INTENSIVE GREENHOUSE TOMATO PRODUCTION THROUGH INTERPLANTING

An investigation was conducted into continuous tomato cultivation throughout the summer and fall season as a part of energy saving measures in greenhouse production.
The experiment was carried out with the main crop represented by cv.
Orlando, and the intercrop and second crop by Orlando and Gitana.
The main crop was trained either with tops led along a wire (W) or fastened to the wire and let free (F). When the vigor of the main crop is strong, plants are more productive with the W training method.
If the growth is weak, F is the more productive method.

The interplanted crop started fruiting about a month earlier and gave from 2 to 3.5 times higher yield when compared to the second crop.
Although the vegetative and reproductive performance of the latter proceeded well, time was too short for satisfactory yield in unheated conditions.
The combination of main crop + interplanted crop is a feasible way to extend the production of the tomato in the fall and winter seasons.
It gave from 10 to 19 % higher yield when compared to a combination main crop + second crop.

I Balkan Symposium On Vegetables and Potatoes

K. Miliev, N. Alexiev

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1997.462.98