Effect of Intercropping Ratio on the Cherry Tomato with Basil on the Growth, Physiological, and Productivity Parameters on the Rooftop in Urban Agriculture
This study evaluated the growth, physiological responses and productivity based on the intercropping ratio of cherry tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.) with basil (Ocimum basilicum L.). on the rooftops to determine out the efficient ratio in urban agriculture. From April to September 2019, an experiment was conducted on the rooftop of Konkuk University Glocal Campus. Cherry tomato and basil were selected as companion plants for eco-friendly urban agriculture on the rooftops. Each plot was created with a width of 100 cm, length of 100 cm, and height of 25 cm. After installing drainage and waterproof layers from bottom to top, substrate was laid out with a height of 20 cm. Intercropping ratio was consisted of a single tomato plant (TC), 2:1 tomato to basil (T2B1), 1:1 tomato to basil (T1B1), 1:2 tomato to basil 2 (T1B2), and a single basil plant (BC), were conducted using a randomized complete plot design with five treatments and three replication (a total 15 plots). Measurements were divided into growth, physiological responses, and productivity parameters, and detailed items were investigated and analyzed by classifying them into plant height, leaf length, leaf width, number of leaves, root length, root collar caliper, chlorophyll contents, fresh weight, dry weight, number of fruit, fruit caliper, fruit weight, and sugar content. Comparative analyses of cherry tomato with basil plants by intercropping ratio, growth, physiological, and productivity responses are determined to be efficient when the ratio of cherry tomato to basil ratio is 2:1 or 1:1.