Progressive Agriculture 32 (1): 10-16, 2021 ISSN: 1017 - 8139

Effects of organic fertilizer on growth and yield of tomato

UK Laily1, MS Rahman2, Z Haque3*, KK Barman4, MAH Talukder1
1
On-Farm Research Division, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Agricultural Research Station,
Alamnagar, Rangpur, Bangladesh; 2Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Patuakhali Science and
Technology University, Dumki, Patuakhali, Bangladesh; 3Center for Environmental and Geographic Information
Services, Dhaka, Bangladesh; 4Bangladesh Agricultural Development Corporation, Nilphamari, Bangladesh.

Abstract
The experiment was conducted during rabi season 2019-2020 at Agricultural Research Station, On Farm Research
Division, Alamnagar, Rangpur to find out the useful effects of organic fertilizer on growth and yield of tomato. The
experiment was arranged in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with five treatments in three (03)
compacted replicate blocks. The treatments included T1: 100% Recommended Chemical Fertilizer (RCF), T2: 85%
CF + 3 tha-1 organic Fertilizer (OF), T3: 85% CF + 1 tha-1 OF, T4: 70% CF + 3 tha-1 OF and T5: 70% CF + 1 tha-1
OF. The highest yield was observed in T 2 (50.59 t ha-1) due to more number of fruit plant -1& weight of fruit plant-1
and the lowest was in T5 (35.32 t ha-1). These results may be due the parameters of growth components increased
with increasing amount of organic and inorganic fertilizers applied. Combination of organic and inorganic fertilizer
treated plots produced higher yield than plots without combination of organic and inorganic fertilizer. The highest
gross return (BDT. 607080) was found in T2 treatment and the lowest gross return (BDT. 423840) was recorded
from T5. The highest gross margin (BDT. 328520 ha-1) was obtained from T 2. The lowest gross margin (Tk. 145280
ha-1) was obtained from T5. Integrated nutrient management (combination of organic and inorganic fertilizer) is the
best option for higher tomato production in Bangladesh.

Key words: Organic fertilizer, soil fertility, chemical fertilizer, tomato

Progressive Agriculturists. All rights reserved *Corresponding Author: mzhaque81@gmail.com

Introduction
The term “Organic fertilizer”comprises material from usually also provide some measure of N, P and K, as
animal or plant origin. It covers all soil amendments well as varying amounts of micronutrients. Poor soil
that add to the pool of soil organic matter, namely fertility resulting from low organic matter content is a
organic compounds and carbon (C). Soil organic matter major production constraint in Bangladesh. In this
improves the physical properties of the soil by aspect, farmers were used frequently huge inorganic
improving its structure and water holding capacity and fertilizers and pesticides in their crop fields, resulting
by preventing nutrient leaching. harmful for sound environment (Islam et al., 2015a).
Better soil fertility with higher organic matter content
Since high temperatures promote the decomposition of
is a prerequisite for sustainable crop production, and
organic matter in soils (FAO, 2006), the addition of
organic manure can play a role in increasing soil
organic matter to soils is particularly important for
fertility and crop production. Application of organic
maintaining long-term soil fertility. Organic fertilizers

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 Performance of organic fertilizer on tomato

