Mineral uptake by tomato cultivars as affected by organic and inorganic potassium amendments

2014 International Journal of Biosciences  
The study was conducted to investigate the response of various combinations of potassium from organic and inorganic sources on the mineral profile of two tomato cultivars i.e. Falcon and Rio Grande for two years. The response of tomato cultivars was assessed to six combinations viz. 0-0, 100-0, 75-25, 50-50, 25-75 and 0-100% of poultry manure (PM) and Sulphate of Potash (SOP). All the factors (K source, cultivar and year) alone and in combination significantly (P≤0.05) affected the mineral
more » ... le of tomato fruit. The lowest mineral content of potassium (28.13 g kg -1 ), zinc (19.20 mg kg -1 ), copper (10.97 mg kg -1 ), boron (16.39 mg kg -1 ) and iron (206.03 mg kg -1 ) was examined in Falcon cultivar in control treatment during 2009. However, lowest Ca content (453.28 mg kg -1 ) was recorded in fruits of Rio Grande in control treatment during 2009. The treatment 75-25 resulted in highest contents of Ca (590.50 mg kg -1 ) and Cu (15.12 mg kg -1 ) in Rio Grande cultivar during 2010. Similarly highest concentration of K (44.27 g kg -1 ), Zn (29.20 mg kg -1 ) and B (28.02 mg kg -1 ) was recorded for Rio Grande at treatment 50-50 of PM and SOP respectively. Whereas, the highest Fe (293.25 mg kg -1 ), was recorded in cultivar Rio Grande at a treatment of 100-00 of PM and SOP. It was concluded that a combination of PM and SOP at 75-25 and 50-50 ratio may be used as an optimum fertilization dose for obtaining higher mineral contents of tomato crop. Basson WD, Bohmer RG, Stanton DA. 1969. An automated procedure for the determination of boron in plant tissue. Analyst 94, 1135-1141. Blaise D, Singh JV, Bonde AN, Tekale KU, Mayee CD. 2005. Effects of farmyard manure and fertilizers on yield, fibre quality and nutrient balance of rainfed cotton (Gossypium hirsutum). Bioresource Technology 96, 345-349. http://dx.
doi:10.12692/ijb/5.10.1-9 fatcat:3eighridy5cjtk4btlpfzfmvxq