Effect of Organic and Inorganic Fertilizer Combinations on Flowering, Yield Attributes and Fruit Yield of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) under 75% Shade-Net Conditions

Abstract

Tomato productivity under protected cultivation depends greatly on balanced nutrient management, as intensive growth and fruit production require an adequate and sustained supply of essential nutrients. Integrating organic manures with inorganic fertilisers may improve nutrient availability and crop performance while reducing dependence on chemical fertilisers. However, information on the comparative effects of different organic and inorganic fertiliser combinations on tomato flowering and yield under 75% shade-net conditions remains limited.  A field experiment was conducted during the Rabi seasons of 2024–25 and 2025–26 at the Horticultural Research Farm, Department of Horticulture, Bhagwant University, Ajmer, Rajasthan, India, to evaluate the effects of organic and inorganic fertiliser combinations on flowering, yield attributes and fruit yield of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) under shade-net conditions. The experiment was conducted under a 75% green shade net using tomato cv. ‘Swarna Sampada’ and was laid out in a randomised block design with ten treatments and three replications. The treatments comprised 100% recommended dose of fertilisers (RDF; 180:100:100 kg N:P₂O₅:K₂O ha⁻¹) and combinations of 75%, 50% and 25% RDF with vermicompost, farmyard manure (FYM) and poultry manure. The results revealed considerable variation among nutrient combinations in growth, flowering, fruiting and yield characteristics. Among the nutrient combinations evaluated, 50% RDF + 50% poultry manure (T₉) recorded the highest tomato fruit yields of 576.67 and 601.11 q ha⁻¹ during 2024–25 and 2025–26, respectively. This treatment also showed superior performance for several important yield attributes, including the number of fruits per cluster, number of fruits per plant and average fruit weight, together with earlier flowering and fruit picking. T₈ recorded the maximum plant height at harvest and remained among the superior treatments for major yield attributes. The findings indicated that partial substitution of inorganic fertiliser with organic nutrient sources, particularly poultry manure, improved tomato productivity under shade-net conditions. Overall, 50% RDF + 50% poultry manure (T₉) was the most promising treatment under the experimental conditions.