EFFECT OF PERIODS OF COMPOSTING OF MEDIA ON THE WEED INCIDENCE AND THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF TOMATO (Solanum lycopersicum L)

A field experiment was conducted during the rainy season of 2018 at the Teaching and Research Farm of the Department of Crop Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka located in the derived savanna agro-ecology of Southeastern Nigeria. The experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of seven (7) growth media and duration of composting on weed incidence and on the growth and yield of Tomato. The seven (7) media were composted for two different durations which gave a total of fourteen (14) treatments. The duration of composting was 4 and 8 weeks respectively. The seven-growth media used and their ratio were; T1= Rice husk dust + Poultry manure + River sand (3:2:1), T2= Top soil + Poultry manure + River sand (3:2:1) as control, T3= Top soil + Poultry manure + River sand (2:3:1), T4= Top soil + Poultry manure + River sand (1:2:3), T5= Sawdust + Poultry manure + River sand (3:2:1), T6= Rice husk dust + Poultry manure + River sand (2:3:1) and T7= Sawdust + Poultry manure + River sand (1:2:3). One variety of Tomato (TIMA) was evaluated using the seven (7) growth media composted at two different periods (4 and 8 weeks respectively). They were laid out in complete randomized design (CRD) with seven replications. The objectives were to ascertain the optimum composted media for growth and yield of tomato and to check the incidence of weeds in the composted media. The study revealed that the media composted for 8 weeks had early seedling emergence, higher fruit weight and fewer weed weight and population when compared with the other media composted for 4 weeks. T2 growth medium recorded significantly higher values for plant height (46.30 cm), number of branches (1.50), number of leaves (17.14) and stem girth (1.44 cm). It could be concluded from the study that T2 and T4 growth media provided positive results for vegetative and reproductive growth of tomato and therefore should be recommended for efficient production of tomatoes in containers