Evaluation of systems for conduction of tomato crops in relation to disease severity and yield

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate different methods for tomato production concerning the effects on yield and disease severity in leaves and fruits of the cultivar Santa Clara Miss Brasil of tomato. The experiment was carried out between September/1977 and January/1988 in Maringá-PR. The experimental design consisted of randomized blocks with four repetitions. The experiment unit consisted of two lines of 5.0m in length. The plants located at the ends of the lines were not considered. The different treatments were: T1) One plant per hole spaced 1.0m between the rows and 0.5m between the plants that were staked in crossed fence. T2) One plant per hole with a distance of 1.0m between the rows and 0.2m and 0.8m between the plants that were planted in alternate spacing and staked in zigzag. T3) Similar to T1, however the plants were staked vertically. T4) Two plants per hole spaced 1.0m x 0.5m and staked in crossed fence. T5) Similar to T4, but this time one of the plants was pruned above the third leaf located above the third truss. T6) One plant per hole spaced 1.0m x 0.25m, the pruning was done above the third leaf located above the third truss in plants staked in crossed fence. T7) Similar to T6, however the pruning was done above the third leaf located above the fourth truss. T8) Similar to T7, even though some fruits were taken out to equal the number of fruits to that in the plants of T6. The staked systems (T1, T2 and T3) did not affect the percentile of pathological damages and production. The cultivation of 2 plants per hole (T4 and T5) gave higher commercial production. The production in high density planting (T6, T7 and T8) was similar to the one obtained by nonpruned plants and by standard density planting and plant spacing (T1, T2 and T3), even though less severe plant diseases were observed. The pruning above the fourth truss without fruit removal (T7) was the most productive treatment among those of high density planting. There was no effect of the treatments on the weight and fruit size.