Response of Tomato (Solanum Lycopersicum L.) Varieties to Application of NPS Fertilizer Rates in Gursum District, Somali Region, Ethiopia

Abstract

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) production in the Gursum District is crucial for both food supply and income generation, but it faces significant challenges such as soil nutrient deficiencies, limited access to improved varieties, and the need for optimal fertilizer application. These issues often lead to lower yields and reduced profitability for farmers. To address these challenges, an experiment was conducted to identify the best tomato variety and the optimal NPS fertilizer rate to maximize fruit yield and economic benefits. The study tested three tomato varieties (Cochoro, Chali, and Gelilema) and five NPS fertilizer rates (0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 kg ha⁻¹) using a randomized complete block design with three replications. The results showed that both the tomato variety and the NPS fertilizer rates significantly affected the days to 50% flowering and maturity, the number of fruits per cluster, the yield of marketable and unmarketable fruits, the total fruit yield, and the average fruit weight. However, the interaction between the variety and fertilizer rates was not significant. Higher NPS rates (200 and 150 kg ha⁻¹) led to increased days to flowering and maturity, improved plant growth, more fruit sets, and higher yields, with the highest values observed at 200 kg ha⁻¹. The control group had the lowest values for all parameters, highlighting the importance of NPS fertilizer. The 150 kg ha⁻¹ rate produced the highest marketable fruit yield (42.76 t ha⁻¹) and the best economic outcomes, including the highest net benefit (662,158 ETB), benefit-cost ratio (6.15), and marginal rate of return (5173.26%). Additionally, growing the Gelilema variety with 150 kg ha⁻¹ NPS fertilizer could further increase the net benefit, benefit-cost ratio, and marginal rate of return to 770,451 ETB, 7.16, and 5562.28, respectively. Therefore, applying NPS fertilizer rate of 150 kg ha⁻¹ and using Gelilema variety is recommended to optimize tomato production and profitability in the Gursum District.