Effect Of Patentkali On Tomato (Lycopersicum Esculentum, Mill.) Production

Abstract

Three cultivars of tomatoes (Gondol Putih, Apel Belgia and Gondol Lembang) were grown at Pasir Sarongge, altitude 1100 m a.s.l. and treated patentkali rates of 0, 8, 16, 24 g/plant or 16 g KCl/plant. Patentkali (sulphate of pothas magnesia) contains 26 – 30 % K2O, 8 – 13 % MgO and 18 % sulphur. The objectives were to evaluate yiled of tomato in relation to the patentkali rate and the interaction between fertilizer and cultivars. The soil in Pasir Sarongge per 100 g contains 104 mg of total P, 69 mg pothash and 0.9 mg of sulphur, Or 0.7, 0.4, 0.5 and 1.5 g cations of K, Na, Ca, and Mg respectively. No significant differences were found between levels of patentkali or KCl in plant height, number of flowers, fruit set, weight and number of fruit per plant and per plot, and in lenght and diameter of fruit.