Effect of nitrogen and phosphoruos on growth, flowering, fruiting and yield of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum MILL.)

A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of nitrogen and phosphorous on growth, flowering, fruiting and yield of tomato. The experiment was carried out at the Horticulture Research Farm, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow during winter season of the year 2007–08. Nitrogen was tried at four dozes (60, 80, 120 and 240kg/ha) and phosphorous was tried at three dozes (60,120,180 kg/ha). The result revealed that these treatments had significant effect on growth, flowering and yield of tomato. The maximum Plant height (85.35 cm), number of primary branches/plant (5.65), Days to first flowering (69.20), number of days to 50% flowering (81.80), number of days from flowering opening to fruit setting (13.88) at 180 kg N/ha and the days required flowering to fruit ripening (36.80), number of days required planting to fruit ripening (108.50), yield of per plant 613.33), number of marketable fruit per plot (526.33) were found the maximum at the 240kg N/ha. Similarly, the number of unmarketable fruit per plant (4.80), number of marketable fruit/plant (20.60), total weight of marketable fruit/plant (1.55kg), percentage of marketable fruit/plant (89.13) and yield of marketable fruit/ha (616.28q/ha) with the application of 240 kg/ha of nitrogen. Application of 240kg N/ha and 180kg P/ha proved to be optimum and economical for improving yield of tomato under Lucknow conditions.