Effect of Fertilizer Application on the

growth, yield and quality of Four Tomato Varieties

Under Green House Management.

BY : RUTH SAGINI

SUPERVISORS:

DR. MARGARET HUTCHINSON

DR.GEORGE CHEMINING’WA

DR. JANE AMBUKO

INTRODUCTION Tomato production in world in 2009

was 152,956,115 metric tons.

China had 45,365,543 metric. Nigeria was leading producer in 2008-

2009 for the ACP countries with 1-2 million Metric tons

INTRODUCTION conti…

In 2011, Kenya had 18,178 hectares of tomato.

This acreage had a yield of 407,374 Metric tons

The value was 12,354 million shillings

INTRODUCTION conti…

Tomato contains significant amounts of vitamin C and folate.

It’s a source of lycopene ,that has antioxidant properties .

Higher plasma lycopene levels are associated with reduced incidence of prostate cancer.

PROBLEM STATEMENT There are several varieties of greenhouse

tomatoes available in Kenya.

Examples are: Chonto, Proster, Corazon, Claudia, Tylka, Anna F1 & Kilele.

Farmers have been enquiring about the best variety ( Yield ,Longevity and Taste).

However, there has been no basis for advising ,because yield and quality parameters are not yet document ed for Kenyan conditions

Very high yields have been given for greenhouse varieties,

For example :-

a) 15-20 kgs/plant in the first harvest (Farm Biz Africa, undated).

35 kg per plant in the plant lifespan (Monsanto Kenya Ltd, undated).

Farmers have only realized 12-15 kgs within a period of 6-8 months.

FERTILIZER USE

NPK fertilizer has been shown to increase plant height, wet and dry matter, fruit size and number of fruits.

Different farmers use different amounts of fertilizer rates for tomato production.

Monsanto Kenya Ltd, recommends 121 kg of N, 137 kg of P and 69 kg of K in their Growers Handbook. ( Monsanto Kenya Ltd, undated)

OBJECTIVES 1. To evaluate the performance and quality of

four tomato varieties under green house production system.

2. To evaluate the effect of four levels of fertilizer (N.P.K 17:17:17) at planting on the growth, yield and quality attributes of the four tomato varieties under greenhouse.

PROGRESS SO FAR Two experiments carried out in

different times.

Experimental plots layout done

Treatments applied randomly.

Planting and crop care

Data collected at various stages of crop growth.

STUDENTS BEING EXPLAINED HOW TO PLANT

LABLING OF TREATMENTS DONE

ONE HOUR AFTER TRANSPLANTING

TRAINING THE CROP

COLLECTED DATA Germination percentage

Height of seedlings

Average number of leaves /seedling/variety

Days to 1st blossoms

Plant height at one month

Yield /plant for the 1st month of harvesting

Fruit firmness

Brix value for fruits.

DAYS TO FIRST BLOSSOMS

Treatment BLOCK 1 BLOCK 2 BLOCK 3 BLOCK 4 1 A F1 23 20 23 23 2 AF2 23 23 23 23 3 A F3 23 21 23 24 4 A F4 23 23 23 23 5 B F1 20 21 22 22 6 B F2 19 19 20 20 7 B F3 23 23 19 20 8 B F4 21 22 21 23 9 C F1 21 20 21 22 10 C F2 20 20 20 20 11 C F3 20 20 20 20 12 C F4 20 20 21 21 13 D F1 19 21 19 22 14 D F2 19 19 20 21 15 D F3 19 19 20 21 16 D F4 19 19 19 23

PLANT HEIGHT (CM) AT ONE MONTH. TREATMENT BLOCK 1 BLOCK 2 BLOCK 3 BLOCK 4

1 AF1 61 68.7 65.3 65.1 2 AF2 67 68 69.3 66.3 3 AF3 72.7 71.3 71.2 72 4 AF4 69 71 69.7 69.3 5 BF1 63 64.3 61 62.2 6 BF2 60.7 63 64.7 63.3 7 BF3 67 62.3 66.9 66.9 8 BF4 67.3 68 69.7 68 9 CF1 65 70.7 67.7 67.6 10 CF2 70.3 71.7 68 71.3 11 CF3 69 74.3 76 75.3 12 CF4 69.3 71.5 71 69.8 13 DF1 65.7 64.9 60.3 60.5 14 DF2 52.7 55 56 57 15 DF3 66 67 67.3 66.8 16 DF4 59.7 60.5 65.7 60

