Performance of tomato to combined application of foliar Algifol and granular NPK fertilizers on a typic haplustalf of Nigerian savanna

Abstract

In a greenhouse study conducted in 1999 and 2000 with soils from the Institute of Agricultural Research Experimental Farms, Samaru, (Latitude 11°11'N and Longitude 7°38'E) in the northern guinea savanna (NGS) agro-ecological zone of Nigeria, the effects of different levels of foliar fertilizer (Algifol) and in a combination of granular NPK fertilizers on tomato cultivar, Roma-VF, were determined. Observations were made on plant height, number of leaves and fresh fruits yield per plant. The results showed that treatments effect on plant height at 6 and 10 weeks after transplant (WAT) were not significant (P=0.05) in 1999 but was highly (P=0.01) significant at 10WAT in 2000. Leaves per plant were not significantly (P=0.05) different against treatments at 6WAT in both years but at 10WAT, the effect was highly significant (P=0.01). Fresh fruits yield/plant in 1999 was significant (P=0.05) and highly significant (P=0.01) in 2000. Combined application ranked best in growth and yield of tomato than with either single Algifol or NPK in view of its greater nutrient resources to meet crop needs.

Keywords: foliar, savanna, conventional NPK, Algifol, combined application.

Global Journal of Agricultural Sciences Vol. 4(2) 2005: 129-133