Dergi makalesi Açık Erişim

Effect of planting time and tomato varieties on broomrape (Phelipanche aegyptiaca) emergence and tomato yield in western Turkey

2012    Kacan, Koray; Tursun, Nihat

The tomato is among the most susceptible hosts of Phelipanche aegyptiaca Pomel. Broomrape causes significant yield losses, due to excessive infection in areas used to grow tomatoes in Turkey. The present study was carried out with the purpose of determining the level with which the intensively grown tomato varieties in the area are affected by broomrape and the optimal planting time in order to reduce the damage caused to industrial tomato production by P. aegyptiaca. Field surveys were conducted during the years of 2007, 2008 and 2009 according to a split-plot trial design by taking the years as the main plot and tomato varieties as the sub-plots. At the end of the study, it was determined that the highest yield of tomato and lowest number of broomrape shoots were obtained in 2007. By continuing to grow tomatoes in the same area in the following years of 2008 and 2009 considerable decreases in tomato yields were observed, as well as increases in the number of broomrape shoots. While the highest yields were obtained from early plantings in each of the three years, the lowest weights in terms of broomrape shoots were also observed for early planted tomatoes. The highest tomato yield in terms of tomato varieties was obtained from the hybrid tomato variety. It was concluded that tomato planting should not be made in areas where broomrape is present, that early planting results in higher yields than normal and late planting and that suitable varieties that are resistant to broomrape should be used.