Tomato and sweet pepper growth and yield as influenced by greenhouse structural design
Abstract
Greenhouse production is a technology that many growers in Uganda are adopting to produce
horticultural products like vegetables but most especially flowers due to the benefits associated
with greenhouse production like year-round production, proper control of pests and diseases but
most especially increased quantity and quality of yields. As a result, many growers are purchasing
greenhouses from various companies. Some greenhouse buyers take up huge loans so as to produce
crops like tomatoes, sweet pepper and even flowers in greenhouse. Many have ended up buying
greenhouses with designs that are not appropriate for production of these crops especially
vegetables in Uganda. They often realize low profits due to reduced quality and quantity of the
yields they produce that cannot meet the market standards. Growth and yield of tomato and sweet
pepper plants growing in five greenhouses with varying design specifications were evaluated over
a period of seven weeks. Data was collected on leaf length and leaf width, length of top three
internodes, fruit number, and fruit diameter. The relative growth rate of these parameters was also
collected. Results show significant differences in .1) Average plant leaf area .2) Average internode
length 3) Average fruit diameter and 4) Average fruit number relative growth rate except Average
leaf number relative growth rate. It is therefore, recommended that growers in Central region of
Uganda purchase greenhouses with the Quonset design as they allow light transmission into the
greenhouse therefore plants will receive maximum light required for proper growth and
development