Fertilizer containing nitrification inhibitor in tomato cultivation for industrial processing

Abstract

An alternative to increase the N use efficiency may be to control its availability in order to mitigate losses and provide it throughout the crop cycle. In this context, the use of fertilizers with inhibitors of nitrification or urea hydroly­sis is highlighted. Thus, the objective was to evaluate the use of controlled-release and stabilized fertilizers in total or partial substitution of conventional fertilization in the industrial tomato crop. The experiment was carried out under field conditions, in an area irrigated by central pivot, in a Red Dystrophic Latosol. The experimental design was a randomized block with seven treatments and five replicates. Where the (*) amount of NPK fertilizer in t ha^-1 consisted of: 1. NSF - natural soil fertility; 2. PGM - planting with granule mixture (1.5*) + urea coverage (0.12*) and potassium chloride (KCl) (0.3*) + absence of foliar application; 3. Fertilizer with nitrification inhibitor (DMPP) 0.3 - PGM (1.0*) + coverage with DMPP (0.3*) and KCl (0.42*) + foliar application; 4. DMPP 0.25 - PGM (1.0*) + coverage with DMPP (0.25*) and KCl (0.3*) + foliar application; 5. DMPP 0.15 - PGM (0.9*) + coverage with DMPP (0.15*) and KCl (0.2*) + foliar application; 6. DMPP 0.05 - PGM (0.6*) + coverage with DMPP (0.05*) and KCl (0.1*) + foliar application; 7. DMPP 0.7 - planting with NPK with DMPP (0.7*) + absence of foliar applica­tion. The use of fertilizers with nitrification inhibitor (DMPP) does not increase fruit yield and quality in relation to the use of conventional fertilizers (PGM), but may be an alternative in the cultivation of industrial tomatoes.