Two experiments were conducted at Universidade Federal de Viçosa (Brazil) to evaluate tomato plant growth and fruit yield under field and protected conditions. In the first experiment, tomato cv. Santa Clara was grown in the field and supported with stakes and each with seven clusters. In the second one tomato hybrid EF-50 was grown in plastic greenhouse and plants were vertically trellised and pruned at eight clusters stage. Both experiments were designed as randomized complete blocks, with four replicates. In the first and second experiment eight and nine treatments were evaluated, respectively. In both experiments, the fruits accumulated more dry matter than the other organs of the plant. In the first experiment, the highest values of plant and fruit dry matters, plant height, absolute growth rate (G), relative growth rate (R), net assimilation rate (E), and leaf area index (L) were 406.0 g plant-1; 207.0 g plant-1; 146.0 cm; 8,552.0 mg plant-1 day-1; 87.0 mg g-1 day-1; 38.0 mg dm-2 day-1 and 4.1, respectively. In the second experiment, the highest values for the above characteristics were 398.0 g plant-1; 269.0 g plant-1; 85.0 cm; 5,710.0 mg plant-1 day-1; 54.0 mg g-1 day-1; 464.0 mg dm-2 day-1 and 4.9, respectively. In the first experiment, total fruit yield reached 96.8 t ha-1; 93% of them were classified as marketable, corresponding to 738.0 kg ha-1 day-1 yield. In the second experiment, total yield was 115.4 t ha-1 with 94% of them graded as marketable, corresponding to 807.0 kg ha-1 day-1 yield.
Lycopersicon esculentum Mill; plasticulture; growth analysis; yield; quality
