Effect of different solid and liquid organic fertilizers on growth, yield and quality of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) hybrid under Prayagraj agro-climatic condition

Introduction

Tomato, (Solanum lycopersicum), flowering plant of the nightshade family (Solanaceae), cultivated extensively for its edible fruits. Labelled as a vegetable for nutritional purposes, tomatoes are a good source of vitamin C and the phytochemical lycopene. The fruits are commonly eaten raw in salads, served as a cooked vegetable, used as an ingredient of various prepared dishes, and pickled. It originated in western South America, and domestication is thought to have occurred in Central America. Because of its importance as food, tomato has been bred to improve productivity, fruit quality, and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. Solanum lycopersicum L. (Solanaceae) fruit production is globally important with an annual production of 170 million tons. Tomato production requires significant investment with pest control accounting for 40% of the total cost. Tomatoes are a significant source of umami flavour. They are consumed in diverse ways: raw or cooked, and in many dishes, sauces, salads, and drinks. While tomatoes are fruitsbotanically classified as berries-they are commonly used culinary as a vegetable ingredient or side dish. The tomato is grown worldwide for its edible fruits, with thousands of cultivars. A fertilizer with an NPK ratio of 5-10-10 is often sold as tomato fertilizer or vegetable fertilizer, although manure and compost are also used. On average there are 150,000 seeds in a pound of tomato seeds.

Materials and Methods

The investigation was carried out to study the "Effect of different solid and liquid organic fertilizers on growth, yield and quality of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) hybrid" at Horticulture Research Farm, Department of Horticulture, Naini Agricultural Institute, Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh during the Rabi season 2023-24 with a view to determine the effect of different solid and liquid organic fertilizers on tomato hybrid 'SS-846' for its growth, quality and yield and to work out the economics of various treatments. Under this experiment, over all 9 treatment was taken which were replicated thrice in RBD. T 0 No treatment (only 100% recommended doses of fertilizers will be incorporated), T 1 Farm yard manure (15-25 t/ha) (NPK+ 1.5-2.5 kg/ m 2 ), T 2 Crop residues (20-50 t/ha) (NPK + 2-5 kg/sqm), T 3 Vermicompost (7.5 t/ha) (NPK+ 0.75 kg/sqm), T 4 Poultry manure (10-40 t/ha) (NPK+ 1-4 kg/sqm), T 5 Biogas spent slurry (10 t/ha) (NPK + 1 kg/sqm), T 6 Vermiwash (50 ltr/ha) (NPK + 5 ml/sqm), T 7 Panchgavya (50 ltr/ha) (NPK + 5 ml/sqm), T 8 Jeevamruth (500 ltr/ha) (NPK + 50 ml/sqm) spray. The research was carried out with an objective of evaluating growth and yield of tomato.

Results and Discussion

Growth characters

The height of plant significantly varied among different treatment combinations. The maximum plant height (100.78cm) was observed with treatment T 8 (Jeevamruth + NPK) followed by T 7 (Panchgavya + NPK) with 99.01 cm. Minimum plant height (76.27 cm) was observed in T 0 (NPK), while the remaining treatments are moderate in their growth habit. Jeevamruth, a bio-fertilizer rich in beneficial microbes, enhances the growth of tomato plants by improving nutrient uptake and soil fertility. The application of Jeevamruth stimulates root development, leading to increased nutrient absorption and water uptake. This results in healthier and more vigorous plants, leading to taller growth. Additionally, the microbial activity in Jeevamruth promotes symbiotic relationships with the plant roots, further enhancing growth. It is evident that the Number of branches per plant was influenced by different treatments at all successive stage of growth. There was significant difference between the treatments among the treatments applied, T 8 (Jeevamruth + NPK) with 11.51 increase significantly better Number of branches per plant followed by T 7 (Panchgavya + NPK) with 11.49 whereas the minimum score was observed in treatment T 1 (NPK) with (8.85). The application of Jeevamruth, a bio-fertilizer containing beneficial microbes, triggers several mechanisms leading to increased branching in tomato plants. Firstly, the microbes present in Jeevamruth promote the synthesis and secretion of plant growth hormones such as auxins, cytokinins, and gibberellins, which play crucial roles in cell division and differentiation. These hormones stimulate the formation of new branches and lateral shoots in tomato plants.

Yield attributes

Among the application of solid and liquid organic fertilizers the minimum Days to 1 st flowering T 8 (Jeevamruth + NPK) with 39.11 days, followed by T 7 (Panchgavya + NPK) with 42.99 days whereas maximum Days to 1 st flowering 50.78 days was recorded in T 1 (NPK).

