Effects of organic and inorganic fertilizers on growth and yield of two tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) varieties

Abstract

Two trials were conducted at the Teaching and Research Farm, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta in 2014 and 2015 to  determine the effects of organic and inorganic fertilizers on the growth and yield of two tomato varieties. Compost at 20 and 30 t/ha and N: P: K 20:10:10 compound fertilizer at 300 and 400 kg/ha were applied. Two tomato Varieties: AVTO 9803 (hybrid) and Ghana 41 were used. In 2014, the experiment was laid out in a split plot arrangement with fertilizer type as the main plot and variety as sub plot. In 2015, it was a split-split plot of fertilizer type as main plot, fertilizer rate as the subplot and variety as the sub-sub plot in three replicates. Data were taken on growth parameters of plant height, number of leaves and branches per plant as well as yield  parameters of number and weight of total and marketable fruits per plant; yield of total and marketable fruits per hectare. Data collected were subjected to analysis of variance and means separated using standard error. Fertilizer type had no significant effect on the growth and fruit yields of the two tomato varieties. Interaction between the fertilizer type and variety was not significant for growth parameters but for the fruit yield. Ghana 41 variety grew taller and had more leaves and branches per plant, higher total and  marketable fruit yields per plant with both fertilizer type and higher total (16.3 t/ha) and marketable (13.2 t/ha) fruit yields per hectare
with compost than AVTO9803(12.7 t/ha and 10.3 t/ha, respectively) in both trials. Application of 20t/ha compost and/or 300kg/ha N: P: K 20:10:10 compound fertilizer is recommended for the production of Ghana 41 and 300kg/ha N:P:K 20:10:10 compound fertilizer for the variety AVTO9803.

Keywords: Lycopersicon esculentum, Variety, Compost, Inorganic fertilizer, Fruit yield.