Impact of the Different Soil Amendment Materials on the Performance of Tomatoes (Lycopersicum Esculentum) in Delta South Ecoloigical Zone, Nigeria

Abstract

This research work evaluated the effect of three different soil amendment materials on the performance of tomatos (Lycopersicum esculentum) in Delta south ecological zone, Nigeria. The research was carried out in Delta State Polytechnic research farm Ozoro in two growing seasons between April 2014 and April 2015. The study was a potted experiment with four treatments: palm oil mill effluent (POME) poultry manure (PM) compound fertilizer (N.P.K 15:15:15) and control, replicated five times in a randomized complete block design (RCBD). Tomatos seedling of 10cm height were transplanted into each pot of different treatments. Performance parameters collected at monthly interval for three months were plant height (cm), branch numbers, numbers of fruit and fruit weight (g). Data collected were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA). The result obtained revealed that tomatos grown on soil amended wit poultry manure (PM) and palm oil mill effluent (POME) significantly performed better in height (cm), numbers of branches, numbers of fruits and weight (g) of fruits compared with other treatments.  Therefore, tomatos are recommended to be cultivated in soil amended with poultry manure or palm oil mill effluent in Delta south ecological zone, Nigeria.