Integrated use of bio-organic and chemical fertilizer to enhance yield and nutrients content of tomato

Authors : Shoaib AHMED, Matiullah KHAN, Taqi RAZA, Rizwan AHMAD, Javid IQBAL, Neal S. EASH

Pages : 126-132

Doi:10.18393/ejss.1022529

View : 10 | Download : 3

Publication Date : 2022-04-01

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Excessive use of chemical fertilizers causing a serious threat to the agro-ecological system, developing resistance to pest and declining food safety. Under current scenario, the application of bio-organic nutrients sources become imperative to sustain the productivity of arable farming. Thus to study the possible use of bio-organic sources of nutrients in soil fertility, crop quality and saving the application cost of chemical fertilizer, a pot experiment was conducted in green-house at Land Resources Research Institute, NARC Islamabad. Integrated effects of bio-organic fertilizers such as phosphate solubilizing bacteria insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(PSB);, vermicompost insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(VC); along with chemical fertilizer was investigated on soil-plant nutrients contents, growth and yield of tomato. Post-harvest results showed that the integrated use of bio-organic fertilizers with chemical fertilizer significantly increased the agronomic yield insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(Plant height and chlorophyll content); and fruit yield insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(Number of fruits, fruit weight, fruit diameter and yield); in tomato. The maximum plant height insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(161.24cm);, chlorophyll contents insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(61.2);, number of fruits insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(19);, fruit weight insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(55g);, fruit diameter insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(45.6a); and fruit yield insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(1.39 Kg/plant); were recorded in the treatment T5 where VC+PSB+75%RD were applied and minimum in treatment T1 insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(control);. Treatment T5 has increased 117% fruit yield over control. The highest N insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(2.05% and 2.89%);, P insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(0.33% and 0.50%); and K insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(2.32% and 6.67%); concentration in shoot and fruit of tomato respectively were found in treatment T5 insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(VC+PSB+75%RD);. Similarly, in soil the highest N insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(4 mg Kg-1);, P insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(0.66mg Kg-1); and K insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(3.53mg Kg-1); was recorded in treatment T6 insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(VC+PSB+100RD);. Thus, study results recommend that the integrated use of bio-organic sources with appropriate proportion of chemical/synthetic fertilizers is best option of fertilizer savings and to achieve maximum benefits regarding quality and yield.
Keywords : Tomato, phosphate solubilizing bacteria, vermicompost, chemical fertilizer, greenhouse conditions