Abstract
This study aimed to assess the impact of utilizing diverse rootstocks grafted with scions of varying ages on the growth, yield, and fruit quality of tomatoes. Employing a Completely Randomized Design (CRD), the experiment featured three replications per treatment in a two-factor design. Results revealed that a 30-day-old scion exhibited a highly significant difference in tomato height gain at 15 and 30 days after transplanting (DAT) and statistically mirrored the performance of a 21-day-old scion at 60 DAT. A 25-day-old scion grafted onto wild eggplant demonstrated the greatest height gain among grafts but did not surpass the height of non-grafted tomatoes. Notably, the 30-day-old scion significantly influenced tomato height at 15 and 30 DAT. The 25-day-old scion of wild eggplant exhibited the highest height gain but failed to surpass the non-grafted tomatoes. A 21-day-old scion of eggplant yielded the highest plant and 240 sqm-based tomato yields. Interaction analysis revealed that a 30-day-old scion of eggplant produced the highest yield. Additionally, the 25-day-old scion of wild eggplant resulted in the largest fruit diameter, while the 21-day-old scion of black nightshade displayed the highest sugar content. Different scion and rootstock combinations yielded varying percentages of fruit color. Optimal profitability was achieved with a 30-day-old scion of eggplant, offering the highest net income, while the highest return on investment (ROI) was achieved with a 21-day-old scion of wild eggplant. Findings emphasize the importance of carefully selecting scion age and rootstock combinations to optimize tomato growth, yield, and quality, ultimately enhancing profitability in tomato cultivation.