EFFECTS OF NP FERTILIZER AND COW DUNG LEVELS ON GROWTH, YIELD, YIELD COMPONENTS AND QUALITY OF TOMATO VARIETIES (Solanum lycopersicon) AT ARBA MINCH, GAMO ZONE, SOUTHERN ETHIOPIA

Abstract

Tomato is one of the most important and widely grown vegetables in the world. The production is less in Ethiopia, due to poor agronomic practice, poor soil fertility management, uses of inadequate fertilizers level, etc. This study was conducted at Arba Minch Gamo Development Association farm center, with objective to determine the effects of applying different rates of cow dung and NP fertilizer on tomato varieties' growth, yield, yield component and quality parameters. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Two tomato varieties Melkashola and Roma VF and four rates of NP fertilizer, (0%NP, 25%NP, 50%NP and 75%NP) of the recommended rates of NP fertilizer, (200kg/ha DAP and 150kg/ha Urea respectively) and four rates of cow dung (0, 5, 10,15t/ha). The data were collected for growth, yield, yield components and quality parameters. The data were collected from growth, yield and quality parameters. The result revealed that the main effects of varieties, NP fertilizer and cow dung, had a significant effect on most parameters except leaf length, leaf width, number of fruits per cluster, total number of fruits per plant, total soluble solids, and titratable acidity had non-significance effect on the main effects of varieties. The result also revealed that the interaction effects of varieties, NP fertilizer and cow dung had significantly effects on the days to 50% flowering, days to maturity, plant height, leaf length and width, fruit’s width, length and weight, marketable yield, unmarketable yield, total fruit yield, pH and pericarp thickness. The highest marketable yield (31. 65t.ha-1 ), total fruit yield (31.95t/ha-1 ), total soluble solid (5 0 brix), fruit length (8.7cm), fruit width (11.3cm), and fruit weight (137.9g), was recorded from Melkashola variety with application of 50%NP +CD10t/ha. In conclusion the integrated application of 50%NP fertilizers + 10t/ha cow dung with Melkashola variety result in the largest yields of tomato in Arba Minch. From economic point of view, combined application of 50%NP fertilizers +10t/ha cow dung with Melkashola variety were found to be economically feasible and recommended for the study area. Thus, carrying out this experiment in various places and during various seasons will suggest making a final decision.