2005 Plant Management Network. Accepted for publication 20 May 2005. Published 1 July 2005.

Performance of Grafted Tomato in Central Luzon, Philippines: A Case Study on the Introduction of a New Technology Among Resource-limited Farmers
J. R. Burleigh, former Site Director, AVRDC Manila Peri-urban Project, IRRI, Philippines (currently, 54 Encantado Loop, Santa Fe, NM 87508, USA); L. L. Black, Program Director, AVRDC (currently, Seminis Seeds, 7202 Portage Road, DeForest, WI 53532, USA); Lun G. Mateo, Professor, College of Agriculture, Central Luzon State University, Muoz, Nueva Ecija, Philippines; Dennis Cacho, former Research Assistant, Central Luzon State University, Muoz, Nueva Ecija, Philippines; Clarita P. Aganon, Professor, College of Agriculture, Central Luzon State University, Muoz, Nueva Ecija, Philippines; Tessie Boncato, Professor, Tarlac College of Agriculture, Camiling, Philippines; Imelda A. Arida, former Research Assistant, Peri-urban vegetable project, Philippines; Christian Ulrichs, Professor, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany; and Dolores R. Ledesma, Biometrician, AVRDC The World Vegetable Center, Shanhua, Taiwan, ROC Corresponding author: J. R. Burleigh. jburleigh@csuchico.edu Burleigh, J. R., Black, L. L., Mateo, L. G., Cacho, D., Aganon, C. P., Boncato, T., Arida, I. A., Ulrichs, C., and Ledesma, D. R. 2005. Performance of grafted tomato in central Luzon, Philippines: A case study on the introduction of a new technology among resource-limited farmers. Online. Crop Management doi:10.1094/CM-2005-0701-01-MG.

Abstract
Tomato production during the hot, wet season (June to November) in lowland areas of Central Luzon, Philippines normally is avoided because the risk of crop failure is high. Flooding from monsoon rains, root diseases, and heat limit crop production. Grafting, bedding, and shelters have been suggested as methods to commercialize tomato production during this period. Our objectives were to: (i) determine the performance of tomato grafted onto heat- and disease-tolerant eggplant rootstocks in this environment, (ii) select promising varieties to be used as scions, (iii) determine the cost/benefit of screen shelters for production of grafted tomato, and (iv) introduce farmers to grafted tomato culture. Technicians were trained to construct durable screen growth shelters for farmers and to produce vigorous, grafted tomato seedlings. Grafted and non-grafted tomato were grown on beds raised 30 to 40cm in either open fields or under screen (32 mesh) shelters in replicated trials during hot, wet seasons from 1998 to 2002. Fresh weight of marketable fruit from plants grafted onto eggplant EG203 was greater than weight from nongrafted plants in six of eight trials. In two of three trials, marketable fruit weight from plants grafted onto tomato H7996 was greater than weight from plants grafted onto eggplant EG203. In three of five trials, fruit weight from plants grown under shelter was greater than in open fields. Thirty-nine farmers produced grafted tomato commercially in 2003; thirteen showed a net, positive income while 26 did not. While these studies illustrated the risk of this technology, they also demonstrated that combinations of high-yielding scions and rootstocks, reduced construction costs, and timely planting and marketing can result in profitable tomato production during the hot rainy periods in the Philippines.

Introduction
Growing tomato in the hot, wet season (June to November) in SE Asia is difficult at best. Production is hampered by floods, heat, and root diseases. Growers are well acquainted with these constraints and generally do not raise tomato during this season. The outcome from reduced production is predictable and until recently, unavoidable. During this period, market prices for tomatoes soar and urban poor are denied local access to an affordable source of nutrition. In response to this dilemma, methods to overcome seasonality in tomato production by grafting tomato onto eggplant and tomato rootstocks have been developed (2,9,11). In general, eggplant tolerates flooding, and lines (e.g., EG203) have been selected that are resistant to bacterial wilt (caused by Ralstonia solanacearum) and root-knot nematode (caused by Meloidogyne incognita) and are immune to tomato Fusarium wilt (caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici). Tomato yield is suppressed somewhat by grafting onto eggplant; therefore it is warranted only if flooding and disease are risks. Resistant tomato rootstock (e.g., H7996), is used when bacterial wilt (but not flooding) is a constraint. Generally, yields are not suppressed when tomato is grafted onto tomato, and in some cases, growth and production may be enhanced.

