Integrated Use of Vermicompost and Biofertilizers to Enhance Growth, Yield and Nutrient Content of Tomato Grown Under Organic Conditions

Abstract

T HE use of chemical fertilization leads to high crop yields, but it adversely influences the chemical, physical, and biological characteristics of the soil. Therefore, organic farming is important in several countries worldwide, including developing countries. The present work aimed to study the effect of the integration of two organic sources, namely vermicompost and biofertilizers, as a substitution for chemical fertilizer, on the growth, yield, and quality of tomato (cv. Ellisa F 1) , grown in an organic farm. The present work was conducted at a private organic farm, Sharqia Governorate, in the summer seasons of 2019 and 2020. This experiment included nine treatments, namely, 1. Chemical Fertilizer (Chem Fert) at 150: 60: 72 kg/feddan, 2. Vermicompost (Vermi) at 4 ton/feddan, 3. Vermicompost + Phosphate dissolving bacteria (Vermi + PSB), 4. Vermicompost + Vesicular-arbuscular mycorrhizal (Vermi + VAM), 5. Vermicompost + Azotobacter + Azospirillum (Vermi + Azoto), 6. Vermi + Azoto + Azos + PSB, 7. Vermi + Azoto + Azos +VAM., 8. Vermi + PSB + VAM and Vermi + Azoto+ Azos + PSB + VAM. The treatments of Vermi + PSB + VAM and Vermi + Azoto+ Azos +PSB + VAM significantly increased plant height, number of branches, leaf area, and leaf contents of chlorophyll, N, P, K, Mg, Fe, Zn, B, and Mn. They resulted in remarkable increase in yield traits (number of fruits/plant, fruit yield/plant, fruit yield/feddan), and improved all fruit chemical traits (total sugar, TSS, vitamin C and lycopene), except ß-carotene, as compared to the chemical fertilization.