Advances in Crop Science and Technology
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Planting date; Tomato; Growth; Fruit yield

Introduction

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) is a fruit producing annually cultivated vegetable fruit crop under the family of Solanaceae. It is native to Western South America and use as a nutritious edible fruit throughout the planet that is grown in both greenhouse and field conditions [1]. Tomato is rich in nutrients such as vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, which are important to well-balanced human diets. Tomato is also an important dietary component because it contains high level of lycopene, an antioxidant that reduces the risks associated with several cancers and neurodegenerative diseases [2].

Tomato is a warm season crop that requires very stable temperature ranges with minimums and maximums not being too wide apart. Temperature variation might result in poor fruit quality or reduced yield. Extreme temperatures cause flower drops and poor fruit set. A temperature range between 21 and 270C day and 10- 20oC night is favorable for plant development, and fruit set in the Rift Valley region in Ethiopia. Timing of planting date is therefore important so that every developmental phase may occur at times when temperature is favorable for crop performance and high yields can be obtained [3].

The best planting date for tomato in the Humbo area under irrigation had not been determined yet. Farmers in the study area had been planting tomato starting from September to the beginning of month December. Therefore, the current study was carried out in order to investigate the effect of planting date on tomato fruit production and diseases under the existing climatic conditions of Humbo District, Woliata Zone, Ethiopia.

Objective

To determine appropriate planting time period for tomato fruit production under irrigation in Humbo District, Wolaita Zone, Ethiopia.

Materials and Method

Description of study site

The study was carried out in Wolaita zone, Humbo district between September to November in 2018 and 2019. Wolaita zone is located between 06°30ʹ–07°12ʹN 037°14ʹ–038°7ʹE [4]. It covers an altitude range of 700–2900 m above sea level, having a bimodal rainfall [5]. Mean annual rainfall of the study area is 1001 mm with the lowest and highest record in January and August, respectively. The mean monthly maximum and minimum temperature is 270c and 140c, respectively. The last twenty two years’ monthly mean values of rainfall and temperature are shown below (Figures 1 and 2).

Figure 1: Long term (1996-2018) monthly mean rainfall amount (WMS, 2018).

Figure 2: Long term (1996-2018) monthly mean maximum and minimum temperature (WMS, 2018).

Soils of the zone are varying due to its diverse topography. The dominant soils of the zone are reported to be Nitisols with clay loam texture [6]. It is derived from a multistory ignimbrite substratum, deep and has a good general porosity, a high capacity to absorb rainfall, water and a high infiltration speed [7].

An improved tomato variety named Roma VF was used as a test crop. Urea (46%N) and NPS blended (19%N: 38%P205:7%S) fertilizers with recommended rates (100kg urea and 200kg NPS) were used as the sources of Nitrogen and Phosphorus, respectively. Irrigation water was applied as per farmers’ practice uniformly for all treatments. All other cultural operations like nursery rising, main field preparations, transplanting, weeding, diseases management (application of Mancozeb) etc. were carried out as per the recommendations in order to obtain a successful crop [8].

Treatments and experimental design

Five treatments of various planting dates were used with fifteen days intervals: Treatment 1: Planting at mid of September; Treatment 2: at end of September; Treatment 3: at mid of October; Treatment 4: at end of October and Treatment 5: at mid of November. The experiment was laid out as RCB design with three replications.

Data collection and analysis

Fruit yield, numbers of unmarketable, marketable and total number fruits per plot data were taken by using sensitive balance and diseases data was also recorded. The collected data were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) for RCB Design using the SAS software by the command PROC GLM version 9.2 (SAS Institute, 2009). Least Significant Difference (LSD) test at 5% probability was used to separate means when the F test was significant.

