Effect of organic fertilizer on the yield attributes and yield of tomato

Abstract

Abstract : The experiment was conducted at the Central Research Farm of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Gazipur during the rabi season of 2005- 2006 to evaluate the effect of ’Lalon’, an organic fertilizer on the yield of tomato. There were seven levels of fertilizers viz. absolute control, 'Lalon' @ 200 kg/ha, 100% recommended dose (RD) of fertilizer as per BARC Guide'2005, 'Lalon' @ 200 kg/ha + 100% RD, 'Lalon' @ 200 kg/ha + 75% RD, 'Lalon' @ 200 kg/ha + 50% RD and 'Lalon' @ 200 kg/ha + 25% RD. Recommended dose of fertilizer for tomato was 120-40-100-20-1-0.5 kg/ha of N-P-K-S-B-Mo, respectively + cpwdung @ 3 ton/ha. Different doses of chemical fertilizer in combination with 'Lalon' had significant effect on the yield and yield components of tomato. The highest fruit yield (50.79 t/ha) was recorded with 'Lalon' @ 200 kg/ha + 100% RD, which was statistically similar with that of 'Lalon' @ 200 kg/ha + 75% RD and Lalon @ 200 kg/ha + 50% RD. The yield components mostly followed the trend of fruit yield. Economic analysis showed that the highest gross margin (Tk. 4,94,6201/ha) was obtained with the treatment receiving 'Lalon' @ 200 kg/ha + 100% RD but its variable cost was also highest. The gross margin of the treatment having 'Lalon' @ 200 kg/ha + 50% RD was Tk. 4,42,910/ha and its marginal rate of return (MRR) was the highest (3255%) as it involved less variable cost which might be economically viable for the farmers.