Effect of Mineral Nitrogen and Phosphorus Fertilizer Rates on Marketable Yield and Economic Return of Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mil) at Northwestern Zone of Tigray

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of different nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer rates on the growth and yield tomato at Northwestern Zone of Tigray during 2016-2017 cropping season under irrigation condition. It  is  the  most  cultivated  and  high  market  value  of  vegetable crops  in  Tigray  Northern Ethiopia. However, tomato production is limited due to low fertility of soil and inappropriate fertilizer rate. Six different levels of nitrogen (0, 23, 46, 69, 92 and 115 kg N /ha) and six different levels of phosphorus (0, 46, 69, 92,115 and 138 kg P2O5/ ha) were used and laid out in randomized complete block design with three replication. (Melkasalsa) tomato variety was used as a testing variety. The current findings showed that the highest marketable tomato fruit yield (61.16 t/ha) were obtained in 115 kg N/ha (250 kg urea/ha) and 92 kg P2O5 (200 kg Di Ammonium Phosphate DAP /ha).  But, the profitable yield obtained was at N2P2 (46 kg N & 69 P2O5 kg ha-1) that is 100 kg/ha of Urea combined with 150 kg/ha of DAP yield was obtained 48.25 t ha-1 and the profit was 235502 birr per ha with the maximum Marginal Rate of Return of 26.16%. Therefore, 100 kg/ha of urea with 150 kg/ha of DAP was recommended for the growers to improve tomato fruit productivity in the study area.