Firstly, the microbes in Jeevamruth interact with the plant's hormonal pathways, particularly auxins and cytokinins, promoting earlier initiation of floral meristems. These hormones stimulate cell division and differentiation in the shoot apical meristem, leading to the formation of flower buds. Additionally, Jeevamruth enhances nutrient availability and uptake, providing the essential elements and energy required for the metabolic processes involved in flowering. Furthermore, the symbiotic relationship between the beneficial microbes and plant roots improves overall plant health, reducing stress and promoting early flowering. At harvest time maximum number of flowers per cluster 6.45 was recorded in T 8 Jeevamruth + NPK) followed by 6.13 T 7 (Panchgavya + NPK) whereas minimum fruits per cluster 4.76 were found in T 1 (NPK). At the cellular level, the application of Jeevamruth, a biofertilizer enriched with beneficial microbes, accelerates the production of flowers per cluster in tomato plants through several mechanisms. Firstly, the microbes present in Jeevamruth interact with the plant's hormonal pathways, particularly auxins and cytokinins, which play key roles in floral development. These hormones promote the initiation and development of flower primordia within the inflorescence meristem, leading to an increased number of flowers per cluster. Additionally, Jeevamruth enhances nutrient availability and uptake, providing the essential elements and energy needed for the formation of multiple flowers. Moreover, the symbiotic relationship between the beneficial microbes and plant roots enhances overall plant health, reducing stress and promoting greater flower production. Overall, Jeevamruth facilitates earlier and increased flower production per cluster in tomato plants by modulating hormone levels, improving nutrient uptake, and enhancing plant vigor at the cellular level. The findings of the present investigation are in conformity with the reports of Meiliana et al. (2021) [10] and Rijal et al. (2021) [13] as reported in tomato. The maximum number of clusters per plant (15.67) were recorded in treatment T 8 (Jeevamruth + NPK) followed by T 7 (Panchgavya + NPK) i.e., 14.45 and T 6 (Vermiwash + NPK) with 14.11 and the lowest number of clusters per plant (9.11) were observed in T 0 (NPK). Jeevamruth promotes an increase in the number of clusters per tomato plant by fostering robust vegetative growth and enhancing flowering potential. Its nutrient-rich composition, including essential elements like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, supports healthy plant development. This encourages the formation of additional flower clusters, leading to higher fruit set and ultimately more clusters per plant. Moreover, Jeevamruth organic nature promotes beneficial microbial activity in the soil, which further enhances plant vigor and reproductive capacity, contributing to increased cluster numbers. These results are in close conformity with the findings of Kibria et al. (2016) [9] and Gopal et.al (2022) [5] as reported in tomato. The maximum number of fruits per plants (14.90) were recorded in treatment T 8 (Jeevamruth + NPK) followed by T 7 (Panchgavya + NPK) i.e., 14.75 and the lowest number of fruits per plant (7.68) were observed in T 1 (NPK). Jeevamruth enhances fruit set in tomatoes at a cellular level by promoting nutrient uptake and assimilation, bolstering photosynthetic activity, and regulating hormone levels. Beneficial microorganisms and organic compounds in Jeevamruth facilitate nutrient absorption, while increased photosynthesis provides energy for fruit development. Hormonal regulation influences flower initiation and fruit setting, resulting in a greater number of fruits per plant. These cellular-level effects collectively contribute to improved fruit yield in tomato plants treated with Jeevamruth. According to these the similar findings are reported by Kachave et al. (2021) [8] , Gore and Sreenivasa et al. (2011) [6] and Ashraful et al. (2017) [3] in tomato. The maximum number of fruits per plants (14.90) were recorded in treatment T 8 (Jeevamruth + NPK) followed by T 7 (Panchgavya + NPK) i.e., 14.75, T 6 (Vermiwash + NPK) i.e., 13.48 and the lowest number of fruits per plant (7.68) were observed in T 0 (NPK). Jeevamruth enhances tomato fruit yield at the cellular level by stimulating root development, optimizing nutrient uptake, and modulating hormone levels. Beneficial microbes and organic matter in Jeevamruth foster root growth, expanding the plant's capacity for nutrient absorption. This boosts metabolic processes, including photosynthesis, crucial for fruit production. Hormonal balance regulated by Jeevamruth influences flowering and fruit set, leading to increased fruiting. These cellular mechanisms synergistically contribute to higher fruit yields in tomato plants treated with Jeevamruth. Similar findings were reported by Reddy et al. (2018), and Kachave et al. (2021) [8] in tomato The maximum number of Days to 1st harvesting were recorded in T 8 (Jeevamruth + NPK) with (87.33) days, followed by T 7 (Panchgavya + NPK) with (88.44) days and T 6 (Vermiwash + NPK) with (90.00) days and the minimum number of days to 1 st harvesting were recorded in T 0 (NPK). At a cellular level, Jeevamruth may extend the time to first harvesting in tomatoes due to its focus on enhancing plant health and vigor. While promoting robust root development and nutrient absorption, it encourages vegetative growth over reproductive processes initially. This prioritization leads to prolonged vegetative stages before flowering and fruit set. However, in the long term, the strengthened plant foundation and optimized nutrient uptake facilitated by Jeevamruth can yield higher-quality fruits, compensating for the initial delay. Similar findings were reported by Kibria et al. (2016) [9] and Adekiya et al. (2017) [1] in tomato. The maximum average yield per hectare (566.48 q/ha) were recorded in treatment T 8 (Jeevamruth + NPK) followed by T 7 (Panchgavya + NPK) i.e., 547.72 q/ha and the lowest average yield per hectare (296.39 q/ha) were observed in T 0 (NPK) Jeevamruth enhances tomato yield per hectare by fostering a nutrient-rich soil environment conducive to robust plant growth. Its organic composition enriches the soil with essential nutrients, including nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, crucial for plant development. This promotes vigorous vegetative growth, increased flowering, and fruit set, ultimately leading to higher yields. Additionally, Jeevamruth supports beneficial microbial activity in the soil, improving nutrient uptake by plants and ensuring efficient utilization of resources, thereby maximizing yield per hectare of tomato cultivation. These results are in close conformity with the findings of Panda et al. (2020) [12] as reported in tomato

