Tomato genotype response to organic and synthetic fertilizers

Abstract

Purpose:The study investigated how selected tomato genotypes performed with combined applications of cocoa pod (CP) + poultry manure (PM), kola nut pod (KP) + poultry manure (PM), and NPK fertilizer, focusing on fruit yield, mineral content, and vitamin composition.

Method: The trial was carried out at Landmark University Teaching and Research Farm, Omuaran, Nigeria during the 2020 and 2021 planting seasons. The experiment utilized a completely randomized design with three treatments, each replicated three times. The treatments are: CP+PM; KP+PM; and NPK 15:15:15. Data were taken on yield and related traits, mineral and vitamin composition of tomato fruits. Data collected were subjected to a two-way statistical Analysis of Variance (ANOVA).

Results: NGB00711 exhibited superior fruit quality, whereas NGB00696 achieved the highest yield. Additionally, the combination of cocoa pod + poultry manure enhanced tomato yield, while kola nut pod + poultry manure boosted fruit nutrient content.

Conclusion: Genotypes NGB00711 and NGB00696 were identified as good candidates for the development of high-yielding tomatoes under organic nutrient regimes. Moreover, the application of 6.5g/plant of CP+PM and 6.4g/plant KP+PM appeared to improve both the yield and quality of tomato fruit compared to NPK Fertilizer. The combination of CP + PM seemed to result in higher fruit yield compared to other manure types.