EFFECT OF SOWING DIRECTION, PLANT SPACING AND WEED CONTROL TREATMENTS ON TOMATO YIELD AND ITS WEEDS

A field trial was conducted at the Research Farm of the University of Agriculture Peshawar, Pakistan in 2014 in order to assess the effect of sowing direction, plant spacing and weed control treatments on tomato yield and its associated weeds at. The experiment was laid out in a three factorial RCB Design with three replications. Sowing direction (factor A) had two levels i.e. North-South and East-West row sowing, factor B included three varying plant spaces (20, 30 and 40 cm) while factor C included the treatments of Rumex crispus as mulch, Sisymbrium irio as mulch, a hand weeded treatment and a weedy control. Results showed that E-W sowing direction significantly increased weed density m^-2 (132.92), fresh weed biomass (1616 kg ha^-1) and plant height (73.96 cm), whereas N-S direction resulted in increase in number of branches (11.96 plant^-1), number of fruits (11.11 plant^-1), individual fruit weight (87.17 g) and yield (20.46 tons ha^-1). Plant spacing of 40 cm significantly increased the weed density (152.67 m^-2), fresh weed biomass (1984 kg ha^-1), number of branches (12.52 plant^-1), number of fruits (11.79 plant^-1) and individual fruit weight (90.40 g); while plant spacing of 20 cm resulted in increased plant height (74.96 cm) and tomato fruit yield (22.07 tons ha^-1); whereas minimum weed density (89.75 m^-2), fresh weed biomass (987 kg ha^-1), number of branches (9.61 plant-1), number of fruits (6.65 plant^-1) and individual fruit weight (72.24 g) were noted at planting space of 20 cm. Among the treatments of weed control, weedy check resulted in highest weed density (184 m^-2), weed biomass ha^-1 (2243.7 kg) and plant height (80.94 cm) while hand weeding resulted in maximum number of branches plant^-1 (13.37), number of fruits plant^-1(12.25), individual fruit weight (91.35 g) and yield ha^-1 (23.69 tons) while minimum number of branches plant^-1 (7.91), number of fruits plant^-1(6.53), individual fruit weight (70.25 g) and yield ha^-1 (14.21tons) were recorded in weed check. In light of the results it can be concluded that north-south sowing direction, plant to plant spacing of 20 cm along with mulching of biomass of R. crispus can prove the best for environment friendly weed management in tomato at Peshawar (a lower elevated area), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan.