Effect of intra-row spacing and variety on fruit yield and quality of fresh market tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) under Jimma condition, Ethiopia

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Menberu Kitila
Derbew Belew
Ali Mohammed
Yehenew Getachew

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at Jimma University College of Agriculture and VeterinaryMedicine (JUCAVM) research field during the 2009/2010 cropping season with the objectiveof investigating the performance of two determinate (Fetene and Bishola) and twoindeterminate (Marglobe and local) tomato varieties each planted at intra-row spacings of 25,30, 35 and 40 cm with 70 cm inter row spacing. The study was conducted by using 4x4factorial design with three replications. Growth, yield and fruit quality parameters wererecorded and analyzed using SAS version 9.2 computer packages. The results obtainedshowed that Fetane and Bishola planted at all tested spacings gave the highest branch numberper plant and, reached 50% flowering within significantly (P<0.001) shorter period than theothers. Moreover, Fetane was found to be superior to all the others (P<0.001) in earlymaturity, fruit length, fruit diameter, fruit weight, fruit pericarp and titratible acidity to all theothers at all the intra-row spacings tested compared to all the others(P<0.001) followed byBishola variety. The determinate varieties (Fetene and Bishola) planted at intra-row spacing of30-35 cm produced significantly (P<0.001) higher marketable fruit yield which in turn wasfound to be significantly and positively correlated with fruit diameter (r=0.83***), fruitlength(r=0.86***) and fruit weight (r=0.82***). It can be concluded that tomato growers in thestudy area can use intra-row spacing of 30 cm for better fruit yield and quality of thedeterminate varieties, Fetane and Bishola, which performed far better than the Marglobe andlocal tomato varieties.

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How to Cite
Kitila, M., Belew, D., Mohammed, A., & Getachew, Y. (1). Effect of intra-row spacing and variety on fruit yield and quality of fresh market tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) under Jimma condition, Ethiopia. Ethiopian Journal of Applied Science and Technology, 3(1), 31-42. Retrieved from https://ejhs.ju.edu.et/index.php/ejast/article/view/844
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Author Biographies

Menberu Kitila, Jimma, Ethiopia

City Sanitation, Beautification and Abattoirs Service Department, P. O. Box 629, Jimma, Ethiopia
*Corresponding Author : Email: dbelew2002@yahoo.com

Derbew Belew, Jimma, Ethiopia

Jimma
University College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, P. O. Box 307, Jimma, Ethiopia

Ali Mohammed, Jimma, Ethiopia

Jimma University College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, P. O. Box 307, Jimma, Ethiopia

Yehenew Getachew, Jimma, Ethiopia

Jimma University College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, P. O. Box 307, Jimma, Ethiopia

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