Tomato yield response to application of poultry manure types with irrigation on a low fertility ferralsol

Abstract

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is one of the most produced, popular, and nutritious crops worldwide. In Uganda, its productivity is affected by poor soil fertility and moisture limitations. A randomized complete block design was set up at Makerere University Research Institute Kabanyolo (MUARIK) in the first 2022 season to determine tomato response to the application of poultry manure types and irrigation. The treatments applied in triplicate were: cage manure + irrigation; deep litter manure + irrigation; cage manure + deep litter manure + irrigation; irrigation only; and control (no manure and no irrigation). Significant treatment differences (P =0.05) in the tomato yield and berry diameter were obtained. The total tomato numbers per plant were 17+OR-4 berries with an average diameter of 42+OR-2 mm, and the yield was 666,000+148,000 berries per hectare, with age manure performing best. Rain-fed (control) had the lowest yield per hectare. Cage manure with supplemental irrigation had the greatest effect on the yield of tomatoes (57%), followed by the mixture of cage manure plus deep litter manure supplemented with irrigation (28.6%); deep litter manure plus irrigation had an effect of 14.3%; irrigation had an effect of 7.1%. Manure alone has a higher effect on the yield response of tomatoes than irrigation. Further research on the economic benefits and nutrient and water use efficiencies of applied poultry manure and irrigation is needed compared with the use of mineral fertilizers.