Effectiveness of soil and foliar applications of zinc and boron on the yield of tomato

Abstract

Field experiment was carried out for two consecutive years to study the effectiveness of soil and foliar application of micronutrients on the yield of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) at the Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Joydebpur, Gazipur. The micronutrients zinc (Zn) in the form of zinc sulphate (ZnSO4.7H2O) at the rate of 0.05 % and boron (B) in the form of boric acid (H3BO3) at the rate of 0.03% were applied as foliar spray at three different stages of plant growth i.e (i) before flower initiation; (ii) after fruit set when it becomes approximately marble sized; and (iii) at 20 days interval of second spray. The tomato yield and its contributing yield traits were significantly affected by foliar fertilizer treatments as against soil application of B and Zn fertilizers. Among various treatments, foliar application of Zn (0.05 %) + B (0.03%) produced maximum fruit yield (85.5 and 81.7 t ha-1 in 2013 and 2014, respectively) while the control no application of Zn (0.0) and B (0.0) produced 66.8 and 60.7 t ha-1 in 2013 and 2014, respectively and it was statistically identical with soil application of B and Zn @ 2 and 6 kg ha-1 (T5), respectively. The increment of yield was 19.2 to 31.1% and 7.57 to 18.3%, respectively, over control and soil application. The integrated use of foliar application of micronutrients and soil application of macronutrients are recommended to enhance tomato yield.Bangladesh J. Agril. Res. 41(3): 411-418, September 2016

Effects of Foliar Application of Micronutrients on Agronomic Traits of Beet Cv. Sonja under Dsa (Hot Summer Continental) Climatic conditions of Naqadeh Iran

“…Fertilizer and physiological growth stages of a plant has significant positive interactions (Mandal et al, 2007). In similar studies, foliar application of micronutrients in different ontogenetic stages of plant growth were significant for important traits including plant yield (Sultana et al, 2016). Therefore, it very important to optimize fertilizer efficiency for appropriate growth of a plant.…”

Recent Trends in the Foliar Spraying of Zinc Nutrient and Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles in Tomato Production

“…Passam and other fellow plant workers [42] also identified various malformations, such as shorter and thinner internodes, stunted growth, chlorotic spots on older flooring, and the upward twisting of the leaf borders in Zn-deficient plants. The maximum plant height (cm), number of branches per plant, number of leaves per plant, first day flowering at 29.68 days, number of fruits per plant (28.33), fruit weight per plant (1.38 kg), and fruit yield flowering at 29.68 days, number of fruits per plant (28.33), fruit weight per plant (1.38 kg), and fruit yield (51.12 t ha −1 ) were obtained under 10 Zn kg ha −1 [43].Sultana et al [16] also found that the tomato yield, both quantity and quality, meaningfully responded to foliar spraying of B and Zn nutrient. They also observed that foliar fertilization, consisting of Zn and B at 0.05% and 0.03%, respectively, accomplished the maximum fruit yield (85.5 t ha 1 and 81.7 t ha −1 in 2013 and 2014, respectively), while the control cropping plot achieved 66.8 and 60.7 t ha −1 in 2013 and 2014, respectively.…”

“…Nawaz and co-workers [15] observed in their experiment that the maximum number of tomato fruits per plant was produced and the total yield of tomato (28.43 t ha −1 ) was increased by 100% over control with the foliar application of 10 ppm Zn associated with the rate of 150 kg ha −1 , 100 kg ha −1 nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), respectively. The combined application of macronutrients in the soil, as well as a foliar spraying of the plant, was suggested to improve tomato qualities and yield [16]. The foliar spraying at 0.2% of zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, calcium nitrate with 0.1% spraying of B gave the most significant positive response in the case of growth, flowering, and yield and quality of tomato [17].…”

“…Foliar application of micronutrients is one of the most effective tools in terms of the quick response of microelements when roots fail to provide adequate supply [32]. Foliar spraying of microelements is a more appropriate approach than those of the soil application because of its various activities, such as overcoming nutrient deficiency quickly, relaxed application, decreasing the toxicity created by the accumulation in the roots, and stopping nutrient fixation by the soil [16]. Micronutrients have an impressive action in the development of different plant parts as well as and foliar spraying of these micronutrients can increase the vegetative and reproductive growth, setting of fruit, quality, and yield attributes of tomato by ensuring the photosynthesis effects of green plants [7].…”

Verification of Potassium, Zinc and Boron Fertilizer on Yield of Wheat (Triticum aestivum) in Jamma and Meket Districts of East Amhara

“…For soils that are deficient in potassium and micronutrients including zinc and boron the yield of crops increased through proper application of the nutrients (Chaudry et al, 2007;Dash et al, 2015;Gitte et al, 2005;Nadim et, al., 2012;Nataraja et al, 2006;Sultana et, al., 2016). Among micronutrients, Zinc (Zn) and Boron (B) play a key role in pollination and seed set processes; so that their deficiency can cause to decrease in seed formation and subsequent yield reduction.…”