Response of Field-Grown Indeterminate Tomato to Plant Density and Stem Pruning on Yield

ABSTRACT

Plant density and stem pruning are factors affecting production of field-grown indeterminate tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). Plants were established at plant densities of 16,000, 20,000, or 30,000 plants ha⁻¹ and pruning treatments were no stem pruning (0S), prune side shoots below the first flower truss (1F), or prune plants to 1 stem (1S) or 2 stems (2S). Increased plant density resulted in fewer fruit, marketable yield, and total yield per plant. Plant density did not affect marketable and total yield per hectare. Plants subjected to no pruning, or pruning of side shoots below the first flower truss, had the highest marketable yield per plant and per hectare. The lowest plant density, and no pruning, tended toward increased total yield per hectare. A plant density of 16,000 plants ha⁻¹, without stem pruning, is recommended based on cost saving of hybrid seed, due to use of fewer plants, and labor for pruning.

KEYWORDS:

• Solanum lycopersicum
• marketable yield
• side shoots
• spacing
• total yield

Acknowledgment

The authors are thankful for the financial support of the National Research Foundation.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Research Foundation [Grant Number UID 110184].