Cultivo do tomateiro sob diferentes espaçamentos entre plantas e diferentes níveis de desfolha das folhas basais

Abstract

This work aimed to study the influence of plant spacing and level of basal leaf defoliation on yield traits of tomato. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design in a 2x4 factorial arrangement with five replications. We evaluated two spacings (0.30 and 0.50 m) and four levels of defoliation (0, 50% and 100% of basal leaves removed after fruiting the first cluster and 100% of basal leaves removed after harvest of the first cluster). We evaluated the number of normal, defective and total fruit per cluster, mass of normal, defective and total fruit per cluster, longitudinal and transverse diameter of normal fruit; and yield of normal and total fruit per cluster. Removing the basal leaves is favorable for production, when there is a higher plant density, and must be performed before the fruiting of the first cluster. For more widely spaced plants, basal leaves influenced the productive characteristics, and it is not favorable their removal during the formation of the first cluster, but rather after its harvest. Defoliation can be used to increase aeration, improving the use of solar radiation and reducing pest problems.