Conclusion

From the above experimental finding it may be concluded that the treatment T 8 (Jeevamruth + NPK) was found to be best in the terms of growth, Yield and quality of tomato. While, the highest net return was found in the T 8 with Rs. 6,62,926 and the highest B:C ratio was found in the same with 4.55.

References

1. Adekiya et al. Growth and yield of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) as influenced by poultry manure and NPK fertilizer. [Internet]. [cited 2022 Jan 31]. Available from: https://eprints.lmu.edu.ng/id/eprint/915
2. Arivazhagan A, Kandasamy R, Maniram S. Influence of organic inputs on the growth and quality of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) cv. Sivam. Annals of Plant and Soil Research. 2019;21(4):367-370.
3. Ashraful I Md, Sumiya I, Ayasha A, Habibur R Md, Dilip N. Effect of organic and inorganic fertilizers on soil properties and the growth, yield and quality of tomato in Mymensingh, Bangladesh. Agriculture. 2017;7(18):1-7.
4. Ferdous et al. Yield and Profitability of Tomato as Influenced by Integrated Application of Synthetic Fertilizer and Biogas Slurry. [Internet]. [cited 2022 Jan 31]. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1080/19315260.2018.1434585
5. Gopal et al. Influence of Jeevamrutha (fermented liquid manure) on growth and yield parameters of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.). World J Environ Biosci. 2022;11(3):1-7. Available from: https://doi.org/10.51847/WFD516GS8o
6. Gore N, Shreenivasa MN. Influence of liquid organic manures on growth, nutrient content and yield of tomato. Karnataka Journal of Agricultural Sciences. 2011;24(2):153-157.
7. Hussein et al. Effect of farm yard manure and NPK on the yield and some growth components of tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum). [Internet]. [cited 2022 Jan 31]. Available from: http://dx.doi.org/10.31830/23487542.2018.0001.43
8. Kachave et al. Effect of Organic Formulations and Inorganic Fertilizer on Yield Attributes, Yield and Quality of Tomato. International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences. 2021;10(06).
9. Kibria et al. Yield and Nutritional Quality of Tomato as Affected by Chemical Fertilizer and Biogas Plant Residues. [Internet]. [cited 2022 Jan 31]. Available from: http://www.sciencedomain.org/review-history/16663
10. Meiliana et al. Response to the growth of tomato plant (Solanum lycopersicum L.) to giving variation of organic fertilizers. Jurnal Pertanian Tropik. 2021;7(3, Dec):284-288. Available from: https://doi.org/10.32734/jpt.v7i3, Dec.4648
11. Muthukumar M, Jeyakumar P, Sritharan N, Somasundaram E, Ganesan K. Effect of organic and inorganic fertilizers on postharvest physiological characters of tomato. International Journal of Pure & Applied Bioscience. 2019;7(3):454-460.
12. Rijal et al. Effect of bio-manures on growth and development of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) Plant Cell Biotechnology and Molecular Biology. 2021;22(13&14):119-135.
13. Singh et al. Vermicompost and NPK Fertilizer Effects on Morpho-Physiological Traits of Plants, Yield and Quality of Tomato Fruits: (Solanum lycopersicum L.). [Internet]. [cited 2022 Jan 31]. Available from: https://sciendo.com/article/10.2478/v10032-010-00200#
14. Ukale et al. Metabolic analysis of liquid formulations of organic manures and its influence on growth and yield of Solanum lycopersicum L. (tomato) crop in field. [Internet]. [cited 2022 Jan 31]. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bcab.2016.08.007