Abstract

Tomato is one of the most important vegetable crops grown under irrigation in Southern, Ethiopia. Nitrogen and phosphorus are the most essential nutrients/ important inputs/, to increase the yields of vegetables including tomatoes typically depending on the fertility status of the particular soil types. An experiment was carried out to find suitable levels of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers under balanced fertilizer and to assess the economic feasibility of N and P fertilizer at Meskan, Gurage districts of Ethiopia. This experiment was designed in a Randomized Complete Block Design with the factorial arrangement in three replicates. Treatments were four nitrogen level (0, 46, 92, and 138 kg ha-1) and four phosphorous level (0, 20, 40, and 60 kg ha-1). The results of this study revealed that there are highly significant (P < 0.01) interaction effects of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer application during all growing seasons on total and marketable fruit yields of tomatoes. The maximum marketable fruit yield; 55.1, 60.1, and 52.8 t ha-1 were obtained during the 2019,2020, and 2021 growing seasons respectively by application of 138 kg ha-1 of N and 40 kg ha-1. Similarly, the maximum total fruit yield (59.5, 62.9, and 56.8 t ha-1) was obtained during the 2019,2020, and 2021 growing seasons respectively by application of 138 kg ha-1 of N and 40 kg ha-1. However, the lowest marketable and total fruit yields were obtained from the control or unfertilized plot. A linear increase in yield was noted with soil application of N and P for• all years. The more unmarketable yield was recorded at the unfertilized or controlled treatments Therefore, application 138 kg ha-1 of N combined with 40 kg ha-1 P fertilizers pointed out that the fertilizer level seems to allow a good balance of production and productivity and is economically advisable for farmers in the study area for better tomato production and similar soil types and agro-ecologies

Keywords

Fruit yield, Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Tomato