manures has been reported to increase crop yield and crops also gets degraded (Marzouk & Kassem, 2011).
improve soil quality, especially soil organic matter The main sources of the organic fertilizers are
content (Garg et al., 2005; Islam et al., 2010). Although composted livestock manures, plant residues (Mondol
synthetic fertilizer contains higher quantities of plant et al., 2020) and industrial wastes. The organic
nutrients than organic fertilizer, the presence of fertilizers provide the nutritional requirements of plants
growth-promoting agents in organic fertilizer makes and also suppress the plant pest populations.
them important for enhancement of soil fertility and Additionally, they increase the microbial activity in
productivity (Sanwal et al., 2007; Yadav and Garg, soil, anion and cation exchange capacity, organic
2016). Soil productivity is affected by cropping matter and carbon-content of soil. Organic fertilizers
systems and crop management practices including increase the yield and quality of agricultural crops in
tillage, synthetic fertilizer, and organic manure ways similar to inorganic fertilizers rather than
management as well as enhance the causes of pesticide problems (like- pesticide residues) create during crop
residues in the products (Anwar et al., 2017; Bhushan production and quality maintenance (Liu et al., 2007;
and Sharma, 2002; Islam et al., 2015b,c; Yeasmin et Tonfack et al., 2009; Islam et al., 2015b,c). Agomoniis
al., 2019). It has been reported that continuous and a newly introduce organic fertilizer that can improve
unbalanced use of synthetic fertilizer degrades the yield of crops. Therefore, the study was taken to
physicochemical and biological soil environment find out the useful effects of organic fertilizer on
(Mahajan et al., 2007). Balanced fertilization is a growth and yield of tomato.
prerequisite for exploiting optimum crop yield
Materials and Methods
potential and beneficial effects of organic manure in
crop production have been demonstrated (Ferdous et Site description and experimental design: The
al., 2011; Mahamood et al., 2016; Moyin-Jesu, 2015). experiment was conducted during 2019-2020 cropping
Combined application of organic fertilizer along with seasons at the Agricultural Research Station, On farm
synthetic fertilizer could be a promising soil Research Division, Alamanagar, Rangpur, Bangladesh
management practice to improve crop productivity, soil located at 25043.251’ N latitude and 089015.735’ E
fertility, and sustainability (Hernandez et al., 2016; longitude with an elevation of 29 m above mean sea
Moyin-Jesu, 2015). level. The area mostly falls under high- and medium-
high land of the Tista Meander Floodplain (Anowar et
Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is a very important
al., 2015; Ferdous et al., 2016). Water holding capacity
vegetable crop and consumed in most parts of the
of the soil is good. The area receives an average annual
world, from home gardens and greenhouses to large
rainfall of around 2,160 mm with an average
commercial farms due to its wider adaptability to
temperature of about 25°C (Ferdous et al., 2016).
various agro-climatic conditions. It is one of the most
fashionable salad vegetables and is taken with great The experiment was arranged in a randomized
relish. It is also one of the organically produced complete block design (RCBD) with five treatments in
vegetables crops in the world. The continuous use of three (03) compacted replicate blocks. The treatments
chemical fertilization leads to deterioration of soil included T1: 100% Recommended Chemical Fertilizer
characteristics and fertility, and may lead to the (RCF), T2: 85% CF + 3 tha-1 organic Fertilizer (OF) T3:
accumulation of heavy metals in plant tissues which 85% CF + 1 tha-1 OF, T4: 70% CF + 3 tha-1 OF, and T5:
compromises fruit nutrition value and edible quality 70% CF + 1 tha-1 OF. The crop variety was BARI
(Shimbo et al., 2001; Islam et al., 2020a,b; Uddin et al., tomato-17. Each plot measured 4m×5m. Thirty days
2015). Chemical fertilizer also reduces the protein old seedlings were transplanted on 17 November, 2019.
content of crops, and the carbohydrate quality of such

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 Laily et al. (2021), Progressive Agriculture, 32 (1): 10-16

Crop management: The crop was fertilized with Results and Discussion
recommended doses of fertilizers at the rate of 207-50-
The most important parameter i.e. yield which was
130-20-3 kg/ha of NPKSZn along with organic
affected significantly with different dozes of organic
fertilizer as par treatments. All the fertilizers were
fertilizer on tomato production. The results presented
applied at the time of final land preparation except urea
in Table 1 revealed that there was significant difference
and MoP. N and K were applied in three equal
among the treatments in respect of number of fruit
installments 10 days after transplanting (DAT), 22
plant-1, weight of fruit plant-1 and yield. The highest
DAT and 36DAT. Bavistin, marshal, tafgor, secure and
number of fruit plant-1 (56) and weight of fruit plant-1
acrobat were applied against late blight disease. The
was obtained from T2 (1.45 kg) and the lowest from T 5.
crop was irrigated three times at 20 DAT,37 DAT and
The highest yield was observed in T 2 (50.59 t ha-1) due
75 DAT. Other intercultural operations were done as
to more number of fruit plant-1& weight of fruit plant-1
and when necessary. The harvest was done from 18
and the lowest was in T5 (35.32 t ha-1). These results
February 2020 to 22 March 2020.
may be due the parameters of growth components
Data analysis: Data on yield and yield contributing increased with increasing amount of organic and
characters were taken and statistically analyzed using inorganic fertilizers applied. This can be due to the role
‘Statistics10’ software package. Production of tomato of organic fertilization in plant physiology and
included costs of field preparation, seed, planting, improving the quantity and quality growth
irrigation, organic manure and synthetic fertilizer, plant characterization and can provide plants with essential
protection chemicals, and harvesting. Gross return elements required (Sun et al. 2003; Lin et al. 2010;
under a treatment was calculated by multiplying the Ferdous et al. 2014). Combination of organic and
gross amount of crop produced by the farm-gate price. inorganic fertilizer treated plots produced higher yield
The gross margin was calculated by subtracting cost of than plots without combination of organic and
production from the gross return (Ferdous et al., inorganic fertilizer (Anwar et al. 2012; Ferdous et al.
2017a). 2017).

Table 1. Yield and yield attributes of tomato as influenced by Organic fertilizer (Agomoni Jaibo Sar) at Agricultural
Research Station, OFRD, BARI, Rangpur during 2019-2020.

