Fruit Quality And Net Income Response Of Tomato (Lycopersicon Esculentum Mill.) To Different Levels Of Nitrogen And Plant Population In Alamata, Ethiopia

A study was conducted in the 2007 and 2008 cropping seasons to determine the effects of nitrogen and plant population on quality and net income of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) in northern Ethiopia. The design was a randomized complete block design with three replications. Data collected and analyzed included crop quality attributes and partial budget analysis. Application of N fertilizer significantly increased Total Soluble solid (TSS), fruit dry matter percentage (DM %) and fruit diameter. Higher fruit TSS and DM % were obtained at 230 kg N/ha compared to the other treatments. Intermediate N rate application (138 kg/ha) gave the highest values of fruit yield parameters and net return profits compared to the control. Similarly, Plant population had significant influence on fruit d DM % and fruit diameter.