DEVELOPMENT OF SUMMER TOMATO PRODUCTION TECHNOLOGY TO IMPROVE YIELD AND QUALITY

Abstract

A series of experiments were carried out during the period from May 2012 to September 2014 with a view to develop potential management techniques of summer tomato cultivation for higher yield and fruit quality. Five sets of field experiments were conducted at Olericulture farm of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Gazipur, Bangladesh. The most popular summer tomato variety BARI hybrid tomato 4 was used in all the experiments. In the first experiment, pre-transplanting seedling management practices were evaluated to observe their effects on seedling quality and yield. Response of different shade intensity was measured in the second experiment. In the third experiment staking and pruning methods were standardized. Fruit thinning was done to find out the effects on fruit quality and yield in the fourth experiment. In experiment five, the treatments found most effective in previous experiments and farmer's practices were accumulated and compared in different combinations to formulate a best combined management practices. Results indicated that soil added with cocodust and cowdung in the ratio of 2: 1:2 filled in polybags produced seedlings with the highest value of seedling vigor index I & IJ (2356 and 639) as well as the highest seedling quality index (140). Accordingly, the highest stem diameter (5.45 mm), leaf number (13.7) and leaf area (159.60 cm) were obtained from the same treatment. Seedlings grown in polybags with the ratio of soil+cocodust+cowdung (2:1:2) was resulted the highest (94 %) seedling survivality in the field with the highest number of fruits per plant (39.1), yield (1.64 kg) per plant and total yield (44.37 tha). Shade intensity influenced the growth, yield contributing characters and fruit quality. Higher photosynthesis rate was observed in 20% to 30% shade condition in different growth stages. The highest number of marketable fruits per plant (36.1) were counted from 30% shade treatment which also produced significantly the highest yield (44.6 t/ha). The maximum fruit length (4.48 cm), fruit diameter (4.58 cm) and individual fruit weight (47.I g) were obtained from 30% shade treatment. Different shade levels showed significant effects on chemical composition of fruits. Significantly the highest number of fruits per plant (37.1), marketable fruits per plant (33.7), yield per plant (1.68 kg) and yield per hectare (44.6 t/ha) were recorded from the treatment string staking with four stems. Fruit thinning had significant effect on fruit size, physical quality and yield but had no influence on chemical content of tomato. The highest individual fruit weight (55.3 g, fruit length (4.64 cm), diameter (4.82 cm), pericarp thickness (0.83 cm), shelf life (23 days) and fruit firmness (3.52 kg-f cm") were obtained from the treatment that retained 20 fruits per plant but treatment which retained 30 fruits per plant produced the highest yield per hectare (42.47 t/ha). Combination of the most effective treatments in previous experiments where, seedlings grown in polybags having soil+cocodust+cowdung in the ratio of 2:1:2 media, transplanted under 30% shade and staking with string keeping four stem had a great effect on yield and profitability of summer tomato. The highest fruit set (42.65 %), number of marketable fruits per plant (36.5), the highest fruit length (4.56 cm), fruit diameter (4.67 cm), the maximum individual fruit weight (54.61 g) the highest yield per plant (1.85 kg) and yield per hectare (49.62 t/ha) were recorded from the most effective treatments combination. The maximum net return (Tk. 1098850/ha) and benefit cost ratio was 1.96 from the same treatment. The present study conclude that the developed production technology was cost effective and income generating in summer tomato.