APPLICATION OF SOIL AND PLANT ANALYSIS TO NUTRITION OF TOMATOES IN SOUTH WEST NIGERIA

Nutrient requirements of tomatoes in South Western Nigeria were determined by soil, leaf and total plant analysis.
Organic carbon, total N and nitrate-nitrogen were used as indexes of available N. Critical levels by these methods were 9 ppm of NO₃-N, 2% carbon, and 0.1% total N.

Organic carbon was recommended for routine analysis because it is more easily determined than the other two methods.

Phosphorus sorption capacity of soils determined at standard concentration of 2 ppm of P was more suitable than Bray 1 for assessing available P. Critical sorption value was about 6 ppm of P. Critical potassium level was 12 mgK/100g of exchangeable K.

Leaf analysis of 12 cultivars indicated no significant differences in the N, P, K and Mg contents but significant (P<001) differences in the Ca content.

Sufficiency ranges of N, P, K and Mg were 0.21–0.43% No₃-N, 0.32–047% P, 3.02–4.32% K and 0.51–0.84% Mg, respectively.
Total plant analysis of ‘Ife No 1’cultivar was a rough guide to the fertilizer needs of the crop.

IV Africa Symposium on Horticultural Crops

R.A. Sobulo, A.A. Agboola, A.A. Fayemi

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1977.53.32