Pests, Diseases, Growth and Yield of Tomato as Influenced by Variety and Cultivation Technology

Abstract

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is one of the most important vegetables in the world. However, dearth of knowledge exists on cultivation technology that contributes to increased production of the crop. Meanwhile, low yielding varieties, high pests and diseases attacks, climate variability and poor soil fertility are among key production constraints that limit the increased production and productivity of tomato in Sierra Leone. A two-year field experiment was conducted at the School of Agriculture and Food Sciences experimental site during 2022 and 2023 to evaluate the effects of variety and cultivation technology (CT) on pests, diseases, growth, yield and productivity of tomato. The experiment was laid in a 2 × 4 factorial (i.e. two varieties of tomato, and four treatments: CT 1, CT 2, CT 3 and CT 4 known as control) arranged in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Results showed that organic (CT 1 and CT 2) and inorganic (CT 3) treatments had a positive impact on growth parameters of tomato. The CT 1 (chicken dung, mulching, and neem extract biopesticide) was most effective in promoting vegetative growth and higher fruit yield, while CT 2 (NPK 15:15:15, urea, promethrin herbicide, and chlorpyrifos pesticide) exhibited highest potency in reducing population and damage caused by diseases and pests. Findings demonstrate that improved variety and cultivation technology boost tomato tolerance to pests and diseases, as well as its growth and yield performances that could be exploited for increased production and fruit quality of the crop. The CT1 was the most effective, followed by CT 2, while CT 4 or control plots had the lowest performance. The outperformance of the organic treatments relative to the inorganic and control is suggested to be attributable to its nitrogen-rich components. Weed control was also established to be effective in both inorganic and CT 2 treatments. The findings suggest that the CT 1 should be promoted for sustainable tomato cultivation, prioritizing environmentally friendly methods for long-term success.