Yield of Trickle-irrigated Tomatoes as Affected by Time of N and K Application

Abstract

Tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) were grown on polyethylene-mulched beds of an Arredondo fine sand during two seasons to evaluate the effects of trickle-applied N and/or K, percentages of trickle-applied N and K (50%, 75%, and 100%), and schedules of N and K application on fruit yield, and leaf and shoot N and K concentrations. The daily irrigation requirement, calculated at 47% of the water evaporated from a U.S. Weather Service Class A pan (Epan), was met by the application of 4.6 mm to 7.2 mm water/day. Fertilizer was injected weekly in a variable (2% to 12.5% of the total amount weekly) or constant (8.3% of the total amount weekly) schedule during the first 12 weeks of each season. Trickle-applied nutrients and trickle-applied percentage of nutrients interacted in their effects on early, midseason, and total marketable fruit yields. When N + K and N were trickle-applied, the mean early total marketable fruit yield decreased linearly from 25.3 t·ha-1 to 16.3 t·ha-1 as the trickle-applied percentage of nutrients increased from 50% to 100%; but when K was trickle-applied (100% preplant-applied N), yields were not affected by the trickle-applied percentage (mean 26.3 t·ha-1). The weekly schedule of N and K injection had no effect on fruit yield or other characteristics. Higher leaf N and K concentrations early in the season were obtained when the respective nutrient was 50% to 100% preplant-applied than when the respective nutrient was 75% to 100% trickle-applied; but late in the season, higher concentrations were obtained when the respective nutrient was trickle-applied. Higher yields, however, were associated with higher early season leaf N concentrations rather than with higher late-season leaf N or K concentrations.