Response of rainy season tomato to N, P fertilization and plant spacing in the eastern plateau region

Studies were conducted to find out the response of rainy season tomato cv. Arka Alok to plant spacing (50 × 30, 50 × 45 and 50 × 60 cm) and graded doses of nitrogen (50, 75, 100 and 125 kg/ha) and phosphorus (25, 50 and 75 kg P₂O₅/ha) on a sandy loam soil. Increasing intra-row spacing did not show any significant influence on the performance of individual plant, fruit quality characteristics, crop stand at the first and the last harvests and unmarketable yield but higher values for yield and number of fruit per plant were recorded with 45 cm spacing. The maximum height of plant, marketable fruit/m² and significantly more yield were recorded with 30 cm intra-row spacing. Application of N did not significantly affect the performance of tomato but higher crop stands at the first and the last harvests, more number of marketable fruit and better yields were recorded with 75 kg N/ha level. Application of 50 kg P₂O₅/ha recorded the maximum yield as well as number of fruits per plant and better total yield.