Effects of preharvest treatments on yield and chemical composition of tomato

Abstract

Postharvest losses in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) are among others, the prime factor affecting the quantity and quality of tomato fruits in the market. Options to avert these losses are limited, and thus the need to design research studies that are geared to developing such strategies. A field experiment was conducted to study the effects of preharvest treatment of ComCat spray, manure, NP fertilizer application and the combinations of ComCat with the two forms of fertilizer application and the control on yield and quality of tomato in the semiarid climate of eastern Ethiopia. Data were collected from two central rows of treatment plots to assess vegetative growth, yield and the chemical composition of fruits at harvest. The use of ComCat and its combination with manure gave the highest total yield of 58.53 and 55.77 t/ha where 94 and 93% were marketable and total yield, respectively. By using manure and NP fertilizer, both marketable and total yield was not significantly influenced. The control tomato plants gave higher total and marketable yield compared with the preharvest ComCat + NP treatment. The chemical qualities of tomatoes were improved by preharvest ComCat, ComCat + manure and ComCat=NP treatments. Based on the varied performance of the treatments imposed, adoption of a particular treatment will depend on a specific recommendation domain.