Assessment of Some Organic and a Mineral Fertilizer on the Yield and Profitability of Tomato ( Lycopersicum esculentum Mill.) in an Oxysol of West Cameroon

Abstract

The consumption of market garden products contributes to the food and nutritional security of the world's populations. Among these products, tomato occupies a prominent place. Meanwhile, the excessive use of synthetic fertilizers to produce tomatoes reduces the productive potential of soils. Due to this problem, the present study was conducted in West Cameroon, aiming to reduce the use of chemical inputs for sustainable tomato production through the use of organic input. Thus, five treatments (: T0 = control; T1 = 100% NET EDEN organic fertilizer; T2 = 100% poultry manure; T3 = 50% NET EDEN organic fertilizer + 50% poultry manure; T4 = 100% mineral fertilizer) were arranged in a completely randomized block design (RCBD) with three replications. The study was carried out from March 1 to June 26, 2024. The results revealed that the treatment with mineral fertilizer and the treatment with Net Eden organic fertilizer + chickens manure led to 26.28±5.50 t ha -1 and 26.10±3.51 t ha -1 respectively. These yields T4; T3 are significantly different (P<0.05) from the yields obtained with the other treatments. The economic analysis of fertilization using the value-cost ratio (VCR) showed that only the treatment based on mineral fertilizer T4 and the treatment with Net Eden+manure T3 should be popularized among farmers/producers. Thus, the use of organic fertilizers for tomato production has agronomic, ecological, and economic advantages. However, similar studies in other agroecological zones are needed.