Grafting technology may be combined with shelters to produce a "package" of technologies. Researchers in Taiwan (4) reported a marketable yield of 34 tons/ha from tomato scions grafted onto eggplant grown under shelters during the hot, wet season, in contrast to 13.9 tons/ha obtained from non-grafted tomato grown in the open. Raised beds combined with shelters have also been shown to enhance production of grafted tomato (2,10); consequently, those features are part of the technology package. The methodology to produce grafted seedlings and how to manage a crop of grafted tomato has been developed and published (8). Collaborative work with growers in flood-prone areas of the Philippines has suggested that these techniques may be useful for resource-limited farmers in other SE Asian countries (6). However, documentation of the benefits of these practices is required. Studies were conducted during a 5-year period on yield and production cost of grafted tomato grown during the hot, wet season (June to November) in Central Luzon, Philippines. Our objectives were to: (i) determine the performance of grafted tomato in that environment, (ii) select promising scions, (iii) determine the cost/benefit of screen shelters for production of grafted tomato, and (iv) introduce farmers to grafted tomato culture. Replicated Research Trials Grafted and non-grafted tomato were grown in replicated trials under screen shelter and in open field on the campus of Central Luzon State University (CLSU) Muoz, Nueva Ecija, during the hot, wet season (June to November) from 1998 through 2002. From 1998 to 2001 experiments consisted of three factors (variety, graft, shelter) arranged in a randomized, complete block design with three replications. There were two varieties, two graft treatments (grafted, non-grafted), and two shelter treatments (open field, shelter). In 2002 the same three factors were arranged in a split, split plot design with shelter (N = 2) as main plots, variety (N = 4) as subplots, and graft level (N = 2) as sub-subplots. In separate but parallel trials conducted from 1999 to 2001 at CLSU we tested the performance of two rootstocks (eggplant EG203 and tomato H7996) grafted onto varieties Apollo and CLN5915 and grown under shelter and in open field. In these trials factors were two varieties, three rootstocks (EG203, H7996, and non-grafted), and two shelter treatments (shelter, open field) also arranged in a randomized complete block with three replications. Grafted seedlings were prepared by using methods and facilities described by Black, et al. (8). Scions were grafted onto eggplant EG203 and the bacterial wilt-resistant tomato, H7996. A local tomato variety, Apollo, served as the standard check and compared to other varieties: FMTT22, CLN5915-206D (referred to as CLN5915), and the F1 hybrid CHT501. Not all varieties were tested each year. FMTT22 was used in 1998 but replaced in 1999 with CLN5915. In 2001 CHT501 replaced CLN5915 because it yielded about 30 tons/ha in contrast to 14 tons/ha by CLN5915 when grafted and transplanted under screen shelters in Taiwan (4). Plants were inspected weekly for insect pests and foliar diseases and treated with appropriate pesticides as needed. Prior to transplanting, 2.5--30-m beds, 30 to 40 cm high, were prepared and sheltered by structures designed to reduce the impact of rain droplets on tomato flowers. Shelters were constructed from -inch galvanized iron (GI) pipe for vertical supports with -inch polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe for the arcs. Frames were partially covered by 32-mesh screen (Fig. 1). Generally, beds were divided into 2.5 5 m plots and treated with a basal application of 10 tons/ha of organic matter (composted household organic waste, chicken manure, and carabao manure) followed by 60-60-60 kg of NPK per ha, and then covered with plastic mulch. A side dressing of N at 90 kg/ha was made at flowering and again after the first pick for a total of 180 kg/ha. Plants were spaced 0.5 m between hills and 1 m between rows with two or three rows per bed

Figure 1. Rain shelter constructed from GI and PVC pipe on the campus of Central Luzon State University, Philippines.

Figure 2. Bamboo rain shelter constructed by farmers in Hagonoy, Central Luzon, Philippines.

Figure 3. Bamboo rain shelter constructed by farmers in Tarlac, Central Luzon, Philippines.

In all experiments, marketable fruit was harvested and weighed on 8 to 10 occasions about a week apart and total weight, expressed as tons/ha, subjected to ANOVA in Systat 10 to determine treatment effects.

