Investigating the effect of different coir substrates on the growth, yield and biochemical constituents of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum var. Esculentum)

Fruit crops depend on the quality of the substrate for improved development, yield and nutrient content. To assure higher crop quality and to answer year-round market demand, most producers employ organic substrate for greenhouse crop cultivation. Due to its regenerative nature, coconut coir, an organic substate made from the mesocarp or exterior husk of coconut fruit, provides advantages not only for crop cultivation but also, by being renewable, for the environment as well. The goal of the study was to ascertain the impact of two coconut coir substrate types (Profit and Power) on the development, production and biochemical components of tomato fruit produced in a greenhouse setting. Evaluated elements included plant physiology and yield such as plant height, stem diameter, fruit length and count and harvest index as well as plant biochemical components such as fruit protein, carbohydrate, vitamin, lycopene, phenolic, flavonoid and nutrient content. Results indicated that tomato plant cultivation in coconut coir (Power) resulted in increased fruit number production and an increase in biochemical content such as vitamin C and lycopene compared to the other cultivation treatments. Cultivation in coconut coir (Profit) showed a relative increase in harvest index compared to the other treatments. Overall, growing tomatoes in coconut coir (Power) substrate increased yield, nutrient-dense fruit and farmers are urged to grow tomato fruit on this coconut coir to realise an increase in superior tomato crop output and increase in profit from tomato cultivation in a greenhouse environment. However, costs and availability in terms of quantity should be considered.

Dibjalo tša dikenywa di laolwa ke boleng bja lefelo la go bjalela gore di gole bokaone, di enywe le go ba le phepo ya boleng. Bontši bja batšweletši ba kgetha go šomiša lefelo la tlhago go bjala dibjalo tša ka gare ga moago go netefatša gore go ba le boleng bjo bokaone go fihlelela nyakego ya mebaraka ngwaga ka moka. Faepa ya khokhonate ke lefelo la go bjalela leo le tšweletšwago ka tlhago leo le nago le magapi a ka ntle goba mesokhapo ya kenywa ya khokhonate ebile e bonwa e na le dikholego go tikologo ka lebaka la go šomišwa leswa ga yona. Maikemišetšo a dinyakišišo tše e bile go tseba seabe sa mehuta ye e fapafapanego ya lefelo la go bjalela la faepa ya khokhonate le a (e lego ya poelo le ya maatla) kgolo, tšweletšo le diteng tša dipayokhemikhale tša tamati ka seemong sa ntlo ya go bjalela. Dilo tše di fapafapanego tša go swana le palo ya dikenywa, dipalopalo mabapi le puno, dibithamene, le laesophine di ile tša sekasekwa. Dinyakišišo di utollotše gore faepa ya khokhonate (maatla) e bile le dipalo tše ntši tša dikenywa ge e bapetšwa le ditswaki tše dingwe tša mobu wa dibjalo. Dipalopalo mabapi le puno di bile tše kgolo go faepa ya khokhonate (poelo) ge go bapetšwa le ditswaki tše dingwe tša mobu wa dibjalo. Dikenywa tše di bjetšwego go faepa ya khokhonate (maatla) di bile le maemo a godingwana a dibithamene C le laesophine ge di bapetšwa le ditswaki tše dingwe. Ka fao, dipoelo tša dinyakišišo di laetša gore faepa ya khokhonate (maatla) e okeditše palo ya dikenywa ge go bapetšwa le ditswaki tše dingwe. Diteng tša dipayokhemikhale tša go swana le dibithamene le laesophine di bile godimo ka dikenyweng tša ditamati tšeo di bjetšwego go faepa ya khokhonate (maatla) go feta ditswaki tše dingwe. Bjale re ka tšea gore go bjala ditamati go lefelo la go bjalela la faepa ya khokhonate (maatla) go tla feletša ka tšweletšo ya godingwana le dikenywa tše di tletšego ka phepo. Balemi ba hlohleletšwa go bjala kenywa ya tamati ba šomišwa lefelo la go bjalela la faepa ya khokhonate (maatla) go hwetša puno ya godingwana, tšweletšo ya boleng le koketšo ya poelo ka fase ga maemo a ntlo ya go bjalela.

Izitshalo zezithelo zincike kuwungqimba lokhethelo ukuze zikhule kangcono, isivuno kanye nezinga lokudla okunempilo. Abakhiqizi abaningi bakhetha ukusetshenziswa kokudla noma izindlela zokulima ezikhiqizwe noma ezibandakanya ukukhiqizwa ngaphandle kokusebenzisa umanyolo wamakhemikhali, ukuze kutshalwe izitshalo ezibamba ukushisa kubuye kuqinisekiswe ikhwalithi engcono ukuhlangabezana nesidingo semakethe unyaka wonke. Ifayiba yemvelo ekhishwe ekhobeni langaphandle likakhukhunathi iwumkhiqizo oyingqimba okhiqizwa ngokwemzelo ekhiqizwa ngokuphilayo equkethe ikhoba lwangaphandle noma ungqimba olune fayiba phakathi nendawo yesithelo sikakhukhunathi futhi ibhekwa njengenzuzo yemvelo ngenxa yemvelo yayo evuselelekayo. Inhloso yocwaningo kwakuwukuthola umthelela wezinhlobo ezahlukene zongqimba lwekhukhunathi (inzuzo namandla) ekukhuleni, ekuvuneni kanye nezakhi zamakhemikhali ezinto eziphilayo zesithelo sikatamatisi esitshalwe endaweni ebamba ukushisa. Izinguquko ezifana nenombolo yezithelo, inkomba yokuvuna, amavithamini, nelayikhophini ziye zahlolwa. Ucwaningo luveze ukuthi ifayiba yemvelo ekhishwe ekhobeni langaphandle likakhukhunathi (amandla) yayinezinombolo zezithelo eziningi uma kuqhathaniswa nezinye izindlela zokwelapha. Inkomba yokuvuna ibiphezulu kuyifayiba yemvelo ekhishwe ekhobeni langaphandle likakhukhunathi (inzuzo) uma kuqhathaniswa nezinye izindlela zokwelapha. Isithelo esikhuliswe ngaphansi kukakhukhunathi (amandla) sasinamazinga aphezulu kavithamini C kanye nelikhophini uma siqhathaniswa nezinye izindlela zokwelapha. Amakhemikhali ezinto eziphilayo ezifana namavithamini kanye ne-likhophini zaziphezulu esithelweni sikatamatisi esitshalwe ngaphansi kwekhoyili kakhukhunathi (amandla) kunezinye izindlela zokwelapha. Ngakho-ke kungatholakala ukuthi ukukhulisa utamatisi ngaphansi kongqimba lwefayiba yemvelo ekhishwe ekhobeni langaphandle likakhukhunathi (amandla) kuzoholela ekuvuneni okuphezulu kanye nezithelo eziminyene ezinomsoco. Abalimi bayakhuthazwa ukuthi balime isithelo sikatamatisi besebenzisa iungqimba lwefayiba yemvelo ekhishwe ekhobeni langaphandle likakhukhunathi (amandla) ukuze bathole isivuno esiphezulu, umkhiqizo osezingeni eliphezulu kanye nokwandisa inzuzo ngaphansi kwezimo zendawo ezibamba ukushisa.

Agriculture and Animal Health

M. Sc. (Agriculture)