Participatory tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum Mill) variety evaluation and selection for yield and quality in Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia
Paper Details
Participatory tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum Mill) variety evaluation and selection for yield and quality in Wolaita Zone, Southern Ethiopia
Abstract
The experiment was conducted under field conditions at Humbo, Wolaita zone in 2015 to 2016 using 10 tomato varieties with the objectives to identify and select the best performing tomato varieties in terms of yield, quality and to promote tomato production technologies and productivity using RCBD with three replications. Combined ANOVA revealed that there was statistically significant difference among varieties in all traits recorded. The highest marketable fresh fruit yield (37560kg/ha) was recorded by variety ‘Melkashola’ while the lowest (21595kg/ha) was recorded by ‘Chali’ indicating the marketable yield range of 15,965kg/ha due to variety difference in performance. Similarly, the highest total fresh fruit yield (39,599kg/ha) and that of the lowest (23949kg/ha) was recorded by varieties ”Melkashola’ and ‘Chali’, respectively, having total yield range of (15,650Kg/ha). The result depicted that Eshete, Fetan and Melkashola were among the top three varieties selected for fresh fruit yield. On other fruit quality and yield related traits such as fruit diameter and average fruit weight, varieties Metadel, Eshete and Bishola were superior. The varieties Cochoro and Fetan were observed to be the best varieties in TSS with highest value 6.25oBrix which could be the best for processing. Correlation coefficient analysis indicated that plant height was highly strongly and positively correlated with marketable fresh fruit yield (0.79) and total fresh fruit yield (0.77). Fruit diameter and average fruit weight were highly positively correlated (0.94) whereas total soluble solid was negatively correlated with almost all other growth and yield traits.The farmer’ preferences based on fruit size, color and field performance also revealed that varieties Eshete, Melkashola, Fetan, Melkaselsa and Metadel were better selected candidates for yield and quality. Therefore, varieties such as Eshete, Fetan and Melkashola could be recommended for fresh local and national markets while Cochoro would be selected for processing among the tested varieties.
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