Non-replicated Demonstration Trials

Non-replicated demonstration trials were conducted on the experiment station of the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) Los Baos, south of Manila from 1998 to 2002 and on five farm fields in southern Luzon. Tomato varieties CHT501, CLN5915, and CLN2026 were grafted onto eggplant EG203 and transplanted on raised beds as described above under screen shelters and in open field. Local farmers gathered periodically during the growing season to observe and discuss the merits of grafting as a means to produce tomato during the hot, wet season. In 2002 and 2003, demonstration trials also were conducted on the campus of Tarlac College of Agriculture (TCA) and on farm fields in Tarlac, Central Luzon. CHT501 was grafted onto eggplant EG203 and transplanted on raised beds under screen shelter following the same planting procedure as described for replicated trials.

Commercial Trials
In the 2003 off-season (June to November), 39 farmers in the Central Luzon provinces of Bulacan, Tarlac, and Nueva Ecija planted grafted tomato as a commercial venture. All had previously received training in grafted tomato technology. Farmers purchased grafted seedlings of either CHT501 or CLN5915 at 2 to 5 Philippine Pesos (0.04 to 0.10 USD) per seedling depending on the source of seedlings. All nine farmers in Tarlac purchased seedlings of CHT501, whereas in Bulacan and Nueva Ecija, most received CLN5915 because the number of CHT501 transplants was insufficient to supply all 30 growers. Materials to construct screen shelters were provided by provincial agriculture offices with the understanding that all monies advanced to farmers would be repaid at the end of the season. This practice is common in the Philippines when new technologies are introduced to farmers. Farmers were advised to transplant grafted plants in July so that fruit reached market during the October to December period when prices per kg are highest (1). We interviewed all commercial growers to observe and document the type of shelter erected and cost of materials. Surveys were conducted weekly to record weight of marketable fruit picked and price received. Prior to 2003, farmer-cooperators were provided grafted seedlings and encouraged to construct standard shelters of galvanized pipe based on the rationale that sturdy structures would withstand severe storms and perhaps even typhoons better than structures constructed from bamboo, the farmer preference. Nevertheless, in spite of solid arguments for investment in longterm, sturdy structures, farmers uniformly chose to use bamboo (Figs. 2 and 3). Net income among the 39 commercial growers in 2003 was determined by using actual costs for shelter materials amortized over three years (effective life of screen and PVC pipe), cash cost for seedlings, fertilizer, pesticides, irrigation, and labor, total weight of marketable fruit harvested, and market price received. During this period, we documented that variety had little effect on price in local markets. Marketable fruit from the standard variety, Apollo, and from the hybrid CHT501 usually sold for the same price.

Effect of Grafting
In six of eight replicated trials, tomato grafted onto eggplant EG203 yielded significantly more than non-grafted, across varieties and shelter levels (Table 1). Mean yield across years of fresh marketable fruit from grafted plants was 12.38 tons/ha but only 5.47 for non-grafted plants. These values indicate a clear yield advantage from grafting and are similar to results from Taiwan (4).

Effect of Screen Shelter

Yield under screen shelter was significantly greater than in open fields across scions and graft levels when tomato was transplanted in July, but not in September (Table 1). Rainfall in Central Luzon reaches a peak in August and diminishes progressively from September to January (1). Consequently, shelters have their greatest impact on plant survival and fruit set during July and August. July is the preferred month to transplant because fresh fruit reaches local markets during October to early December when prices are highest (1) because there is no competition from standard production methods. By delaying transplanting to September, shelters are redundant but fruit reaches markets in late December and January when production from standard production methods is ample and prices are low. Table 1. Effect of grafting onto eggplant EG203 rootstock and use of shelters on marketable tomato fruit yield (tons/ha) across varieties; results from replicated trials at Central Luzon State University, Philippines.

Mean yield across variety and shelter treatment Mean yield across variety and grafting treatment z probability that variation between means could occur by chance. A P value < 0.05 indicates that means are significantly different at a probability of 5% according to Fishers F test.
y

Effect of Variety
The standard variety, Apollo, was superior to FMTT22 in 1998, the only year the two varieties were tested together (Table 2). In five of six trials yields of Apollo and CLN5915 were not significantly different. In 2001 and 2002, the hybrid CHT501 yielded significantly more than Apollo and more than CLN5915 in 2002, when the two varieties were contrasted. Table 2. Effect of tomato variety on marketable fruit yield from plants grafted onto eggplant EG203 rootstock, and grown under screen shelter in replicated trials over five years at Central Luzon State University, Philippines.

