Correlation and path-coefficient analysis of some growth characters of two irrigated varieties of tomato (<i>Lycopersicum esculentum</i> (L.) h. karst) in Kadawa Area, Nigeria

Abstract

Two field trials were conducted in the dry season of 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 at the Irrigation Research Farm of Institute for Agricultural Research, Kadawa located in the Sudan Savannah ecological zone of Nigeria to study correlation and path-coefficient analysis of some growth characters of two irrigated variety of tomato. Treatments consisted of two tomato varieties (UC82B and Rio Grande), two organic mulch (rice straw and sugar-cane peel) at recommended rates of 5 t ha^-1 and 10 t ha^-1, respectively and four nitrogen sources at recommended rate of 90 kg N ha^-1. Variety and nitrogen sources were assigned to the main plots while sugar-cane peel mulch was assigned to the sub plots and replicated three times. Plant height contributed the highest individual percentage contribution of 8.72% across the years while in 2015/2016 and 2016/2017. Number of leaves contributed the highest individual percentage contribution of 84.23% and 30.16% respectively. However, plant height via number of branches gave the highest combined percentage contribution of 10.30% in the mean result. The results has shown that to enhance the fresh fruit yield of tomato varieties in the Sudan Savanna characters such as plant height, number of branches and number of leaves, fruit diameter and canopy spread should be considered with plant height playing the most important role and therefore should be given prominence.