Youth, Family, and Contextual Characteristics Predicting Violence Exposure: Disruptive

Behavior Disorder Symptoms as a ModeratorPenny S. Loosier, Michael Windle, & Eun Young Mun

The University of Alabama at Birmingham

EXPLORING TOMATO (SOLANUM LYCOPERSICON) CULTIVARS FOR GREENHOUSE PRODUCTION

IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

Jaime James1, Nakisha Mark1*, Leevun Solomon1, Kenia Campo1, Wendy-ann Isaac1,

Ezra Bartholomew1, Chaney St. Martin1 And Richard Brathwaite1

1Department Of Food Production, Faculty Of Food And Agriculture, University Of The West Indies, St. Augustine

Campus, Trinidad And Tobago.

Reference: Mizra 2008. Evaluation of Greenhouse Technology in Crop Production in Selected Caribbean Development Bank Borrowing Member Countries.

Abstract

A tomato (Solanum lycopersicon) cultivar trial was conducted at the University Field Station, Valsayn, Trinidad under a gable roof greenhouse. The objective of this trial was to evaluate the performance of tomato cultivars grown under a protected structure for yield and fruit quality. Seven cultivars (Hybrid 61, Versatile, Summer star, IT71, Rhapsody, Caraibe and Striker) planted in coconut coir or sharp sand media were evaluated. There were no significant effects of media on tomato cultivars, but significant variations between the performance of the varieties. Versatile produced the highest number of fruit followed by Hybrid 61 and IT71. IT71 grown in coconut coir however, had the highest marketable fruits (4.15 kg/plot) followed Summer star in coconut coir (2.78kg/plot) and Hybrid 61 in sharp sand (2.27kg/plot). Plants in the coconut coir generally performed better and the elemental content of fruits were higher than in the sharp sand media with the exception of IT71 and Versatile.

Introduction

Throughout the Caribbean many entrepreneurs from rural and urban communities have adopted protected agriculture as a strategy to optimize yields, productivity and profit from their enterprise. These systems address the limitations of open field cultivation of vegetables, generate additional income (particularly pensioners) and contribute to household security. Despite the potential of the technology to produce substantially higher yields year round at a consistent quality on small areas of land in regions of adverse climatic conditions, there have been many challenges which affect the optimization of vegetable production under these structures (Mirza, 2008). The objectives of the study are:•To monitor and assess yield and yield components of tomato varieties in selected growth media under greenhouse growing conditions. •To monitor and assess rating of pest and disease incidence in tomato. •To monitor and assess crop physiological characteristics of tomato.

Materials and Methods

•Seven cultivars of tomato were planted in five gallon grow bags. •Two types of media were used- coconut coir (CC) and sharp sand (SS). •A completely randomized design was used with 5 replicates for each cultivar-70 experimental units of tomato. •Vegetative, reproductive, yield and physiochemical data of the plants and its produce were determined. •Pest and disease incidence were recorded. •The data was analyzed with SPSS 18.0.

Table 1: Relative Growth Rates of Tomato In Sharp Sand (SS) and

Coconut Coir (CC)

Crop Variety RGR mg g-1d-1 (SS)

RGR mg g-1d-1 (CC)

Tomatoes Striker 30 37.6Summerstar 26.7 34.8Caraibe 39.3 44.3IT71* 45.9 41.2Rhapsody* 28.9 24.6Versatile* 17 26.4

Table 3: Physiochemical Properties of Tomato In Sharp Sand (SS)

and Coconut Coir (CC)

Variety Media Type

Element

Ca% Mg% N% P% K%

Summerstar

CCSS

0.0300.029

0.0220.011

0.2040.314

0.1070.089

0.0290.022

Striker CCSS

0.0510.048

0.0130.016

0.2480.160

0.0560.007

0.0260.019

Caraibe CCSS

0.0520.051

0.0170.009

0.2740.219

0.0700.053

0.0470.032

Rhapsody CCSS

0.0490.048

0.0190.017

0.2700.226

0.1000.039

0.0370.036

Versatile CCSS

0.0480.049

0.0110.010

0.2040.230

0.0710.087

0.0220.030

IT71 CCSS

0.0470.053

0.0130.018

0.1860.270

0.0620.099

0.0250.018

Hybrid 61 CCSS

0.0370.046

0.0130.010

0.2190.193

0.0580.051

0.0300.033

Table 2: Marketable Yield of Tomato In Sharp Sand (SS) and

Coconut Coir (CC) -10 plants per plot

Tomatoes in Coconut Coir Tomatoes in Sharp Sand

IT71 – 4.15kg IT71- 1.38kg

Summerstar – 2.78kg Summerstar – 1.51kg

Hybrid61 – 1.96kg Hybrid 61- 2.27kg

Versatile – 1.62kg Versatile- 1.29kg

Rhapsody – 1.22kg Rhapsody- 0.83kg

Striker – 1.19kg Striker- 1.46kg

Caraibe – 0.72kg Caraibe- 0.71kg

DiscussionFrom the results the plants in the coconut coir medium performedbetter than those in sharp sand with the exception of IT71 andRhapsody, whose RGR was higher in the sharp sand. Although IT71had the highest RGR in SS, however its yield was higher in CC.Caraibe had the lowest yield in both media because it was highlysusceptible to white flies.

Conclusions

Based on marketable yield and resistance to pest and disease e.g. white flies, the best tomato varieties:

IT71* SummerstarHybrid 61

Figure 2: Yellow sticky traps to manage White flies in the greenhouse.

Figure 1: Tomatoes in the greenhouse.