Comparison of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv MT1) Yield using Empty Fruit Bunch (EFB) and cow manure compost as planting medium

Abstract

A glasshouse study was conducted to study the effect of pesticides, type of compost, and different treatment of fertilizer on tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cv MT1) yield from April to December 2015. The tomato plants were tested using split-split plot experimental design. The effect of pesticides was the main factor, the sub factor was different treatment of fertilizers and sub-sub factor was types of compost. A total of sixteen (n=16) treatments were designed namely as T1 to T16. The results showed that the highest plant height for every month were from different treatments while highest leaf weight was shown by T10 (200.0 g), highest stem weight was by T6 (261.3 g) and highest root weight was T3 (91.0 g). Longest root was shown by T12 (73.0 cm) while widest leaf area showed by T11 (48 cm2) and T3 (19.78 cm2) significantly (p<0.05). T15 showed significantly (p<0.05) highest of total fruit weight (560.3 g) and number of fruits per plant (32 fruits), but not significant (p>0.05) in fruit diameter (30.47 mm). Although T12 showed not significant (p>0.05) for total fruit weight (532.5 g) and total fruit per plant (17 fruits) but significant (p<0.05) in the fruit diameter (39.61 mm). Thus, this study demonstrated the combination treatment on tomato plant for T15 (organic pesticide, cow manure as medium of growth and chemical and organic fertilizer) produced significant (p<0.05) yield total weight and fruit count of tomato fruits.