Evaluating horticultural practices for sustainable tomato production in Kamuli, Uganda

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. 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. 1 CHAPTER 1: GENERAL INTRODUCTION Written in the format of HortScience, a journal of the American Society for Horticultural Science Thesis Organization This thesis includes three chapters. Chapter one is a general introduction to the research. The second chapter is a manuscript that presents research results from experiments to determine sustainable horticultural practices for producing tomatoes in the Kamuli District of Uganda. The third chapter includes general conclusions of the studies and recommendations for further research.

Does participation in livelihood education programs impact household food security? A comparative study in rural Uganda

“…Findings and recommendations from several studies conducted in the programs and/or supported by the program directors inform action areas to improve FNS improvement strategies. Research areas have included livestock improvements (Ampaire, 2011;Kugonza et al, 2014;Marshall et al, 2023;Semahoro et al, 2018;Walugembe et al, 2014); postharvest technologies in grains and pest management (Bbosa et al, 2017;Brumm et al, 2021;Mayanja et al, 2018;Sserunjogi et al, 2021;Taku-Forchu, Qu et., 2023); food safety and food handling (Nabwiire et al, 2022;Nabwiire et al, 2023); global service-learning through school gardens (Ikendi, 2022a;2022b;Snodgrass, 2012); school lunches (Byaruhanga, 2016;Nonnecke et al, 2016); value chains in tomato production (Taku-Forchu, 2019;Tusiime, 2019;Tusiime et al, 2019) and tropical pumpkins (Kwikiiriza, 2022); sweet potato production through climate-smart agriculture (Waaswa et al, 2021a;2021b;Waaswa, Nkurumwa, Kibe, & Ng'eno, 2021); soil amendments (Akitwine, 2021;Anderson, 2023;Bwambale, 2015;Wokibula & Westgate, 2016); and promotion of amaranth production (Muyonga et al, 2010;Nampeera et al, 2019) -a major ingredient in therapeutic porridge at the NECs (Ikendi, Owusu, Masinde, Oberhauser, & Bain, 2023b) and school lunches (Byaruhanga, 2016;Ikendi, 2022b;. However, after the CSRL/ISU-UP transitioned in 2014 to the "comprehensive approach to the c...…”

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“…Findings and recommendations from several studies conducted in the programs and/or supported by the program directors inform action areas to improve FNS improvement strategies. Research areas have included livestock improvements (Ampaire, 2011;Kugonza et al, 2014;Marshall et al, 2023;Semahoro et al, 2018;Walugembe et al, 2014); postharvest technologies in grains and pest management (Bbosa et al, 2017;Brumm et al, 2021;Mayanja et al, 2018;Sserunjogi et al, 2021;Taku-Forchu, Qu et., 2023); food safety and food handling (Nabwiire et al, 2022;Nabwiire et al, 2023); global service-learning through school gardens (Ikendi, 2022a;Snodgrass, 2012); school lunches (Byaruhanga, 2016;Nonnecke et al, 2016); value chains in tomato production (Taku-Forchu, 2019;Tusiime, 2019;Tusiime et al, 2019) and tropical pumpkins (Kwikiiriza, 2022); sweet potato production through climate-smart agriculture (Waaswa et al, 2021a;Waaswa, Nkurumwa, Kibe, & Ng'eno, 2021); soil amendments (Akitwine, 2021;Anderson, 2023;Bwambale, 2015;Wokibula & Westgate, 2016); and promotion of amaranth production (Muyonga et al, 2010;Nampeera et al, 2019) -a major ingredient in therapeutic porridge at the NECs (Ikendi, Owusu, Masinde, Oberhauser, & Bain, 2023b) and school lunches (Byaruhanga, 2016;Ikendi, 2022b;. However, after the CSRL/ISU-UP transitioned in 2014 to the "comprehensive approach to the capacity development model"…”

Challenges and opportunities for use of long-lasting insecticidal nets to prevent malaria during overnight travel in Uganda: a qualitative study

“…Overnight travel was de ned as travel out of the city of Kampala, with travellers spending at least one night outside of the city, in the last three months prior to the interview date. Use of malaria prevention methods including LLINs, application of mosquito repellents as sprays or skin creams [19] wearing protective clothes [20,21] such as long sleeves, hats, jackets and socks [22], and use of herbal medicine like aloevera herbal commonly known as Kigajji and kazire and Vernonia amygdalina commonly known as mululuza before or during travel, was examined.…”