Effect of Salinity and NPK Fertilizer on Tomato (lycoperisicon esculentum L) Growth and Productivity in Dongola Area

Abstract

Experiments were carried out during two successive winter seasons (October -March 2011-2012 and 2012-2013).The objective of these experiments was to study the effect of salinity (S) and NPK fertilization (F) on growth and productivity of tomato(lycoperisicon esculentum L) Strain B . The treatments were seven levels of salinity 0,2,4,6,8,10,12ds/m (S0, S1, S2, S3,S4, S5 and S6 receptivity) and different rates of NPK, control,F0-75kg/ hectare, F1-150kg/hectare, F2 and F3- 225kg/hectare .Pot –experiments using completely randomized block design with three replicates was set up at the green house of Dongola ,Ministry of Agriculture in Northern Sudan. Tomatoes were grown in a clay –loam soil after the soil was analyzed to find out its original salt concentration, then NaCl was added to each treatment to reach the designated salt concentration levels used in this study. For each treatment level the fertilizer and salt were thoroughly mixed with 20 kg soil before potting. Measurements were recorded on plant height (cm), number of branches/plant, number of leaves/plant, fresh and dry weight of plant (g). Measurements of yield 12 and yield components which include diameter and length of tomato fruit (cm), total soluble solids (TSS), number and weight (g) of each of culls fruits, marketable yield and total yield of tomato. Soil and plant samples were collected form each treatment to determine the amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in each of the soil and plant after the termination of the experiments. The result showed that increasing the salt concentration resulted in a significant decrease in each of plant height, number of branches/plant, number of leaves/plant, fresh and dry weight of plant, whereas, those vegetative growth parameters were significantly increased with increasing rate of NPK application. The interaction between salt concentration and fertilizer doses was also significant in all these parameters. When the yield components were considered, the results clearly indicated that each of diameter and length of tomato fruit, total soluble solids (TSS), were significantly reduced with increasing salt concentration, whereas, they were significantly increased with increasing rate of NPK application. The interaction between salt concentration and fertilizer doses was also significant in the parameters of yield components. The result of the present study also showed that number and weight of each of culls fruits, marketable yield and total yield of tomato were significantly reduced as the salt concentration increased, while the application of NPK at increasing rate resulted in a significant increase in these parameters. The interaction between salt concentration and fertilizer doses was also significant. Generally, the pots without fertilizer application coupled with the highest salinity level (S6) had the least values in all measured parameters of vegetative growth, 13 ‫.‪increased and the salinity decreased all measured parameters increased‬‬ ‫‪The results revealed that the application of NPK at a rate of 150kg/ha or 225kg/ha‬‬ ‫‪at salt concentration up to 6 ds/m gave marketable yield of tomato that were not‬‬ ‫‪significantly different. This observation may suggest that when tomato crop was‬‬ ‫‪grown in soils having salt concentration more than 6 ds/m, soil reclamation and/or‬‬ ‫‪adequate management practices may be essential to improve the productivity of the‬‬ ‫.‪crop‬‬