Tomato cultivation on coconut husks substrate

Abstract

 The success of horticultural product is mainly based on the behavior of the plants growing in different media. Better media results in higher yields and improved crop quality. Coconut husk has shorter fibers, composted down to give a successful growing medium. As an alternative to peat or rock wool it offers a high moisture to air retention capacity, which enables easy growth and well spread root system. The pH ranges from 5.2 to 6.8. The compressed medium expands eight to nine times.

Tomato cultivar Bella and Sinatra was used for testing. Crop spacing was 3 plants per square meter. There were three plants per bag and media volume was 12.5 l, and one plant per pot (media volume 2 l). The coco blocks of tomato plants were transferred on to the top of the bags and hooked to drip irrigation system equipped with injector ratio feeding system. The fruit yield and harvest date results indicate that both media were comparable. Cultivar Belle had the total yield of marketable fruits on the coco bag 12.62 kg/plant, on the pot 13.52 kg/plants and higher then cultivar Sinatra.

It appears from this study that coco coir is a suitable growing medium for the production of tomatoes under greenhouse conditions.