too hot or even too cold), this could affect one or two tomatoes per plant, depending on where they are in the development process and what the (weather) conditions are," said Timothy McDermott.
蒂莫西·麦克德莫特说：“在合适的环境下（气温过高或过低)，这可能会影响到每个植株上的一两个番茄，这取决于它们在生长过程中的位置和（天气）条件。”
He is an assistant professor and extension educator at Ohio State University.
他是俄亥俄州立大学的助理教授和进修部老师。
The likelihood of one of your tomatoes developing a locule oddity is estimated to be about one in a thousand, McDermott said.
麦克德莫特说，据估计，番茄子房室畸形的可能性约为千分之一。
Any tomato can grow an extra locule.
任何番茄都可能会长出额外的子房室。
But, Damiano noted, heirloom kinds seem more likely to have this genetic mutation than hybrids.
但是，达米亚诺指出，传家宝番茄似乎比杂交品种更有可能发生这种基因突变。
The extra-locule mutation is not the only abnormality caused by extreme heat.
子房室外突变并不是极端高温造成的唯一异常。
Conditions including sunscald, blossom drop, halted fruit formation and ripening can also arise when plants are grown outside their usual temperature limit.
当植物在超出正常温度限制的情况下生长时，也会出现晒伤、落花、果实停滞不长等情况。
Provide shade for your plants when temperatures are predicted to remain above 32 degrees Celsius for several days.
当预计气温将会持续几天保持在32摄氏度以上时，为你的植物提供荫凉。
Attach a piece of 40 to 50 percent shade cloth to stakes inserted into the ground around the plant.
将一块遮阳率为40%到50%的遮阳布绑在植物周围地面上的木桩上。
Leave it in place from 12 to 4 p.m., when the sun is at its strongest.
在中午12点到下午4点（也就是太阳光最强烈的时候）遮在植物上面。
Then remove it to avoid problems caused by a lack of sunlight.
然后把它取下来，以避免因缺乏阳光而引起的问题。
And, when harvesting your crop, remember: the funny-looking tomatoes taste just as good!
还有，当你收获的时候，记住：样子很可笑的番茄味道也一样好！
I'm Caty Weaver.
凯蒂·韦弗为您播报。
译文为可可英语翻译，未经授权请勿转载！
