Abstract:

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.