THE EFFECTS OF PLANT POPULATION, IRRIGATION FREQUENCY AND CULTIVARS ON YIELD AND CANNING QUALITIES OF TOMATO FRUITS GROWN UNDER HOT TROPICAL CONDITIONS

The main plots consisted of 2 irrigation frequency trials: (a) watering every week and (b) watering every 2 weeks. The sub-plots included 6 cultivars: Red Top, Ace V.F. Improved, Roma, San Marzano Large Fruit, Chico and Pearson A-1. The sub-sub-plots consisted of 2 plant populations, 10 500 and 21 000 plants per feddan (1 feddan = 0. 42 ha).

The irrigation treatments were regulated after blooming or one month after transplanting.

The data indicated that all cultivars were high yielding. However, Chico and Red Top outyielded all the other cultivars at Karima location. Plant population had no significant effect on total yield at Shambat location, but the high population at Karima significantly outyielded the lower population. Watering every week resulted in significantly larger fruits and greater total yield than watering every 2 weeks.

The results showed that round-shaped fruits were free from blossom-end rot, but pear-shaped fruits were susceptible to the rot. However, the pear-shaped cultivars varied in susceptibility. Roma showed a significantly lower percentage of blossom-end rot than the other pear-shaped cultivars.

Watering every 2 weeks resulted in significantly greater percentage of blossom-end rot than watering every week.

The chemical analysis and quality determination indicated that there were significant differences among cultivars. Red Top and San Marzano Large Fruit gave a significantly greater percentage of soluble solids than the other cultivars. Watering every 2 weeks resulted in significantly greater percentage of soluble solids in the fruits, a higher titratable acidity, a lower pH of the fruits and tended to give slight fruit colour improvement.

Colour evaluation showed that Ace V.D. Improved, Pearson A-1 and

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