| Tomatoes are a source of income and food security for small-landholder farmers across Uganda, including the Kamuli District. Studies regarding sustainable practices are needed to increase production of the crop and improve farmers' livelihoods. This study investigated three tomato cultivars, Heinz 1370, Nuru F1, and MT 56, pesticide application, staking, and mulching for their effect on yield, disease severity and gross margin of tomato production in the Kamuli District of Uganda. The treatments were tested in a randomized complete block design with a factorial and split-plot arrangement during two growing seasons in 2013. Total and marketable fruit number, marketable fruit weight, gross margin, and disease severity (assessed using the area under disease progress curve) were measured.;Results indicated that disease-resistant cultivar, MT 56, in combination with pesticide application and soil mulch provided the highest marketable fruit number and marketable fruit weight and all treatments had a positive gross margin in the first season. A combination of MT 56, no pesticide application and no mulch resulted in the only positive gross margin in season two. Application of pesticides reduced disease severity (early blight, Alternaria solani ) for all cultivars in season one, and in season two for Heinz 1370 and Nuru F1, but did not affect disease severity for MT 56 in the second season. Using soil mulch reduced the severity of early blight disease, but decreased the gross margin when purchased. Staking did not affect yield or disease severity of plants and decreased the gross margin. |
