Abstract
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of nitrogen sources and rates on the physicochemical characteristics and yield of tomato plants. Forty hybrids were cultivated at 100 and 400 kg ha-1 of N, combined with four sources (urea, ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate and calcium), plus a treatment without N application in a randomized complete block design four replicates. Size, stem diameter, number of leaves, SPAD (Soil Plant Analysis Development), leaf nitrogen, number of fruits / plants, fruit firmness, bark thickness and average fruit size, ° BRIX, pH, calcium, potassium and sodium in fruits. There was an increase in SPAD index, Brix and longitudinal diameter of fruits as a function of the N dose. The use of ammonium nitrate and calcium provided stronger fruits. Urea and ammonium nitrate provided the highest pH value in tomato fruits. The application of the 100 kg ha-1 dose of N resulted in the highest potassium content in fruits. The highest productivity was obtained with the application of sources containing ammonium and the lowest in the control treatment. Sources and doses of nitrogen fertilizers influenced growth, productivity and parameters related to tomato quality.
Highlights
The suitability of the nutrients supplied to tomatoes is one of the factors that directly influences their growth, and their productivity and profitability for the producer (FERREIRA; FERREIRA; FONTES, 2010; MEHMOOD et al, 2012)
We aimed to evaluate the effect of nitrogen sources and doses on the physico-chemical characteristics and productivity of tomato crops
Plant height increased as a function of the doses in the second evaluation
Summary
The suitability of the nutrients supplied to tomatoes is one of the factors that directly influences their growth, and their productivity and profitability for the producer (FERREIRA; FERREIRA; FONTES, 2010; MEHMOOD et al, 2012). Among the relevant nutrients for tomato, nitrogen (N) is highlighted because it contributes to increased plant growth, root dry matter, stems, leaves, fruits, plant height, number of leaves, leaf area, flowering, fruiting and productivity (FERREIRA; FERREIRA; FONTES, 2010; MEHMOOD et al, 2012; KUMAR et al, 2013), in addition to affecting the absorption of other nutrients, e.g. calcium and magnesium (BORGOGNONE et al, 2013), influencing optimum tomato nutrition. It affects characteristics that confer quality to fruits such as pH, soluble solids concentration, titratable total acidity, contents of vitamin C, nitrate, coloration and fresh weight
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