CONTENTS

Research Notes
J.Res. ANGRAU 41(2) 126-130, 2013
EFFECT OF ORGANIC FERTILISERS ON GROWTH, YIELD AND
QUALITY OF TOMATO Lycopersic esculentum
S. VANI ANUSHA, P. PRABHU PRASADINI, S. SRI DEVI and K. SURYA PRAKASH RAO
Department of Environmental Science and Technology,
College of Agriculture, Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad-500030
Date of Receipt : 28.01.2013 Date of Acceptance : 03.05.2013
Post green revolution chemical fertilizers are
being commonly used by farming community
indiscriminately to meet the population demand for
food. Intensification of fertilization (Hrivna et al., 2002)
and a wide range of fertilizers, imposes the
necessities for detailed analysis on the effect of their
application upon crop yield and nutritional value of
the obtained yield (Domske et al., 2001). However,
organic products use has also been increasing for
various reasons. Organic manures continue to be the
major substances that maintain congenial soil
environment for root growth and would supply
nutrients required for proper growth and development
of plants. However, the lack of supply to meet the
demand paved the way for alternate options such as
use of organic wastes, biofertilisers and organic
fertilizers.
A pot culture experiment was conducted in
the green house of the Department of Soil Science &
Agricultural Chemistry, College of Agriculture,
Hyderabad during kharif 2010 by using medium
textured soil, tomato as test crop, to study the effect
of organic fertilizers on growth, yield and quality. The
experiment was laid out in completely randomized
design. The treatments consists of T 1
(control), T 2
(Inorganic NPK @120-60-60 kg ha -1 ), T 3
(T 2
+ ZnSO 4
@ 25 kg ha -1 ), T 4
(Inorganic N @ 120 kg ha -1 + Bio
Phos @75 kg ha -1 + Bio Potash @75 kg ha -1 ), T 5
(T 2
+ Bio Zn @ 13 kg ha -1 ) and T 6
(T4 + Bio Zinc @ 13 kg
ha -1 ), T 7
(New Suryamin @ 25 kg ha -1 ), T 8
(T 2+
T 7
), T 9
(Aishwarya @ 125 kg ha -1 ) and T 10
(T 2
+ T 9
). Inorganic
N, P and K were supplied through urea, single super
phosphate and muriate of potash, respectively.
The organic inputs used in the pot culture
experiment were analyzed for physico-chemical and
chemical properties by using standard procedures
(Tandon, 1995). Phosphorus, potassium and zinc
were estimated in the triacid extract from finely
ground sample (0.5 gm) digested with 20 ml triacid
mixture consisting of HNO 3
: H 2
SO 4
: HClO 4
in 9:4:1.
Phosphorus content
was determined by
vanadomolybdo phosphoric method, using double
beam UV Spectrophotometer model UV5704SS at
420 nm; K by using flame photometer model CL 361
and
Zinc by using Atomic Absorption
Spectrophotometer model NOVAA300.
Different organic fertilizers with and without
inorganic fertilizers were mixed in the soil before
transplanting as per prescribed treatments. Two plants
were maintained in each pot. Plant samples were
collected at two stages i.e., at vegetative phase (30
DAT) and harvesting phase (90 DAT). Plant
parameters like plant height and drymatter production
were recorded at both the stages whereas chlorophyll
content (with SPAD meter) and leaf area (with model
LICOR-3100) were recorded only at vegetative stage.
Fruit weight was recorded at harvest. Fruit samples
at 90DAT were analyzed for lycopene content
(Ranganna, 1986). The results of pot culture studies
were subjected for statistical analysis as per the
procedures outlined by Snedecor and Cochran (1973).
Characteristics of Bio Phos, Bio Potash, Bio
Zinc, New Suryamin and Aiswarya are shown in Table
1 which indicated that all were acidic and contained
organic carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and
zinc. The organic carbon content ranged from 3.05
to as high as 27.8 % in Aishwarya, which was similar
to organic manures as reported in poultry manure as
20.12%, farm yard manure as 17.3% and EM
compost as 15.01% by Mallesh (2009).
email: prabhuprasadini@rediffmail.com
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