Yield and quality of bush processing tomatoes fertilized with dried organic and organomineral fertilizers

Abstract

The effect of dried organic and organomineral fertilizers on the yield and quality of the bush processing tomatoes variety ‘Proton’ were explored in 2005–2006. Field experimental plots were established in Žabčice in the Czech Republic. The following variants of fertilizers were included: Agormin T, Agro, Dvorecký agroferm, farmyard manure, mineral fertilizers and unfertilized control. All plots, except the control, were fertilized with mineral fertilizers on the same nutrients level. Total yield, marketable yield, number of fruits and mean fruit weight were assessed. Total solids, carotenoids, ascorbic acid and nitrates (mg.kg−1 of fresh fruit weight) were analysed in fruits. Fertilizers did not significantly influence total yield and marketable yield. The highest yields were found at Agormin T (7.42 kg . m−2 and 6.73 kg . m−2, respectively), the highest mean fruit weight was found at mineral fertilizers (82.9 g) and Agormin T (82.4 g). Fertilizing with Agro resulted in the highest number of fruits (81.0 pieces . m−2). Dvorecký agroferm significantly increased ascorbic acid content in fruits compared to the control. The highest nitrates content was recorded for the control, the lowest for mineral fertilizers. There was not found significant effect of fertilizers on total solids and carotenoids. All tested dried organic or organomineral fertilizers were shown to be efficient alternatives to traditional farmyard manure. Only Agro significantly decreased ascorbic acid content in comparison to farmyard manure.

Keywords

• organic fertilizers
• tomatoe
• yield
• fruit weight
• total solids
• ascorbic acid