Effects of Individual and Combined Application of Organic Plus NPK (15:15:15) Fertilizers on the Growth Parameters of Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum. Mill)

Abstract

Research was carried out to evaluate the effects of individual and combined application of organic, NPK (15:15:15), organic plus NPK (15:15:15), fertilizers on the growth parameters of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum. Mill) in the greenhouse condition of The Oke – Ogun Polytechnic, Saki (Derived savannah), Oyo State, Nigeria. Study was conducted in complete randomized design (CRD). Treatments were at four levels and replicated three times. The soil used was loamy sand. Results showed that the highest average number of leaves (140), number of roots (136), root girth (19.3 cm) and root length (40.8 cm) were achieved in organic plus NPK, highest average plant height (78.4 cm) and stem girth (7.6 cm) was achieved at 50 gm level of NPK (15:15:15) fertilizer treatment, while the highest average leaf area (45.6 cm2) was achieved at 50 gm level of organic fertilizer, the control values were far reduced compared to other levels of treatments. The analysis of variance indicated that organic fertilizer, organic plus NPK (15:15:15) fertilizers had significant (p ≤ 0.05) effects on number of roots, plant height, stem girth, root girth, leaf area, root length and number of leaves. NPK (15:15:15) fertilizer had significant (p ≤ 0.05) effect on number of leaves, plant height and leaf area and no significant (p ≤ 0.05) effects on number of roots, stem girth, root girth and root length, however, 50 gm level of treatment of organic fertilizer had distinct improved significant (p ≤ 0.05) effects on four (4) growth parameters; number of leaves, stem girth, root girth and root length when compared with other levels of treatments for NPK (15:15:15), organic plus NPK (15:15:15) fertilizers, therefore, 50 gm level of organic fertilizer could be applied for better production of Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum. Mill) in a loamy sand soil.