Effect of Integrated Use of Organic and Inorganic Sources of Nutrients on Growth, Yield and Quality of Tomato (Lycopersicon Esculentum Mill.)

Abstract

The present study entitled “Effect of integrated use of organic and inorganic sources of nutrients on growth, yield and quality of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.)” var. Pusa Rohini was carried out during 2017-18 at Horticultural Research Centre (HRC), of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut. A total of nine treatments i.e., T1-NPK 100% (120:60:50 kg/ha), T2-FYM 100% (25 t/ha), T3-VC 100% (8 t/ha), T4-NPK 75% + FYM 25% (6.25 t/ha), T5-NPK 75% + VC 25% (2 t/ha), T6-NPK 50% + FYM 50% (12.5 t/ha), T7-NPK 50% + VC 50% (4 t/ha), T8-NPK 50% + FYM 25% (6.25 t/ha) + VC 25% (2 t/ha) and T9-Control (No organic and inorganic fertilizers) were used in Randomized Block Design (RBD) with three replications. The finding revealed that the treatment T4-NPK 75% + FYM 25% (6.25 t/ha) was found significantly superior in terms of plant height, plant spread, primary branches plant-1 and number of leaves plant-1 at all the stages of crop growth as compared to control. Similarly, maximum diameter of main shoot was recorded with T4-NPK 75% + FYM 25% (6.25 t ha-1) while, minimum days taken to first flowering and days taken to first fruit formation exhibited by the application of T8-NPK 50% + FYM 25% (6.25 t ha-1) + VC 25% (2 t ha-1). The maximum number of fruit/plant at 3rd picking, diameter of fruit at 3rd picking, length of fruit at 3rd picking, fruit weight plant-1, fruit yield plot-1 and fruit yield ha-1 exhibited by the treatment T4-NPK 75% + FYM 25% (6.25 t/ha). The maximum peel thickness observed under the treatment T4-NPK 75% + FYM 25% (6.25 t/ha) while, maximum total soluble solids (TSS) and ascorbic acid obtained from the treatment T8-NPK 50% + FYM 25% (6.25 t ha-1) + VC 25% (2 t ha-1) during course of study.