Response of Organic Manures and Gibberellic Acid (GA₃) on Growth and Yield of Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.)
Shivdayal Dhaker *
Department of Agriculture (Horticulture), Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences, Mewar University Gangrar, Chittorgarh (Rajasthan), 312901, India.
Champa Lal Regar
Department of Agriculture (Horticulture), Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences, Mewar University Gangrar, Chittorgarh (Rajasthan), 312901, India.
Neelu Jain
Department of Agriculture (Horticulture), Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences, Mewar University Gangrar, Chittorgarh (Rajasthan), 312901, India.
Deepak Mishra
Department of Agriculture (Horticulture), Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences, Mewar University Gangrar, Chittorgarh (Rajasthan), 312901, India.
Manohar Lal Magwal
Department of Agriculture (Horticulture), Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences, Mewar University Gangrar, Chittorgarh (Rajasthan), 312901, India.
Narendra Kumar Teli
Department of Agriculture (Horticulture), Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences, Mewar University Gangrar, Chittorgarh (Rajasthan), 312901, India.
Suresh Kumar
Department of Agriculture (Horticulture), Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Sciences, Mewar University Gangrar, Chittorgarh (Rajasthan), 312901, India.
Govind Sahu
Sher-E-Kashmir University of Agricultural Science and Technology, Jammu, Jammu-Kashmir-193201, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The present investigation aimed to evaluate the influence of various organic manures and gibberellic acid (GA₃) concentrations on the growth and yield performance of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L.). Conducted at the Post Harvest and Value Addition Laboratory, Mewar University, Rajasthan, during February–May 2024–25, the study employed a completely randomized design with nine treatment combinations and three replications. Organic sources included farmyard manure (FYM), vermicompost, and poultry manure, while GA₃ was applied at 0, 25, 50, and 75 ppm. The results revealed that both organic manures and GA₃ had a significant and positive impact on plant growth and fruit yield parameters. Among the organic treatments, poultry manure @ 2.5 t/ha significantly enhanced plant height, number of branches per plant, and stem girth across all observation intervals (30, 60 DAT, and harvest). It also resulted in the highest number of fruits per plant (32.25), fruit girth (5.95 cm), average fruit weight (59.5 g), and fruit yield (351.75 q/ha). Similarly, GA₃ at 75 ppm produced the most vigorous vegetative growth, maximum shoot girth, and superior yield attributes—highest fruit count (33.75), fruit girth (6.03 cm), and fruit weight (61.0 g). The synergistic effect of enriched nutrient availability from poultry manure and the physiological stimulation by GA₃ contributed to overall improvement in growth and productivity. The findings underscore the effectiveness of integrating organic manures with optimal GA₃ concentrations to enhance tomato yield sustainably. Such strategies can not only reduce reliance on chemical fertilizers but also improve soil health and crop quality, supporting climate-resilient vegetable production.
Keywords: Tomato, Poultry manure, vermicompost, gibberellic acid, organic farming, yield enhancement