EFFECTS OF ORGANIC MANURE AND SPACING ON MARKETABLE AND UNMARKETABLE FRUITS OF TOMATO (Solanum lypersicum L.) IN YOLA, ADAMAWA STATE, NIGERIA

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum (L.)) is an important vegetable and cheap source of vitamin C, thus ranks number one in contribution to diet. It is widely grown in many tropical areas of the world including Nigeria. However, average yield as obtained by the local farmers in Nigeria has been low, due mainly to lack of adequate information on the spacing and incorporation of poultry manure for optimal yield. Field experiment was conducted at the Teaching and Research Farm of the Department of Crop Production and Horticulture, Modibbo Adama University, Yola, Adamawa State, Nigeria, in the cropping seasons of 2021, 2022 and 2023 to evaluate the effects of Spacing and poultry manure levels on growth and yield Parameters of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum (L)). The treatment consisted of five poultry manure levels (0 tons/ha, 15 tons/ha, 20 tons/ha, 25 tons/ha and 30 tons/ha) as the main plot treatments and five spacing intervals (90x60 cm, 80x40 cm, 60x30 cm, 50x50 cm and 40x20 cm) as sub-plot treatments. The experiment was laid on a split plot design and was replicated three times. Three Tomato cultivars (Tandino, UTC and Dansiriya) were used. Appropriate agronomic practices recommended for the production of tomato were carried out to ensure optimum performance. The parameters measured were number of marketable fruits and number of unmarketable fruits. The data collected were subjected to analysis of variance and significantly different means were separated using Least Significant Difference (LSD). The result showed that 30tons/ha poultry manure significantly affected number of marketable fruits (23.867). Plant spaced 60 x 30cm performed better on number of marketable fruits. Tandino cultivar significantly affected the number of marketable fruits. It is therefore recommended that farmers should plant Tandino cultivar and applied 30 tons/ha rate of poultry manure as well as spacing tomato 60 x30cm for optimum marketable fruits of Tomato in the study area.