Plant height Number of fruit Weight of Fruit Yield

Treatment (cm) plant-1 plant-1 (kg) (t ha-1)
T1: 100% Recommended 122.20a 4.7333ab 1.1067b 38.613b
Chemical Fertilizer (RCF)
T2: 85% RCF + 3 tha-1 OF 122.40a 5.6667a 1.4500a 50.597a

T3: 85% RCF + 1 tha-1 OF 115.47a 5.1333a 1.2967ab 45.360ab

T4: 70% RCF + 3 tha-1 OF 115.73a 4.7333ab 1.1433b 39.933b

T5: 70% RCF + 1 tha-1 OF 116.20a 3.8667 b 1.0100b 35.327b

CV (%) 8.5893 11.50 13.46 13.48

LSD 3.85 1.0449 0.3045 10.655

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 Performance of organic fertilizer on tomato

Similar results are reported by Ahmed et al. (2017) and 328520 ha-1) was obtained from T2. The lowest gross
Anil et al. (2008) who report increase fruit yield with margin (Tk. 145280 ha-1) was obtained from T5.
phosphorus and organic manure application. Anil et al. Similar result was reported by Ferdous et al. (2011a,
(2008) observed an increase in seed yield with combine 2011b) who report highest gross margin with
application of organic and inorganic fertilizers. combination of organic and inorganic fertilizer
application.
Economic performance: The cost and return analysis
of different treatments are presented in Table 2. The In the present study, the highest fruit yield was
highest gross return (BDT. 607080) was found in T2 obtained from plants treated with chemical
treatment and the lowest gross return (BDT. 423840) fertilizer in combination with organic fertlizer, while
was recorded from T5. The highest gross margin (BDT. yield was the least for control treatment.

Table 2. Cost and return analysis of tomato as influenced by Organic fertilizer (Agomoni Jaibo Sar) at Agricultural
Research Station, OFRD, BARI, Rangpur during 2019-2020.

Treatments Yield Gross return Total variable cost Gross margin

(t ha-1) (Tk. ha-1) (Tk. ha-1) (Tk. ha-1)
T1: 100% Recommended Chemical 38.61
463320 278560 184760
Fertilizer (RCF)
T2: 85% RCF + 3 tha-1 OF 50.59 607080 278560 328520
T3: 85% RCF + 1 tha-1 OF 45.36 544320 278560 265760
-1
T4: 70% RCF + 3 tha OF 39.93 479160 278560 200600
-1
T5: 70% RCF + 1 tha OF 35.32 423840 278560 145280

Market price of Tomato @ 12 BDT kg-1, urea @ 16, triple super phosphate @ 25, muriate of potash @15, gypsum
@10, zinc sulphate @ 150 and boric acid@ 150 BDT kg-1, Organic manure @ 7 BDT kg-1.

The present results are in line with the findings of from spinach and chili production has been observed
Ferdous, Datta, and Anwar (2017, 2018), Ferdous et al. with the combined application of chemical fertilizer
(2011), Rahman et al. (2011), Sarker et al. (2010), and organic manure (Muhmood et al. 2014). An
Yadav and Garg (2016), and Haque et al. (2018), who enhancement in growth, yield, and yield contributing
also reported better yields of field and vegetable crops characters of wheat and rice in the wheat-rice cropping
with the application of organic fertilizer. The combined systems has also been reported with the integrated use
application of organic manure and chemical fertilizer of chemical fertilizer and cow dung or poultry biogas
help improve N use efficiency through increased slurry (Haque et al. 2018) due to higher plant uptake of
nutrient concentrations, soil organic matter content, total N, P, K, and S.
water-holding capacity, bulk density, and soil
Conclusion
temperature (Akanbi et al. 2010). This increase in N
use efficiency promotes root and shoot growth Fertilizer application, especially for chemical fertilizer
resulting in an increase in crop yield (Datta et al. and organic manure applied to tomato field, can be
2015). Katuwal and Bohara (2009) reported an increase highly profitable with sustainable production increases
in vegetable crop yields and profits with the application for smallholder farming in northern region of
of organic manure. The highest economic profitability Bangladesh. Integrated nutrient management
(combination of organic and inorganic fertilizer) is the

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 Laily et al. (2021), Progressive Agriculture, 32 (1): 10-16

best option for higher tomato production in and Improving Food Security through Farming
Bangladesh. From the study it can be concluded that if Systems Technologies in the Monga Regions of
organic fertilizer usage can be increased then chemical Bangladesh. Annu. Res. Rev. Biol., 16(6): 1-15.
fertilizer application will be decreased and soil health Arancon NQ, Edwards CA, Bierman P, Metzger JD,
ultimately improved. Lee S, Welch C (2004). Effects of vermicomposts
on growth and marketable fruits of field-grown
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