Effect of intra-row spacing and variety on fruit yield and quality of fresh market tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) Under jimma condition

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at Jmma University College of Agriculture and veterinary medicine (JUCAVM) during 2009/2010 cropping seasons with the objective: to investigate the response of yield and yield quality of fresh market tomato varieties in different level of intrarow plant spacing. The treatment consisted of factorial combination of three released (Marglobe, Fetane ,Bishola) and one local varieties and four intra-row spacing (25cm,30cm,35cm and 40cm with 70 cm inter-row) using Randomized Complete Block Design in a factorial arrangement(4x4) with three replications. Growth, yield, fruit quality parameters and disease reaction were recorded and analyzed using SAS version 9.2 computer packages. As a result, Bishola planted at 30 and 35 cmx70 cm had higher marketable yield, higher dry matter and fruit shape index, as well as fruit pericarp thickness which can contribute to better shelf life of the product. This variety is also highly resistance to late blight disease. Similarly, Fetane performed well at plant spacing 35cmx70cm in producing higher marketable yield, total soluble solid, fruit dry matter contents and average fruit weight. Marketable fruit yield was very highly significant and strongly and positively correlated with fruit yield per plant (r=0.90***), fruit yield per hectare(r=0.99***), fruit diameter (r=0.83***), fruit length(r=0.86***) and fruit weight (r=0.82***). In general this clearly indicated that varieties have different behaviors as a response to intra-row plant spacing, with regard to marketable yield per hectare and fruit quality. From the finding of this study it could be concluded that appropriate plant spacing with variety selection could be practiced to increase the yield and quality of fresh market tomato production. Thus, to produce better fruit yield and quality tomato growers in the study area should be encouraged to use intra-row spacing 30 cm x 70 cm with the determinate type of Fetane and Bishola varieties, since these perform far better than the Marglobe and unimproved local tomato varieties. However, further researches are recommended with optimization of fertilizer and water requirement for the different varieties under different intra- and inter row plant spacing and different growing conditions and type of production (home stead, farmer and commercial) to understand their yield performance .