The Effects of Organic and Inorganic Fertilizer Applications on Yield and Plant Vegetative Growth of Eggplant (Solanum melongena L.)
Mahmoud Al Ali *
Department of Bioengineering and Sciences, Institute of Science, University of Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam, Turkey.
Cafer Gençoğlan
Department of Biosystem, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam, Turkey.
Serpil Gençoğlan
Department of Biosystem, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam, Turkey.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of organic and chemical fertilizers on yield and plant vegetative growth of eggplant (Solanum melongena L.) between 22.05.2018 and 12.09. 2018 under field conditions in Bandırma, Turkey. Treatments were control with no fertilizer (CONT), developed organic fertilizer (DOF), organic fertilizer (OF) chemical fertilizer (CHF), each treatment has 3 replicates with 360 plants. Developed organic fertilizer and OF were applied in (2000) kg.da-1, chemical fertilizer (15%N, 15%P, 15%K, 20%SO3) was applied in 40 kg/da. Yield and plant vegetative growth weight were determined. Organic and chemical fertilizer applications had a significant effect (P<0.05) on yield and plant vegetative growth. The eggplant yield at CONT, DOF, OF, CHF were 3922, 4593, 4375, 4579 kg.da-1 respectively. The plant vegetative growth (Plant organs fresh weight) at CONT, DOF, OF, CHF were 3548, 4018, 3818, 3882 kg.da-1 respectively. The difference between fertilizers (DOF, OF, and CHF) was not significant so that organic fertilizers are competitive and may be a suitable replacement for chemical fertilizer.
Keywords: Organic fertilizer, vegetative growth, fruit yield, eggplant.