Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is a major vegetable crop whose productivity is highly sensitive to soil moisture deficit. A pot experiment was carried out to investigate the effects of water stress on vegetative growth and yield of tomatoes varieties at the Teaching and Research Farm, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Ogbomoso, Nigeria. The experiment was laid out in a factorial arrangement using a randomized complete block design, with water stress levels (control, 5, 10, and 15 days’ intervals) and four tomato varieties (F1 Cobra, Ansal, Chibilli, and Ogbomoso local). Data were collected on stem girth, plant height, and number of leaves at 3 and 5 weeks after transplanting (WAT), and yield parameters including fruit length, number of fruits per plant, fruit weight per plant, and fruit yield. This producing a 4 × 5 factorial combination replicated four times.
Results showed no significant differences among water stress levels at 3WAT, indicating that tomatoes seedlings tolerated mild water deficit during early establishment. However, by 5WAT, prolonged water stress (10-15 days) significantly reduced stem girth, plant height and number of leaves, while the control consistently recorded superior growth. Yield results revealed a similar trend, with control plants producing the highest fruit length (6.45 cm), number of fruits per plant (23.10), fruit weight per plant (385.2 g), and yield (27.5 t/ha), while 15-day stressed plants recorded the lowest values (5.64 cm, 17.93, 315.7 g, and 22.4 t/ha, respectively). Significant varietal differences were also observed: F1 Cobra outperformed all other varieties in both growth and yield traits, recording the longest fruits (7.12 cm), the highest number of fruits per plant (26.45), fruit weight per plant (420.8 g), and yield (30.1 t/ha), whereas Ogbomoso local consistently recorded the lowest values. These findings suggest that although tomato seedlings can withstand short-term water deficit, prolonged stress adversely affects both vegetative growth and yield. In conclusion, F1 Cobra demonstrated superior tolerance and adaptability to water-limited conditions compared to other varieties, making it a suitable choice for cultivation in drought-prone in the study area.
