Response of tomato to irrigation and fertilizer management practices

The experiment was conducted to study the effect of different irrigation and fertilizer management systems on plant growth and yield of tomato, during 2005 and 2006 with three different management systems and six fertilizer levels and sources. The data on plant growth parameters shows that drip fertigation with 150% recommended fertilizer doses and FYM application to soil resulted in maximum shoot growth. The fruit parameters were found to be influenced positively by flood irrigation and soil application of fertilizers. But, the ultimate objective of yield maximization was achieved with drip fertigation taking 100% recommended doses of fertilizers and adding FYM to the soil. The yield levels were drastically reduced with flood irrigation treatments especially when only farm yard manure, double the quantity recommended, was added to the soil minus chemical fertilizers. The use of fertigation systems and integrated use of organics was found to have a combined effect on the yield maximization of tomato while maintaining soil fertility and achieving the goals of reducing nutrient losses for environmental safety.