Cherry tomato production on different organic substrates under protected environment conditions

Abstract

The cherry tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum var. cerasiforme) is gaining importance as an alternative crop, mainly for small farms that use family hand labor and organic management. In this study, we investigated the effects of organic substrate combinations of cattle manure (M), vermicompost (VC), and vermiculite (V) on the yield and quality of cherry tomato fruits. Cherry tomato plants of the cultivar Carolina were grown under greenhouse conditions in 5-L pots. The five investigated substrate combinations were as follows: (T1) 80% M + 10% VC + 10% V; (T2) 70% M + 15% VC + 15% V; (T3) 60% M + 20% VC + 20% V; (T4) 50% M + 25% VC + 25% V; and (T5) 40% M + 30% VC + 30% V. Plant growth, tomato yield, and physicochemical properties of the fruits were measured. The results showed that combinations of 50% M + 25% VC + 25% V and 40% M + 30% VC + 30% V led to the best growth and adaptation of cherry tomato plants, resulting in larger and more rounded fruits. The substrate containing 40% M + 30% VC + 30% V resulted in higher numbers of fruits per plant. Different substrate combinations did not affect the chemical quality of the fruit. Therefore, our study has provided valuable information on the use of organic substrates in cherry tomato production under protected environment conditions. Based on our results, the different combinations of cattle manure, vermicompost, and vermiculite used in this study represent excellent options for reducing production costs and re-using organic byproducts.