Impact of seedling age and planting time on yield performance of tomato (Lycopersicon lycopersicum) in upland rice (Oryza sativa)-based cropping system

A study was conducted during the winter season of 1994-95 and 1995-96 in up land rice (Oryza sativa L.) fallows to evaluate the impact of seedling age and planting time on the fruit yield performance of different varieties ('B T 18','BT 12', 'BT 10','BT 2' and 'MIX ENT') of tomato (Lycopersicon lycope rsicum Mill.). All the varieties performed well when planted early, i.e. 16 November, with 15-day-old seedlings and showed a declining trend in fruit yield and other yield-attributing characters when planted late with aged se edlings. Among the tomato varieties, a remarkably good fruit yield of 60.7 and 47.0 tonnes/ha was recorded with 'BT 18' during 1994-95 and 1995-96 res pectively when planted on 16 November with 15 day-old-seedlings, followed b y 'BT 12' (59.7and 41.9 tonnes/ ha during 1994-95 and 1995-96) respectively . The economics of different tomato varieties also showed the same trend. T he gross return, net return and net retum/ rupee invested were always recor ded highest with 'BT 18, followed by 'BT 12' irrespective of seedling age a nd planting time.