Abstract:
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) production is major source of income, creation of employment as well as improving food security. The objective of the study was to come up with an integrated approach for managing nematode (Meloidogyne spp) and carbon dioxide (CO2) enrichment for field grown tomato, conducted at Egerton (0o23′ S; 35o35′ E), Kenya. The experiment was a 2 × 3 × 2 factorial arranged in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). The factors under study were agronet cover at 2 levels (net and no net cover), fresh organic manure at 3 levels (cow dung, goat dung and no organic manure) and cropping regime at 2 levels (tomato intercropped with slender leaf (Crotalaria brevidens var. Brevidens Benth.) and monocrop tomato). Use of the agronet cover, fresh organic manure and slender leaf intercrop resulted in higher CO2 concentration within the tomato plant vicinity, showed suppressive effect on nematode population and significantly improved tomato growth and yield when used alone and in combinations compared to the control treatment (monocrop tomato grown in the open with no fresh manure applied). Using agronet cover, fresh organic manure and slender leaf intercrop alone or in combination resulted in a 23.5% to 86.3% reduction in nematode population in trial 1 and a 33.9% to 89.3% reduction in experiment 2, a 59.1% to 78.9% reduction in number of root galls in trial 1 and a 56.3% to 77.7% reduction in trial 2 and 19.7% to 145.5% increase in fresh fruit weight in trial 1 and 23.6% to 90.3% increase in trial 2 compared to the control treatment. Among the treatments, the combination of agronet cover, goat dung and slender leaf intercrop resulted in the highest CO2 concentration within the tomato crop vicinity, highest reduction in nematode population, highest increase in fruit yield and better postharvest quality of tomato fruit. Findings of this study demonstrate integrated use of agronet cover, fresh organic manure and slender leaf intercrop as a viable alternative method for the management of tomato root-knot nematode and enhanced CO2 levels in the immediate crop environment of open field grown tomato leading to improved growth, fruit yield and quality.
