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ABSTRACT
There is a growing demand for organic vegetable products. Increasing the marketable yield and quality of tomatoes through the use of optimal organic and inorganic fertilizers is a critical agronomic measure for crop productivity and soil health. However, little is known about the effects of Azolla on tomato productivity, fruit quality and soil organic changes. The aim of this study was to compare the effects of organic and inorganic fertilization on marketable yield and quality characteristics of tomato fruits. A pot experiment was conducted with four concentrations of Azolla and nitrogen in a completely randomized design. The results showed that Azolla has the potential to replace nitrogen and has a significant impact on fruit quality. The interactions of Azolla and nitrogen on the number of clusters per plant, the number of flowers per cluster, the proportion of fruit set, the number of fruits per cluster and the marketable fruit yield were significant. It can be concluded that the combination of Azolla and inorganic nitrogen fertilizer linearly increased the marketable yield and quality of tomato fruits.
Acknowledgments
The Sebeta Research Centre gave us the Azolla planting material, which the authors gratefully acknowledge. We also thank Mr. Seid Ali for helping set up the Azolla and supervising all aspects of the plant’s growth and care.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Authors’ contributions
Y.G.Z. worked on data collection, analysis, and drafting of the manuscript. A.H. and A.K. supervised the project, reviewed the draft of the manuscript, and corrected the overall design of the manuscript. H.A. Prepared the Azolla input, designed, and followed up on the project.