TITLE:
Enhancing Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) Fruit Yield and Quality and Blossom End Rot Control Using Different Biological Calcium Sources
AUTHORS:
Alain Serge Coulibaly, Kouakou Laurent Kouakou, Jonas Patrick Dao, Camille Kouakou, Juliette Ky Dedi, Irié Arsène Zoro Bi
KEYWORDS:
Tomatoes, Blossom End Rot, Eggshells, Snail Shells, Seashells
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Agricultural Chemistry and Environment,
Vol.12 No.3,
August
21,
2023
ABSTRACT: Cultivated for its richness in nutrients, tomato culture is demanding fertilizer, especially in calcium. Calcium deficiencies and physiological disorders cause serious diseases in tomatoes. Blossom end rot (BER), in susceptible cultivars, may cause severe economic losses. The goal of this study is to determine the effect of three organic calcium sources on the growth and quality of fruit production of tomatoes. Egg, snail and sea shell powders and extracts have been used as biological fertilizers. The experiment was conducted in a block factorial trial with three replications. The trials comprised two factors: calcium sources and calcium source form (powder and extract). The results showed that the growth parameters and yield were improved by the calcium source, whatever the form. Also, BER was lower in plants treated with calcium contrary to the control. However, plants treated with eggshells showed the best growth (mean) and the lowest rate (0.40%) of BER than the snail and sea shell.