Assessment of the Quality of Commercial Tomato Seedlings Sold in Markets in Lagos State

The quality of transplanting seedlings is a critical determinant of field establishment success and subsequent tomato yield, and assessing the quality of commercially traded seedlings at Lagos markets provides important consumer protection and value chain information. This study assessed the physical and physiological quality of tomato seedlings sold at five major agricultural input markets in Lagos State, South West Nigeria. Seedling samples of 50 plants per market were purchased on three sampling occasions across the growing season and assessed for seedling height, stem diameter, leaf area, root-to-shoot ratio, root dry weight, leaf SPAD chlorophyll reading, and incidence of damping-off disease. Seller interviews collected information on seedling production practices and age at sale. Results showed significant quality variation across markets and sampling dates. Mean stem diameter (3.4 mm) was below the transplanting quality threshold (4.0 mm) in 60 percent of sampled batches. Root-to-shoot ratios were below the optimal range in 68 percent of batches, indicating excessively leggy growth from overcrowded or underfed nursery conditions. Disease incidence (Fusarium damping-off) was observed in 38 percent of samples. Seedling age at sale averaged 35 days, within the recommended range. The study concludes that commercial tomato seedling quality in Lagos markets is generally below optimal transplanting standards and recommends the development of seedling quality certification standards, certified nursery registration, and farmer guidance on seedling selection at point of purchase.

Keywords: tomato seedling quality, commercial nursery, transplant establishment, Lagos State, seedling evaluation