African Journal of
Agricultural Research

  • Abbreviation: Afr. J. Agric. Res.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 1991-637X
  • DOI: 10.5897/AJAR
  • Start Year: 2006
  • Published Articles: 6900

Full Length Research Paper

Small farmer practices for production improvement of the kidney-type tomato landrace: A case study in Oaxaca

  Jesus B. Estrada-Castellanos1, Jose C. Carrillo-Rodriguez1, Martha Jerez-Salas1, Jose L. Chavez-Servia2* and Catarino Perales-Segovia3    
  1Instituto Tecnologico del Valle de Oaxaca, Exhacienda de Nazareno, Santa Cruz Xoxocotlan, Oaxaca, C. P. 71230, Mexico. 2Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigación para el Desarrollo Integral Regional del Instituto Politecnico Nacional, Unidad Oaxaca, Hornos # 1003, Santa Cruz Xoxocotlan, Oaxaca, C. P. 71230, Mexico. 3Instituto Tecnologico El Llano Aguascalientes, Km. 18 Carr. Aguascalientes–San Luis Potosí, El Llano, Aguascalientes, C. P. 20256, Mexico.  
Email: [email protected]

  •  Accepted: 30 May 2011
  •  Published: 04 July 2011

Abstract

 

In order to describe the crop management of the kidney-type tomato landrace in four communities in Oaxaca, Mexico, and determine the productive potential of four accessions (seed lots) under three management systems, 25% of the tomato producers in the communities of Santa Cruz Xitla, La Soledad, Santa Ines del Monte and Santa Maria Vigallo were interviewed, and a factorial experiment on crop management practices was established under a randomized block design with three replications. Results of the interviews revealed that, the kidney-type tomato landrace is produced under a system that combines traditional technology, sowing or transplanting in ‘cajetes’ (a hole or pit in which to place the seed or seedling), and introduced technologies such as drip irrigation, use of Agribon row cover, plastic mulch and chemical control of pests and diseases.  In the statistical analysis of the factorial experiment, significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) were found among the accessions for all yield characteristics evaluated.  The seed lot from Ejutla, Oaxaca generated the highest average fruit weight and equatorial and distal fruit diameter. The seed lots from Ejutla and Zimatlán interacted favorably with the traditional management and biospace systems in relation to higher expressions in fruit weight and distal and equatorial diameter.

 

Key words: Biospaces, local knowledge, native tomato, small farmers.