Results and Discussion

Effects of planting date on growth of tomato crop

It is usual that the effect of planting time in relation to change of temperature of the environment is reflected primarily in plant growth. Both tomato plant height and number of primary branches were significantly (p<0.05) affected by planting date. The longest plant height (75.5cm) and more primary branches (7.7) were observed with tomato planted at the end of month September. There were no statistically significant differences observed in both plant height and number of primary branches of tomato planted starting from mid-October to mid- November. In general, late planting showed a significant reduction in plant height and number of primary branches of tomato (Table 1). This may be due to the existing temperature differences of the respective months. More than optimum temperatures were recorded in growth period of tomato planted in other treatments expect September (Fig 2).Therefore, the presented results are consistent with other previous findings published. It agrees with Srivastava and [9] who reported that planting time had great effect on the regulation of plant architecture as well as plant height of tomato. Similarly, [10] reported that among dates of planting, early planting recorded the highest vegetative growth. While [11] stated that number of branches per plant was found to be gradually decreased with the late transplanting dates.

Table 1: Effects of planting date on plant height and numbers of primary branches of tomato in Humbo district,Wolaita Zone, Ethiopia, 2019.

Effects of planting date on tomato fruit yield

Planting date highly significantly (p<0.05) influenced the marketable fruit number, marketable fruit yield and total yield of tomato in the study area in both years of 2018 and 2019. In the year 2018, the highest marketable fruit number, marketable fruit yield and total yield were observed from planting tomato at mid and endof September whereas in the year 2019,planting tomato at end of Septembergave highest fruit yield. The lowest fruit number and yields were observed from other planting dates in both years (Table. 2 and Table 3). In other words, planting tomato within month Septembergave better yield than planting in October and/or November. This result was consistent with the growth parameters analysis of variance such as plant height and numbers of branches per plant of the year 2019. Moreover, the simple linear correlation coefficientsfor major parameters measured were significantly different from zero at the 1% probability level. The significant high r values indicated that there was strong evidence that the growth and yield parameters were highly associated with one another in a linear way. Numberof marketablefruits (r = 0.78**), marketable fruit yield (r = 0.67**) and total fruit yield(r = 0.63**)all were positively and strongly correlated with plant height. Similarly, number of marketable of fruits (r = 0.73**), marketable fruit yield (r = 0.75**) and total fruit yield (r = 0.76**) were positively and strongly correlated with number of primary branches. Furthermore, both marketable fruit yield (r = 92**) and total fruit yield (r = 87**) were positively and highly correlated with number of marketable of fruits. These resultssuggest that Septemberplanting time is more favorable to produce highest plant height and branch number as a result higher flower produced which enhance the higher fruit set and development which in turn contribute to maximum yield than late transplanting. Furthermore, theresultof this study agrees with other researchers’ results. [5]. Reported the results of studies carried out at different areas in Ethiopia that planting in month September provided higher marketable mean yield than other months. [12] also showed a declining trend in fruit yield and other yield attributing characters when planted lately. Similarly, [13] reported that early planting of tomato gave increased yield [14].

Table 2: Effect of Planting Date on Number of Marketable Fruits (NMF), Marketable Fruit Yield (MFY) and Total Fruit Yield (TFY) of Tomato in Humbo district,Wolaita, Ethiopia, 2018.

Table 3: Effect of Planting Date on Number of Marketable Fruit (NMF), Marketable Fruit Yield (MFY) and Total Fruit Yield (TFY) of Tomatoin Humbo district, 2019.

Conclusions

The results of the experiment revealed highly significant responses of growth and yield parameters of tomato to planting date. Both plant height and number of primary branches were significantly influenced by planting date. The highest plant height and primary branches were recorded from tomato planted in month September. Similarly, number of marketable fruits, marketable yield and total yield were highly significantly influencedby planting date. Higher number of marketable tomato fruits, marketable yield, total yield and low diseases pressure were obtained from planting tomato at mid and end of month September in the 2018, while in the year 2019 planting at end of September resulted in higher number of marketable tomato fruits, marketable yield and total yield and low diseases pressure. Based on the results found, in general, it can be concluded that planting tomato within month September provided higher yield than other months tested in the study area.Therefore, it is better advising tomato growing farmers to plant tomato in between mid to end of September so as to obtain higher yield inthe prevailing environmental conditions of the study area, Humbo, Wolaita, Ethiopia. Future research should be directed studying more agro-ecology are needed to establish the correlation between fruit yield and weather factors.

Acknowledgement

The Authors acknowledge Areka Agricultural Research Center and Southern Agricultural Research Institute (SARI) for the assistances during research period.

Competing Interest

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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