Nutrient uptake and yield of tomato under various methods of fertilizer application and levels of fertigation in arid lands

With rising concern about current irrigation and fertilizer NPK management, the present study was conducted to evaluate the effect of sources and methods of fertilizer application on nutrient distribution, uptake, recovery and fruit yield of tomato grown in a sandy soil. Equal amounts of NPK were applied in solid form or through fertigation at levels of 0%, 50%, 75% and 100% with the remainder 100%, 50% and 25% applied as solid fertilizers to the soil. Available NO3−-N and K were confined to the root zone of tomato in 75% and 100% NPK fertigation levels, while they moved beyond the root zone when they applied in two equal splits as solid fertilizers with drip (0% fertigation) and furrow irrigation. The mobility of P was greater in the root zone following its application through fertigation compared to a solid application as super phosphate. Drip irrigation showed significantly higher absolute growth rate (AGR), total dry weight (TDW) and leaf area index (LAI) of tomato over furrow irrigation. Moreover, tomato plants were able to utilize applied nutrients more efficiently in fertigation system than with conventional solid fertilizer application. Highest AGR, TDW and LAI were recorded when nutrients were applied to 100% by drip fertigation. The fruit yield of tomato was higher with drip irrigation (58.62 t ha−1) than with furrow irrigation, (47.37 t ha−1). Maximum fruit yield was recorded with 100% NPK fertigation (74.87 t ha−1) and was associated with a higher number of fruits per plant and a bigger fruit size than the solid applied fertilizers under both drip and furrow irrigation. On average, tomato accumulated more NPK across the fertigation levels than with drip and furrow irrigation. Similarly, the more controlled application of nutrients in fertigation treatments improved NPK recovery and fertilizer use efficiency (FUE) and resulted in lesser leaching of NO3−-N and K to deeper soil layers.