Influence of NutriPak Fertilizer on Yield of 'Better Boy' Tomatoes in Southeast Missouri

M. A. Wilson1, C. Stevens2, D. Harp1, and V. A. Khan2 1Department of Agriculture, Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701
2George Washington Carver Agricultural Experiment Station, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL 36088.

Abstract.
An experiment was conducted in a randomized block design in the spring of 2002 at the All American Garden Plots to determine the effect of three rates of NutriPak fertilizer on the yield of 'Better Boy' tomatoes. NutriPak fertilizer was applied at three different growth stages with tomatoes. There was a significant difference with the number of tomatoes, however, the highest number of tomatoes occurred at the 24 ozs/ac treatment. There was a significant difference of yield of tomatoes. Highest yield occurred with the 24 ozs/ac treatment.

Keywords: NurtriPak fertilizer, 'Better Boy' tomatoes, marketable number and yield.

Introduction
Tomatoes and peppers, although not among the most valuable crops in nutrients per pound, are important contributors to dietary needs because of the substantial per capita consumption of each. In the United States, tomato consumption exceeds only that of potato. Peppers, although a significant commodity in the United States, have a higher consumption in other countries. Tomatoes are grown extensively in southeast Missouri on black polyethylene mulch with drip irrigation.

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effect of three rates of foliar applied NutriPak on the yield of 'Better Boy' tomatoes in Missouri.

Methods and Materials
This study was conducted in the spring of 2002 at Southeast Missouri State University All American Garden Plots, Cape Girardeau, Missouri. The soil typed used was Menfro silt loam (entsol). All plots were prepared by tillage with a moldboard plow and rotavator and 100 lbs. of triple twelve (12-12-12) fertilizer added. Black polyethylene mulch was applied with drip irrigation after row spacing was 5 ft wide x 1.5 ft (between row) spacing. Tomatoes were transplanted on June 4, 2002 and sprayed with a foliar application of 8, 16, and 24 ozs/ac of NutriPak fertilizer on June 5, 2002. The second and third applications of NutriPak were applied at pre-flowering on June 21, 2002 and the latter application on July 11, 2002. Plots were drip irrigated as needed. Data collected were: number and weights of marketable fruits. All data were analyzed by Duncan's MRT (4).

Results and Discussion
There was a significant difference in numbers of tomato fruit (Table 1). The highest number of tomato fruits occurred at the 24 ozs/ac treatment. There was a significant difference at the 24 ozs/ac treatment. Highest yield of tomato fruit occurred at the 24 ozs/ac treatment (Table 1). Hochmuth, et al., (1994) reported that black polyethylene mulch, drip irrigated lettuce required a maximum of 185 lbs of N per acre. Their results showed a slightly higher need for N compared to older reports (Bechenbach et al., Everett, 1980), however, newer varieties and high plant populations used in the Hochmuth study may account for the difference. Our results showed that the highest number and weight occurred at the 24 ozs/ac treatments and the data were significant. Nitrogen rates for this study was 100 lbs of N per acre in addition to the foliar applied NutriPak.

Literature Cited

1. Bechenbach, J.R., F.S. Jamison, R.W. Ruprecht, and F.S. Adrews. 1941. Crisphead lettuce in Florida-A preliminary report. Fla. Agric. Expt. Sta. Bull. 365.
2. Everett, P.H., 1960. Influence of fertilizer rates and plastic mulch on the production of two cultivars of crisphead lettuce. Proc. Fla. State Hor. Soc. 93:243-245.
3. Hochmuth, G. and I. Secker. 1994. N requirements of crisphead lettuce grown with drip irrigation on polyethylene mulched bed. Proc. 24th Natl. Agriculture Plastic Congr. 24: 96-100.
4. Steele, D.G.R. and J.R. Torrie. 1960. Principle and Procedures of Statistics. McGraw-Hill Inc., New York, N. Y.

Mean separation within columns with the same superscript are not significantly different at the 5% level of probability as determined by Duncan's multiple range test.