Evaluation of Agronomic Performances and Fruit Quality of Improved Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) lines under greenhouse conditions

Abstract

A B S T R A C T Although agriculture is the driving force of Ghana’s economy, accounting for one third of GDP and employing more than half of the workforce, Ghana is still far from achieving food security due to serious challenges facing the sector. If agriculture is to fulfill its promise of achieving food and nutrition security in Ghana by 2030, it must take drastic steps towards enhancing vegetable crop production. Greenhouse technology is fast gaining recognition in urban and peri-urban areas. Low tomato production in Ghana is a problem owing to the lack of improved and high-yielding varieties. Evaluation of improved lines of tomato under greenhouse condition which is a fast-growing technology in Ghana can help identify adaptable and promising lines for cultivation. This can lead to increased tomato production as well as meeting consumer demands. In this study, 12 improved lines and 2 local checks of tomato were evaluated under greenhouse conditions to determine their agronomic performances, and fruit quality traits using a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The results indicate that Lines J138 and B24 recorded the highest yields (20.05 t/ha and 23.03 t/ha respectively) whiles the check varieties, Anna F1 and Nkansah HT gave yields of 18.77 t/ha and 16.96 t/ha, respectively. Lines B24, B25, J138, B45 and B46 also exhibited good fruit quality traits such as pH, pericarp thickness, fruit firmness and shelf life. These promising lines of tomato could be useful germplasm in tomato breeding programmes in Ghana and for cultivation under greenhouse conditions.