Effect of Branch Pruning on Earliness and Fruit Quality in Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill)

Abstract

Different pruning techniques can be employed to optimize earliness and fruit size, including sucker removal and lateral branch pruning, with pruning usually practiced by farmers to enhance quality and increase yield of tomato crops. The experiment was conducted at the Faculty of Agriculture, Students’ Research and Demonstration Farm, Prince Abubakar Audu University, Anyigba, located at latitude 7° 30′N and longitude of 7° 09′E, within the Southern Guinea Savannah agro-ecological zone of Nigeria. The trial, a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) consisted of a variety of tomato (Roma VF) apportioned to three pruning regimes (0, 50 and 100 %), with all treatments replicated five times. Seeds of Roma VF were raised in the nursery for 35 days to attain 4 – 5 leaf stage before transplanted into experimental pots, measuring 15 cm by 30 cm. regular watering were carried out using hand held sprayer, while hand weeding ensure a weed free environment. NPK 20:10:10 fertilizer was sparingly applied at 2WAT (Week after Transplant). Data were collected on days to flowering, first harvest, fruit weight, length and diameter. Generally, pruning accelerated earliness, with the earliest harvest observed in 100% branch pruning, while the longest average numbers of days to first harvest were observed where the tomato stands were not pruned. The highest numbers of fruits were obtained when the tomatoes were not pruned, but fruits were generally smaller, compared with other treatments. For best Practice 50% pruning is recommended as it improves earliness and fruit quality without drastically reducing yield and if market demands value larger fruits, pruning is beneficial, however, if total yield is more important, no pruning is preferred.