YIELD /PLANT/1ST MONTH (KG) Treatment Block 1 Block 2 block 3 block 4

1 AFI 1.65 1.3 1.9 2.475

2 AF2 2.2 1.6 1.35 2.5

3 AF3 2.625 1.95 1.85 2.2

4 AF4 2 1.2 2.175 2.5

5 BFI 1.475 2.2 1.5 2.025

6 BF2 1.45 1.45 1.45 2.35

7 BF3 1.7 1.325 2.025 1.65

8 BF4 1.65 2.45 1.375 1.2

9 CF1 2.05 1.55 1.85 1.65

10 CF2 2 1.75 2.2 2.1

11 CF3 1.7 2.5 1.7 1.75

12 CF4 1.6 1.9 1.75 2.5

13 DF1 2.3 1.475 1.775 1.4

14 DF2 1.625 1.8 1.3 2.125

15 DF3 2.525 1.2 1.35 1.9

16 DF4 1.5 1.5 1.675 2.35

FRUIT FIRMNESS Treatment Block 1 Block 2 Block 3 Block 4

1 AF1 3.8 3.8 5.4 4.8

2 AF2 5 4.1 4.5 3.6

3 AF3 4.5 3.9 4.8 4.1

4 AF4 2.9 4.1 4.3 3.3

5 BF1 4.8 4.8 4.1 5.4

6 BF2 3.8 4.6 2.9 4.6

7 BF3 5 4.2 4.9 4.8

8 BF4 4.7 4.3 3.8 4.4

9 CF1 4.6 4.4 4.4 3.9

10 CF2 3.9 5.5 5 4.6

11 CF3 3.9 3.2 5.3 4.6

12 CF4 4.7 4 4 4.5

13 DF1 3.8 3.4 4.3 4

14 DF2 3.9 4.1 3.6 3.9

15 DF3 3.2 4 5 3.9

16 DF4 4.7 3.3 3.9 4.5

BRIX VALUE FOR FRUITS N0. Treatment BLOCK1 BLOCK 2 BLOCK 3

1 AF1 5.6 4.8 5.1

2 AF2 4.9 4.9 5.1

3 AF3 4.1 4.8 5.2

4 AF4 5.2 5.1 5.5

5 BF1 4.2 4.8 4.9

6 BF2 4.6 5.2 5.1

7 BF3 4.1 4.9 5.2

8 BF4 3.6 4.9 4.9

9 CF1 4.6 5 4.8

10 CF2 4.2 4.9 4.9

11 CF3 4.9 4.9 5

12 CF4 5.3 4.5 4.9

13 DF1 4.4 5 4.9

14 DF2 4.7 4.9 4.9

15 DF3 4.9 5.1 5

16 DF4 4.4 4.8 5

GERMINATION PERCENTAGE

VARIETY TRAY 1 TRAY 2 TRAY 3

Anna F1 (A) 94 % 97% 92%

Claudia F1 (B) 75 % 77% 79%

Tylka F1 (C) 83 % 90% 85%

Chonto FI (D) 72% 75 % 70 %

AVERAGE SEEDLING HEIGHT (CM)

VARIETY PLANT 1 PLANT 2 PLANT 3

Anna F1 (A) 12 12 13

Claudia F1 (B) 13 15 13

Tylka F1 (C) 13 12 12

Chonto FI (D) 10 10 10

NUMBER OF LEAVES/SEEDLING

VARIETY PLANT 1 PLANT 2 PLANT3

Anna F1 (A) 5 6 5

Claudia F1 (B) 5 5 5

Tylka F1 (C) 5 5 5

Chonto FI (D) 4 4 4

REMAINING PART Scientific data Analysis

Thesis writing

Defending

Graduation