EFFECT OF SOME AGRICULTURAL PRACTICES ON EARLY AND TOTAL YIELD OF TOMATOES (Lycopersicon esculentum, Mill.)

Abstract

This work was carried out at a Farm m El-Mehalla El-Koubra

District, Gharbia Governorate during the summei season of 1993 and

1994.

It aimed to study the effect of planting system, plant spacmg, prunmg and tQeir combination interactions as well as method of nitrogen application on vegetative growth, flowering and fruit set, early and total yields and chemical composition of tomato plants (Castlerock var.).

The study consisted of two experiments in each season. The first experiment included twenty treatments, which were the combination between two planting systems, two spacings and five pruning levels, while the second experiment comprised six treatments for the method of N application. I The treatments for the two experiments were as follows:

First experiment:

• Planting system (single row, one meter ridge m width and double rows, 1.25 meters ridge in width). • Spacing (30 and 20 em within the row).

• Pruning levels were:

1- Unpruned control (Pr.0). 2-. Three shoots (Pr.1 ).

3- Six shoots (Pr.2). 4- Six shoots topped at the 3rd leaf (Pr.3).

5- All shoots topped at the 3rd leaf (Pr.4).