Comparative Effects of Two Formulated Agricultural Wastes and Inorganic Fertilizer on the Performance of Tomato (solanum Lycopersicum L.) on a Derived Savanna Alfisol

A potted experiment was conducted during the 2020 and 2021 cropping seasons at the screen house of the Research Farm of the Bio-fuel and Alternate Renewable Energy Ltd, Edidi, Kwara State, in the derived savanna of Nigeria, to compare the effects of two formulated agricultural wastes (kola nut pod and cocoa pod) and NPK fertilizer on the performance of tomato. Treatment includes three levels each of formulated kola nut pod and cocoa pod at 5, 10, and 15 t ha-1 and 200 kg NPK ha-1. Vegetative and yield parameters were collected. Data collected were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) using GenStat Discovery, 2014. The significant treatment means were compared using Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT) at a 0.05 level of probability. Vegetative parameters varied significantly among the applied treatments. There was no significant difference in plant height when 10 t FCP, 10 t FKP, 15 t FCP, 15 t FKP, and 200 Kg NPK ha-1 were applied, except in the year 2020, where a significant reduction in plant height was recorded when 15 t FCP and 15 t FKP were applied. Higher levels of the two formulated amendments and inorganic fertilizer delayed flowering. However, there was no significant difference in the number and weight of fruits with the application of 10 t FKP, 15 t FCP, 15 t FKP, and 200 Kg NPK ha-1. Therefore, the use of 10 t FKP (6.40 g/pot) could be regarded as the optimum rate for both vegetative and yield performance of tomatoes in the study area