Effect of chemical fertilization and worm leachate on tomato crop production

Resumen

Objective: To evaluate the effect of organic and inorganic fertilization on the physiological and productive variables of tomato-mate crops grown under greenhouse conditions.

Design/methodology/approach:A completely randomized design was used with four treatments: T1 (100% worm leachate), T2 (65% worm leachate + 35% nutrient solution), T3 (50% worm leachate + 50% nutrient solution), and a control (100% nutrient solution). The response variables evaluated were plant growth, yield, and fruit size.

Results: Treatment T3 produced the highest yield at 171.6 t ha⁻¹, being significantly superior to the other treatments in fruit size and weight, while T1 showed nutritional limitations in growth and development.

Findings/conclusions: The combination of worm leachate and nutrient solution (T3) reduced the use of chemical fertilizers by 50%, promoting more sustainable agriculture while maintaining high productivity levels.