POTASSIUM MANAGEMENT FOR IMPROVING GROWTH AND YIELD OF TOMATO UNDER MOISTURE STRESS CONDITION

Abstract

The production of tomato is expected to reduce due to climate change induced major abiotic stresses like drought. So, the objectives of this study were to explore the influences of drought on morphology and yield attributes of tomato applying different potassium fertilizer doses. A pot experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. The treatments were T 1 ii

(Control), T 2 (0.63g K/pot + 40ml water/kg soil), T 3 (0.5g K/pot + 40 ml water/kg soil), T 4 (1g K/pot + 40 ml water/kg soil), T 5 (0.5g K/pot + 70 ml water/kg soil), T 6 (1g K/pot + 70 ml water/kg soil), T 7 (0.5g K/pot + 100 ml water/kg soil) and T 8 (1g K/pot + 100 ml water/kg soil). Drought levels directly reduced the plant growth attributes such as; plant height, leaf area, fresh and dry matter yield, relative water contents, leaf water potential, photosynthesis rate, fruit weight per plant and yield whereas; application of K+ fertilizer progressively alleviated deleterious effects of drought stress on plant growth. T 8 revealed the highest plant height at maturity stage (69.67cm), fruit number (42), fruit diameter (4.67cm), fruit weight (80.17gm) and fruit yield (3.3 Kg per pot). This study informs that an incremental increase yield by increasing levels of K on drought in case of tomato leading to improve the cultivated variety of tomato and fertilizer management.