Effect Of Age Of Seedling At Ransplanting And Variety On Yield And Yield Components Of Tomato (Lycopersicon Esculentum Mill).

Abstract

Field Experiments Were Conducted During The 1995/96 And 1996/97 Dry Seasons At The Irrigation Research Farm Of The Institute For Agricultural Research, Samaru, To Study The Effect Of Age Of Seedling At Transplanting And Variety On The Yield And Yield Components Of Tomato Crop. The Treatments Consisted Of Four Seedling Ages (4 7 Weeks Old) And Three Tomato Varieties (Ti 106, Ti 468 And Ti 539). Factprial Combinations Of The Treatments Were Laid Out In A Randomized Complete Block Design, With Three Replications. Results Of The Combined Analysis Showed That The Number Of Flowers Per Plant Of 4 6 Weeks Old Seedlings Were Significantly Higher Than Those Of 7 Weeks Old. The Seedlings Of 4 6 Weeks Old Also Attained 50% Flowering Much Earlier Than The 7 Weeks Old. Fruits Of 6 And 7 Weeks Old Seedlings Were Heavier Than Those Of 4 And 5 Weeks Old. Total Fruit Yield (T/Ha) Of 4 Weeks Old Seedlings Was Significantly Higher Than Those Of 5 7 Weeks Old Seedlings. Similar Trend Was Recorded On The Number Of Fruits Per Plant. All Parameters Assessed Were Not Significantly Influenced By Variety Except The Average Fruit Weight, Where Ti 106 And Ti 468 Gave Similar And Heavier Fruits Than Ti 539.