Tanzania Journal of Agricultural Sciences 2015, Vol. 13 (2) :1-7
Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) is an important income generating crop in the semi-arid
areas in the Miombo ecosystem in Tabora, Tanzania. Dry season tomato growing is limited by water
resource availability and it is therefore cultivated continuously in the same areas with access to
water for irrigating the crop. Parasitic root-knot nematodes are a threat to tomato production.
In this study, the effect of Procarvian carpensis manure at a rate of 5tons/ha and the balanced
NPK inorganic fertilizer at a rate of 100kg/ha on the growth performance of the tomato genotype
“Duluti” on a highly root-knot nematode soil was evaluated. The field experiment was laid in a
randomized complete block with three replications. More studies were carried out in farmers’ fields
to assess the influence of poor management of post-harvested tomato fields as host to crop pest.
In the field experiment tomato plants’ vegetative and reproductive parameter data were collected.
They were then subjected to analysis of variance using the GENSTAT 14th Edition at a difference
declared significance of 5% level. Least significance difference (LSD) was used in means separation.
Results show that, the average of 9 fruits/plant harvested in the plots applied with of 5tones/ha of
P. carpensis manure is highly significantly (p<0.001) her than 4 fruits per plants in plot with NPK
YaraMira cereal. This may reveal that P. carpensis manure improved the growth performance of
tomato and increased its tolerance to parasitic nematodes. Substantial infestation of the tomato
plants by root-knot nematode grown in the control plots may be the reasons for their failure to
flower. Results from the field survey show that red spider mites (Tetranychus evansi: Acaricidae) and
mealbugs (Phenacocus manihot: Cydnidae: Hemiptera) and downy mildew were surviving the dry
season using tomato plant residues and associated weed species. Tomato production using organic
P. carpensis and field sanitation after harvesting may assist in substantial reduction of the root-knot
nematode and other crop pest incidences. Furthermore studies involving several rates and sources
of organic and inorganic fertilizers and tomato varieties should be conducted in areas with high
nematode infestation to come up with better genotype and fertilizer type and combination that will
reduce nematode incidences and at the same time improve tomato yield.