Calcium nitrate application on tomatoes to increase blossom-end rot disease resistance

Abstract

This research aimed to determine the response of tomato plants to calcium nitrate application and to investigate blossom-end rot (BER) intensity in tomato plants. The study was conducted from March to June 2022 in the screen house, Department of Agrotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Musamus University. The trial was designed using a Randomized Block Design consisting of four fertilization treatments and three replications, resulting in 12 experimental units. The treatments were 0.0 g of calcium nitrate/polybag (P0), 0.88 g of calcium nitrate/polybag (P1), 1.33 g of calcium nitrate/polybag (P2), and 1.77 g of calcium nitrate/polybag (P3). Each experimental unit contained six plant populations, and all of them were considered sample plants. The results showed that fertilization affected the number of fruits infected with BER, the number of harvested fruits, and the weight of harvested fruits. However, the fertilizer application did not affect plant height and the age of the flowering initiation. The dose rise in P2 treatment displayed a decline in fruit with BER symptoms. On the other hand, the number and weight of harvested fruits increased. The highest intensity of BER is the P0 treatment (0 g calcium nitrate/polybag). The highest tomato fruit production was obtained from the application of 1.33 g calcium nitrate/polybag treatment.