Continuous Cultivation Method for Tomato Combining 6–8 Bunch Pruning and Intercropping in Plastic Greenhouse with Low Eave Height

Abstract

A continuous cultivation method for tomato as a new technique to increase yields using a plastic greenhouse with an eave height of 2 meters was developed. This method led to harvesting a total of 24 bunches in a year without year-round cultivation by combining 6–8 bunch pruning and intercropping 2–3 times. When the difference in the number of intercropping times was compared, the amount of light received by the leaves above the fruit cluster where the fruit grows during the low light intensity season is larger in the 4 intercroppings per year than in the 3 intercroppings per year. In addition, the average fruit weight and marketable fruit rates were improved, and the marketable fruit yield per unit area was increased. It became clear that more than 30 ton per 10 a yield was obtained by 6 bunches pruning with 3 times intercropping method.