Comparison of the Effect of Vermicompost and Inorganic Fertilizers on Vegetative Growth and Fruit Production of Tomato (<i>Solanum lycopersicum</i> L.)

Abstract

This study attempted to compare the effect of cow manure vermicompost and inorganic fertilizers on the vegetative growth and fruits of tomato plant ( Solanum lycopersicum L.). An air dried sandy loam soil was mixed with five rates of vermicompost equivalent to 0 (control), 5, 10, 15 and 20 t ha -1 and three rates of NPK fertilizer equivalent to 50% (N-P-K = 69-16-35 kg ha -1 ), 100% (N-P-K = 137-32-70 kg ha -1 ) and 200% (N-P-K = 274-64-140 kg ha -1 ). The treatments were replicated three times. The data revealed that shoot length, number of leaves, dry matter weight of shoots and roots, fruit number and fruit weight were influenced significantly ( P < 0.05) by the application of vermicompost and NPK fertilizer in the growth media. The highest dose of vermicompost of 20 t ha -1 increased dry weight of shoot of 52 folds and root of 115 folds, number of fruit(s)/plant of 6 folds and mean fruit weight of 29 folds while the highest rate of NPK fertilizer of 200% increased dry weight of shoot of 35 folds and root of 80 folds, number of fruit(s)/plant of 4 folds and mean fruit weight of 18 folds over the control treatment. The growth performance of tomato was better in the vermicompost amended soil pots than the plants grown in the inorganic fertilizer amended soil pots. This study suggested that the vermicompost served as a potential source of nutrients for plant growth.