The influence of soil amendments on snake tomato production in an existing immature rubber plantation in Iyanomo, Nigeria

Abstract

This study compared the influence of different rubber effluents and NPK fertilizer rates and their combinations on the profitability of snake tomato production in the rubber/snake tomato intercrop in an existing but immature two years old plantation at Iyanomo, Edo State, Nigeria in 2018 and 2019 cropping seasons. This study involved 10 treatments derived from a combination of sole and intercropped combination with NPK and rubber effluent application rate laid out in a randomized complete block replicated three times. Data were collected on fruit yield. The economic analysis of the trials was carried out by partial farm budgeting. The results showed that NPK and rubber effluent application had significant effect on the yield components of snake tomato (P<0.05). Yield of snake tomato increased with increasing rate of rubber effluent application. However, NPK was more effective than rubber effluent at the highest application rate. Sole and intercropped snake tomato with or without soil amendments had similar yield values. The highest fruit yields were obtained from sole snake tomato treated with 60 kg N ha-1 of NPK 15:15:15 (STNPK) and Rubber-snake tomato intercrop treated with 60 kg N ha-1 of NPK 15:15:15 (RSNPK). However, STNPK had the highest revenue, gross margin and return per naira invested and hence the most viable.