Enhanced plant performance in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) through seed encapsulation with controlled-release fertilizers

ABSTRACT

Tomatoes are among the most widely grown vegetable crop, with more than 5-million hectares of land dedicated to its cultivation. To enhance production, many growers use conventional fertilizers which also contribute to non-point source pollution. While there are a variety of methods used to administer fertilizers to crops, some require expensive equipment, are labor intensive, or apply fertilizers not efficiently used by plants. This study considered an alternative approach that delivered controlled-released fertilizers to tomatoes using gelatin capsules; wherein both seed and fertilizer were planted together as a single unit. The objectives were to determine if seed encapsulation altered seedling performance, while also considering the possible use of encapsulation to deliver controlled-release fertilizers. Although seed vigor tests suggest gelatin can diminish seedling performance, seed encapsulation had minimal impact on seedling emergence when planted in soils. Capsule treatments (without fertilizers) were taller than controls, and the addition of fertilizers improve plant performance, with higher fertilizer content fostering greater growth. The results suggest that seed encapsulation may be an effective way to deliver fertilizers to crop plants, and that the combination of capsules and controlled-release fertilizer could possibly lead to a reduction in the quantity of fertilizers necessary for tomato cultivation.

KEYWORDS:

• Biostimulant
• capsule
• fertilizer
• gelatin
• seed encapsulation

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to a number of undergraduate students at Elon University who have been investigating seed encapsulation as part of their General Botany and Plant Physiology course projects over the past decade. Insights gained from those studies helped refine and direct this investigation. We thank R. Carranza and M. Touchette for assistance in data collection and analyses, and are appreciative of the generous support provided by the laboratory staff at NCDACS Division of Agronomic Services who helped conduct soil nutrient analyses. We also thank four anonymous reviewers and the journal editor who provided valuable comments and insights that substantially improved this manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

Funding for this research was provided by Klondike Agriculture, and the Departments of Biology and Environmental Studies at Elon University.