Effect of irrigation intervals and soil types on yield and yield components of tomato plants artificially inoculated with Clavibacter Michiganensis subsp. Michiganensis

Abstract

To determine the effect of irrigation interval and soil type on the severity of bacterial canker of tomato, a field experiment was carried out at Agricultural Research Institute (ARI) Tarnab in March to June 2013 and 2014. Five treatments: T1 = irrigation with 8 days interval, T2 = irrigation with 9 days interval, T3 = irrigation with 10 days interval, T4 = irrigation with 11 days interval and T5 = irrigation with 12 days interval were investigated for their effect on bacterial canker of tomato. In the same experiment, another factor i.e. soil types (S1 = Sandy Loam, S2 = Loam and S3 = Silt loam) were also investigated. Trials were replicated four times in a completely randomized design with split plot arrangement. Data were recorded for; survival percentage, number of flowers plant -1 , number of fruits plant -1 , fruiting percentage, disease severity and yield plant -1 . Results revealed that keeping irrigation interval at 12 days, the disease rating score reduced to its minimum (0.83), however the yield (1.88 kg.plant -1 ) was affected due to drought. For soil types less (1.67 and 1.77) disease severity was scored for sandy loam and silt loam soil respectively, whereas for the loam soil higher (2.10) disease ratings were observed. Highest (2.29kg) yield per plant was recorded for silt loam, followed by loam soil with 2.17kg.plant -1 . While 10 days irrigation interval was found to be the best with 2.48kg yield per plant. It was therefore, concluded, that ten days interval in irrigation was found to be optimum for obtaining the maximum yield, while silt loam soil is best due to its optimum water-holding capacities for tomato crop to tolerate the bacterial canker disease.