Abstract
The study aims to evaluate the nutrient uptake and yield of tomato applied with vermicast using band and fertigation methods and enriched with vermi-foliar. A split-plot design was used with three replications. The main plot employed vermicast application (band and fertigation), and the subplots were enriched with variable amount of vermicast and vermi-foliar: vermicast (VC) alone, VC + vermi-tea, and VC + vermi-leachate. Result showed that the level of soil pH, organic matter, P2O5, and K2O was improved after two cropping periods. Both band and fertigation methods significantly increased (P = 0.001) the number of marketable fruits per plant and the fruit yield. Marketable yield was increased from 31.51 tons/ha in the vermicast alone to 36.51 tons/ha and NPK uptake of 5.15 g, 1.04 g, and 7.71 g, respectively, with the addition of vermi-tea. Tomato applied with vermicast using band method gave the highest yield of 35.60 tons/ha and nitrogen and phosphorus uptake of 4.41 g and 0.89 g. However, the nutrient uptake, as well as the number of marketable fruits per plant, was not influenced by band and fertigation methods and by the application of vermicast enriched with vermi-foliar, respectively.
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The authors would like to acknowledge the Research, Development and Extension staff of the University of Science and Technology of Southern Philippines in Claveria, Philippines, for the support in the conduct of the study.
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Alcantara, C.G., Gonzaga, N.R. Nutrient uptake and yield of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) in response to vermicast and vermi-foliar application. Org. Agr. 10, 301–307 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13165-019-00270-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13165-019-00270-6