Effect of foliar application on urea on the growth and fruit yield of tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum L.

The experiment was conducted in a three replicated randomized complete block design, with net plot size of 3 x 3.5 m (10.5 m2). Application of D.A.P. at the rate of 120 kg per hectare was done at the time of sowing, while foliar application of urea was done at 0, 0.50, 1.00, 1.50, 2.00 and 2.50%. Maximum mean number of days to flowering (59.04) taken by the crop foliarly supplied with 2.5% urea, followed by 58.45 and 57.71 mean number of days taken to flowering by the plots foliarly sprayed with urea at the rates of 2.00% and 1.50%, respectively. Greater number of branches (6.49) per plant was recorded in the plots receiving foliar application or 2.5% urea, closely followed by 6.47, 6.47 and 6.44 branches per plant under 1.50, 2.50 and 2.00% urea, respectively. Relatively greater number of fruit (20.22) per plant was recorded in the plots receiving foliar application of 2.00% urea closely followed by 20.09 and 19.89 fruits per plant under 1.50 and 2.50% urea, respectively. Significantly maximum weight of fruits (1217.33 g) was obtained from the plots treated with foliar application containing 2.0% urea, followed by 1191.67 g and 1170.33 g mean weight fruits per plant recorded from the plots having foliar treatment containing 1.50% and 2.50% urea, respectively. The juice percentage was significantly highest (32.66%) in the fruits picked from the plots treated with foliar application containing 2.0% urea, followed by 32.29% and 31.89% juice percentage recorded in the fruits of the plots having foliar treatment containing 2.50% and 1.50% urea, respectively. Significantly highest tomato yield of 15.65kg was received from the plots treated with foliar application containing 2.0% urea, followed by 14.81kg and 14.77kg mean fruit yield per plot achieved from the plots foliarly sprayed with 2.50% and 1.50% urea, respectively. Highest yield of 14908kg per hectare was obtained from the plots treated with foliar application c ontaining 2.0% urea, followed by 14105 and 14070kg mean fruit yield per hectare achieved from the plots foliarly sprayed with 2.50% and 1.50% urea, respectively. It was observed that foliarly applied urea had positive effects on the growth and yield contributing characters of tomato. The tomato yield increased significantly with increased content of urea in the foliar solution, because the plants absorbed nitrogen immediately from the foliarly applied urea and set positive effect on the fruit yield. So, it can be concluded that 2.00% urea as foliar spray set positive effects on tomato yield.