Influence of various soilless media and fertigation levels on growth and yield of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) under polyhouse condition

The study was carried out at the College of Agriculture Engineering and Technology (COAE&T), SKUAST-Kashmir, Shalimar, during the Kharif-2022 season with the objective of investigating the optimal conditions for cultivating tomatoes in a hydroponic system. The research was conducted in a controlled environment using a Gothic-type polyhouse orientated in the north–south direction. Fifteen different treatments were applied, each involving variations in growing media, irrigation levels, and fertigation levels. The experimental design consisted of three replications arranged in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). The treatment combinations comprised three primary factors of fertigation levels: F₁ (50% fresh; 50% leachate), F₂ (75% fresh; 25% leachate), and F₃ (100% fresh). Additionally, five growing media were used: M₁ (vermiculite), M₂ (cocopeat), M₃ (vermicompost), M₄ (vermiculite + cocopeat + vermicompost), and M₅ (soil). The results revealed significant effects of these treatments on the growth, yield, and quality characteristics of tomatoes. The maximum heights of 70.17 cm, 126.50 cm, and 185.33 cm at 30, 60, and 90 days after transplanting (DAT), respectively, were observed in treatment T₆, which consisted of growing medium M₂ (cocopeat) and fertigation level F₃ (100% fresh). Furthermore, treatment T₆, utilizing growing medium M₂ (cocopeat) and fertigation level F₃ (100% fresh), demonstrated the shortest duration to first flowering (20.00 days), days to first fruit set (24.37 days), and days to first fruit harvest (49.67 days). The maximum equatorial diameter (5.34 cm), leaf area (208.98 cm²), leaf area index (0.105), average fruit weight (90.20 g), average number of fruits per plant (55.00), yield per plant (3.63 kg), fruit yield per square meter (18.17 kg/m²), and fruit yield per hectare (1816.67 q) were observed in treatment T₆, utilizing growing medium M₂ (cocopeat) and fertigation level F₃ (100% fresh). Treatment T₆, incorporating the use of M₂ (cocopeat) as the growing medium and F₃ (100% fresh fertigation), yielded notable and remarkable outcomes.