Probability that variation among means could occur by chance. A P value < 0.05 indicates that means are significantly different according to Fishers F test. y Yield of CHT501 is significantly different (P < 0.05) from yield of Apollo and CLN5915 but yields of Apollo and CLN5915 are not different. Further indication that CHT501 is superior to CLN5915 comes from non-replicated trials in Tarlac and in Nueva Ecija (Table 3). Among the five trials reported, production from CHT501 exceeded that of CLN5915. In three of five trials, yield of CHT501 was greater than 30 tons/ha, whereas yield of CLN5915 was consistently less than 10 tons/ha. Table 3. Yield (tons/ha) of two tomato varieties, CLN5915 and CHT501, grafted onto eggplant EG203 rootstock and grown under screen shelter in non-replicated trials in the Central Luzon provinces of Tarlac and Nueva Ecija, Philippines, 2002.

Effect of Rootstock
In two of three trials, mean yield of varieties was greatest when grafted onto tomato H7996 rootstock (Table 4). This may have been due to the fact that flooding was not a constraint in 1999 and 2001 (2). In all three trials, plants grafted onto eggplant EG203 and tomato H7996 yielded more than non-grafted plants, suggesting that bacterial wilt was a constraint. Eggplant EG203 is considered highly resistant to bacterial wilt (3). Table 4. Effect of grafting, rootstock treatment and tomato variety on marketable tomato fruit yield (tons/ha) over three years at Central Luzon State University, Philippines.

Grafted onto eggplant EGG203 rootstock, tomato H7996 rootstock or NG, Non- Grafted. P1 probability that variation between means for EG203 vs. H7996 across varieties could occur by chance. A P value < 0.05 indicates that means are significantly different according to Fishers F test. z P2 probability that variation between means for grafted vs. non-grafted across varieties and rootstocks could occur by chance. A P value < 0.05 indicates that means are significantly different according to Fishers F test.
y

Combination of Variety and Shelter

By grafting Apollo onto eggplant EG203 rootstock, yield was augmented about 4 tons/ha over five years of trials in open field and under shelter, whereas use of a shelter improved yield by about 2 tons/ha (Fig. 4). Similarly, grafting CLN5915 onto EG203 improved yield by about 3 tons/ha (Fig. 5). Grafted and non-grafted plants grown under shelter yielded about 3 tons/ha more than did plants in the open field. In contrast to Apollo and CLN5915, CHT501 grafted onto EG203 yielded from 6 to 12 tons/ha more than non-grafted (Fig. 6) and use of a shelter improved yield of CHT501 by 7 to 8 tons/ha. In a non-replicated trial with CHT501 grafting improved yield by 11 to 16 tons/ha and shelter improved yield by 5 to 10 tons/ha (Fig. 7).

Figure 4. Mean yield over 5 years of Apollo tomato, non-grafted and grafted onto eggplant EG203 and grown in open field and under screen shelter in Central Luzon, Philippines. Vertical bars show standard deviation of means.

Figure 5. Mean yield over 3 years of the tomato variety CLN 5915, non-grafted and grafted onto eggplant EG203 and grown in open field and under screen shelter in Central Luzon, Philippines. Vertical bars show standard deviation of means.

Figure 6. Mean yield over 2 years of the tomato variety CHT501, non-grafted and grafted onto eggplant EG203 and grown in open field and under screen shelter in Central Luzon, Philippines. Vertical bars show standard deviation of means.

Figure 7. Yield of CHT501 in 2002 non-grafted and grafted onto eggplant EG203 and grown in open field and under screen shelter in Central Luzon, Philippines.

Commercialization of Grafted Tomato

Among 39 farmers who raised grafted tomato in 2003, 13 showed a positive net income and 26 a negative income based on the calculation, net income = cash sales (shelter cost + seedling cost + cost of fertilizer, pesticides, irrigation and labor). Among 2 2 farmers with negative net income, mean shelter cost + seedling cost + inputs was 0.48USD/m , but 0.41USD/m among those with positive net income (Table 5). Farmers with positive net income had higher yields, sold their tomatoes at higher prices, and had less incidence of tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV) than did farmers with negative net income. Among the 13 profitable growers, nine grew the high-yielding hybrid CHT501. The mean sale price was 0.44USD/kg. Among the 26 non-profitable growers, 23 grew the standard variety CLN5915 and received a mean market price of 0.37USD/kg. Market price was not related to variety, but rather to timing of market access. Among profitable growers tomato was transplanted in June and July and fruit reached markets in October and November when prices are highest. In contrast, among the 26 non-profitable growers nine transplanted in August; consequently their fruit reached markets in late December and January when tomato from grafted fields competes with tomato from non-grafted and market price is low. The difference in TYLCV incidence between profitable and non-profitable growers probably is not related to variety as both CLN5915 and CHT501 are susceptible (5,7). Table 5. Mean values for net income, cost of shelter and seedlings, yield, price per kg, and % incidence of tomato yellow leaf curl virus for 39 farmers of grafted tomato in provinces of Bulacan, Tarlac, and Nueva Ecija; 26 of whom showed a negative net income and 13 showed a positive net income during the hot, wet season 2003.

