Productivity of Tomato in the Greenhouse Using Bee Pollination

Asiko Grace

doi:10.11648/j.ijaas.20170306.14

Abstract

A green house was installed in October 2014. The aim was to increase tomato productivity in the greenhouse using bee pollination. The tomato plant and fruits in the greenhouse were healthier than those in the open field, attaining a maximum weight of 410 gms, for the tomato. The fruit means were: 213 and 162 gms for the inside and outside, respectively. This was highly significant (t=5.39; df=744.2; p<0.001). Similarly, the average weights of the first tomato fruits on each branch were: 117gms and 110 gms in the greenhouse and open field, respectively. The maximum number of fruits per branch in the greenhouse was eleven fruits whereas those on the outside plot were eight. Thus, productivity was higher in the greenhouse plants, with a longer production period, compared to the plants on the outside plot, due to honeybee pollination. Both the greenhouse and outside field plot tomatoes were affected by the tomato leaf miner, Tuta absoluta, with time, curtailing further fruit production.

Highlights

Pollination is vital for improved quantity and quality crop and fruit yields [1,2,3,4,5,6]
The green house had consistently higher number of yields than open field plot plants, with the gap widening with plant age
Fruit productivity was higher in the greenhouse, expressed in the number of tomatoes per branch, Figure 2

Summary

Introduction

Pollination is vital for improved quantity and quality crop and fruit yields [1,2,3,4,5,6]. Insect pollinators play a complementary role in obtaining maximum fruit-set [1,2]. Mansf.), are bee pollinated [8, 4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16]. All these contribute to increased food security [17,18,19,20]

Objectives

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Results

Conclusion