Evaluation of Sixteen Tomato Genotypes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) for Yield and Associated Traits in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Background and Objective: Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is a crop with significant nutritional and economic value, yet its productivity in Nigeria’s humid tropical region remains constrained by genotype-environment interactions. This study evaluated sixteen tomato genotypes (NHTO 0205, NHTO 0214, NHTO 0222, NHTO 0263, NHTO 0393, NHTO 0394, NHTO 0396, NHTO 0400, NHTO 1056, F1 Thorgal, F1 Cobra 26, F1 Diva, Jos, Cameroon, B52, NHTO 0201) for yield and yield-related traits to identify high-performing genotypes. Materials and Methods: Twenty seeds from each genotype were nursed for five weeks and transplanted into polythene bags (55×45 cm) at one plant per bag/replication with six replications per genotype, in a Completely Randomized Design. Data collection was on a number of fruits, number of fruits per cluster, number of fruit clusters, single fruit weight, fruit length, fruit diameter, Number of locules, Fruit set, and yield. Data were analyzed using the F-test in ANOVA and means compared using Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (p = 0.05). Results: Results showed significant differences in number of fruits, number of fruit clusters, yield, single fruit weight, fruit length, fruit diameter, and number of locules, but number of fruits per cluster and fruit set were not significantly different. Highest number of fruits (55), fruit clusters (15.8), fruits per cluster (3.3), and fruit set (54.0 %) were recorded for NHTO 0396 while NHTO 0205 produced least number of fruits (2.3) and least number of fruit clusters (1.0), tomato jos had the least number of fruits per cluster (1.7) and B52 recorded the least fruit set (21.5 %). The F1 Thorgal produced fruits with highest single fruit weight (80.5 g), highest fruit diameter (5.8 cm) and highest yield (11.9 ton/ha) while the least single fruit weight was recorded in NHTO 1056 (2.9 g), NHTO 1056 had the least fruit diameter (2.2 cm) and NHTO 0205 had the least yield (0.3 ton/ha). The highest fruit length was recorded in B52 (5.5 cm), and the highest number of locules was found in NHTO 0263 (7.1). Conclusion: This study will aid farmers and breeders in selecting high-yielding genotypes for tomato production in Port Harcourt rather than relying on other regions of the country to produce the crop. The F1 Thorgal and NHTO 0396 are recommended as potential parents for breeding programmes.