EFFECT OF NITROGEN FERTILIZER AND TRICHODERMA ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF TOMATO (BARI TOMATO-18)

Abstract

The present study was aimed to assess the effect of chemical (N) and biofertilizer (Trichoderma) on the growth and yield of tomato (Solanum Lycopersicum L.) and residual nutrient contents in the post-harvest soil. The experiment was conducted at the research farm of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka during the period from October 2019 to March 2020. The treatments included three levels of nitrogen (N) 0, 80 and 120 kg ha and four concentrations of Trichoderma (BF) 0, 1.5, 2.5 and 3.5 g kg -1 soil. Nitrogen influenced the growth and yield contributing characters of tomato. The plant height, 1 flowering date, number of leaves plant -1 , flowers plant -1 , fruits pot -1 , fruits plant -1 st , dry matter weight plant

and yield were the higher when 120 kg N ha -1 was applied. In case of Trichoderma treatments, higher plant height was obtained in BF 3 treatment (3.5 g kg -1 -1 soil) whereas the 1

flowering date, number of leaves plant -1 , flowers plant -1 , fruits plant -1 , fruits pot

were found higher in BF 2 (2.5 g kg -1 soil). The maximum dry matter weight plant was found similar in both BF 2 and BF 3 treatments. The combination of N and BF also exhibited a significant variation in yield attributes, vegetative growth, dry matter weight and yield. The higher plant height, number of leaves plant -1 , dry matter weight plant -1 -1 , yield pot , flowers plant , fruits plant -1 and fruits pot -1 was found in N 2 BF 2 treatment (120 kg N ha -1 and 2.5 g kg soil Trichoderma) compare with other combined treatments. The same combined treatments also showed the higher soil organic carbon content, total Nitrogen, available Phosphorous and Sulphur in post-harvest soil. As this combined effect (120 kg ha -1 N + 2.5 g kg soil Trichoderma) promote growth, yield and yield attributes of tomato and maintain maximum residual nutrients, therefore, N 2 BF 2 could be best treatment combination. -1 -1 -1 -1 -1 st -1