Effect of different tomato pomace compost as organic fertilizer in sweet maize crop

ABSTRACT

Pomace from tomato paste is produced in great amounts after tomato processing industries in Greece. The aim of this study is to evaluate tomato pomace as fertilizer in sweet maize cultivation. Two-year experiments were set up in West Greece under organic cultivations. The experiments followed a randomized complete block design, with four treatments, with which were different fertilizer applications (control, Tomato pomace, Tomato pomace & inorganic fertilizer (NPK), Tomato pomace & manure) in three replications. The root density, root surface, and symbiotic of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) were statistically affected by fertilization for both years, and the combination of Tomato pomace (Tp) and manure gave the highest values. Organic carbon (C) was significantly affected by year and fertilization, as well as the total nitrogen (N) was significantly affected by fertilization. Soil porosity under tomato pomace and mix of tomato pomace and inorganic fertilizer do not show statistically significant differences. The highest values for plant growth and leaf area index were under the combination of tomato pomace and manure. The yield was statistically affected by fertilization and year. Therefore, tomato mixtures with manure as well as compost had the most positive results in almost all parameters of the studies.

KEYWORDS:

• AMF root
• organic C
• sustainable yield index
• sweet maize
• Tomato compost
• total N