Minimum Yield to Achieve Profitability

Based on a total input cost of 0.41USD/m for shelters, grafted seedlings, fertilizer, pesticides, irrigation, and labor, a farmer must produce 10.25 tons/ha and receive a sale price of 0.40 USD/kg to cover costs. Clearly, those milestones were exceeded by the 13 growers who showed a profit because most used the hybrid variety CHT501, and marketed their tomato between October and early December when prices were highest.
2

Implications for potential adopters

The implications for farmer-adopters of the grafting/shelter technology are clear: (i) use only high-yielding, heat-tolerant varieties as scions, (ii) minimize construction cost of shelters while providing for durability, and (iii) time transplanting to have fruit reach markets when prices are high. In Manila, markets prices climb during the hot, wet season and generally reach their zenith around Christmas (1); immediately after, prices plummet. Attention to these three principles is necessary for the grafting technology to succeed.

Acknowledgments
Work funded in part by BMZ, Project No. 7860.8-001.00; Contract No. 81014265

Literature Cited
1. Ali, M., and Porciuncula, F. 2001. Urban and peri-urban agriculture production in Metro Manila: Resources and opportunities for vegetable production. AVRDC Tech. Bull. No. 26. 2. AVRDC. 1994. Overcoming flood-induced damage in tomatoes using a new grafting technique. Pages 319-327 in: AVRDC 1993 Progress Report. Asian Veg. Res. Dev. Center, Shanhua, Tainan, Taiwan. 3. AVRDC. 1999. Control of bacterial wilt in tomato by grafting. Pages 71-74 in: AVRDC Report 1998. Asian Veg. Res. Dev. Center, Shanhua, Tainan, Taiwan. 4. AVRDC. 2002. Effects of rain shelter, grafting, and variety on yield of summer tomato. Pages 30-31 in: AVRDC Report 2001. Asian Veg. Res. Dev. Center, Shanhua, Tainan, Taiwan. 5. AVRDC. 2003. Breeding of Solanaceous crops. Page 7 in: AVRDC Report 2002. Asian Veg. Res. Dev. Center Pub. No. 03-563. Shanhua, Taiwan; AVRDC-The World Vegetable Center. 6. AVRDC. 2003. Hanoi-CLV peri-urban agriculture project. Pages 142-143 in: AVRDC Report 2002. Publication Number 03-563. Shanhua, Taiwan: AVRDC-The World Vegetable Center. 7. AVRDC. 2003. Year-round vegetable production systems. Pages 57-71 in: AVRDC Report 2002. Publication Number 03-563. Shanhua, Taiwan: AVRDC-The World Vegetable Center. 8. Black, L. L., Wu, D. L., Wang, J. F., Kalb, T., Abbass, D., and Chen, J. H. 2003. Grafting tomatoes for production in the hot-wet season. AVRDC International Cooperators Guide Pub No. 03-551. 9. Cheng, Y. W., and Chua, S. E. 1976. The possible use of grafted tomato-brinjal plants for tomato production in lowland tropics. Singapore J. Prim. Indust. 3:94-102. 10. Midmore, D. J., Roan, Y. C., and Wu, M. H. 1993. Management of moisture and heat stress for tomato and hot pepper production in the tropics. In: 1993. Adaptation of food crops to temperature and water stress: Proceedings of an international symposium, Taiwan, 13-18 August 1992. C. George Kuo, ed. Asian Veg. Res. Dev. Center Pub. No. 93-410. 11. Vuruskan, M. A., and Yanmaz, R. 1990. Effects of different grafting methods on the success of grafting and yield of eggplant/tomato graft combination. Acta Hort. 287:405-409.