EFFECT OF DIFFERENT POTASSIUM LEVELS ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF TOMATO (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.)

Abstract

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) is a popular vegetable and the most important ingredient when any vegetable is cooked and referred to as “protective food” because of its special nutritive value and widespread production. The present research was carried out in 2017-18 at Horticulture Garden, Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam, Pakistan. To assess the Effect of Different Potassium levels on the Growth and Yield of Tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum mill.) the experimental trial was carried out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The Gola Variety Seedlings are transplanted at the field. Six different potassium levels were used for soil fertility Viz K1 (Control/ without K), K2 (25 kg ha-1), K3 (50 kg ha-1), K4 (75 kg ha-1), K5 (100 kg ha-1) and K6 (125 kg ha-1). Potassium should be applied on split doses and tomato crop was planted and observations were recorded for plant height (cm), number of branches plant-1, days to flowering, days to fruiting, number of fruits plant-1, the weight of single fruit (g), fruit yield plot-1 (kg) and fruit yield (ton ha-1). It was found that all studied attributes were statically significant (P<0.05) and influenced by different potassium levels. The maximum plant height (107.00cm), number of branches plant-1 (9.33), number of fruits plant-1 (91.66), the weight of single fruit (105.67g), fruit yield plot-1 (45.48kg) and fruit yield (49.12ton ha-1) was recorded in where potassium 100 kg ha-1 was used. The maximum plant height (103.60cm), number of branches plant-1 (7.33), number of fruits plant-1 (87.66), the weight of single fruit (101.00g), fruit yield plot-1 (40.95kg) and fruit yield (44.23ton ha-1) was recorded in where potassium 75 kg ha-1 was used. While the minimum plant height (70.00cm), number of branches plant-1 (3.66), number of fruits plant-1 (60.00), the weight of single fruit (48.00g), fruit yield plot-1 (10.27kg) and fruit yield (11.09ton ha-1) was recorded in where potassium did not be used respectively. The present results that the (100 kg K ha-1) had a better result for all parameters and all results were statically significant.