Effectiveness of using dracaena fragrans live stakes to support growing tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) plants

Abstract

Two trials were conducted between November 1993 and August 1994 at the Kenya Agricultural Research Station, Thika, to investigate effect of the different staking methods; wire fence, wattle dead stakes, live Dracaena fragrans staking at 7 cm and 15 cm spacing on performance of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill). Var. 'Money Maker'). Effects of Dracaena fragrans and grass (Pennisetum clandestinum) mulch on the tomato performance were also investigated. A randomized complete block design (RCBD) with 7 replications was used. Assessment of tomato plant performance was based on weight of total marketable and unmarketable yields, number of fruits per cluster per plant and number of pedicel on a truss. Staking very highly significantly (P<0.001) increased total and marketable yields. Wire fence supported tomato plants gave the highest total yield of 170196 kg/ha and marketable yield of up to 169845 kg/ha. The highest total and marketable yields at 15 cm were 167917 kg/ha and 167741 kg/ha, respectively. The highest yield from wattle staked plots were 168733 kg/ha. The lowest yield of 165326 kg/ha was obtained from tomato plants grown in plots with Dracaena stakes, spaced at 7 cm apart. Staking also very highly significant (P<0.001) increased the number of tomatoes and flower trusses. Tomatoes plants grown in plots with Dracaena stakes placed at 7 cm apart had the highest yield of 3570 per/ha. The highest number of flower trusses was 661 per/ha from plots with Dracaena spaced at 15 cm. The lowest number of tomatoes and flower trusses were 2203 and 448 kg/ha from dead staked plots, respectively. Mulching very highly significantly (P<0.001) increased total and marketable tomato yields. The highest and lowest total and marketable yield; from Dracaena mulched plots were 172131 kg/ha and 170979 kg/ha, respectively. The highest yield from grass-mulched plots was 149362 kg/ha and the lowest marketable yield was 139995 kg/ha/ Mulching significantly (P<0.05) increased number of tomatoes and also the number of flower trusses. The highest numbers of tomatoes and flower trusses were 3033 per/ha and 529 per/ha from Dracaena mulched plots, respectively. The lowest numbers of tomatoes and flower trusses were 2745 per/ha and 504 per/ha, respectively. There was very highly significant (P<0.001) difference in performance of plant Dracaena staked at 15 cm plus Dracaena mulch. The plots did better than Dracaena staked, non-mulched or grass mulched plots, in total and marketable yield in trial two. The plots had 170385 kg/ha and 167729 kg/ha, respectively.