Scientific Reports of the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine

Effectiveness of phosphite fertilisers in tomato cultivation technology

Oleksandr Kuts, Oleksandr Katerynchuk, V. Mykhailyn, Yevheniia Ilinova, Oleksii Soldatenko
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Abstract

This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of using fertilisers containing phosphite‑form phosphorus in tomato cultivation under irrigated conditions in the Left-Bank Forest‑Steppe region of Ukraine. Field trials were conducted during 2022-2024 at the Institute of Vegetable and Melon Growing of the National Academy of Agrarian Sciences of Ukraine, on typical low-humus heavy loamy chernozem developed from loess-like loam. It was found that in tomato cultivation, it was effective in reducing the rate of recommended fungicides (Ridomil Gold, Luna Experience, Quadris, and the biopreparations MycoHelp and Fitocid) by 25%-50% when combined with the integrated application of the fertiliser Ecoline Phosphite (K) (10 days after transplanting – 1 L/ha; 20 days after the first application – 1.5 L/ha; 20 days after the second application – 1.5 L/ha; 20 days after the third application; 15 days after the fourth application; and 15 days after the fifth application – all at 2 L/ha). The proposed technological approaches resulted in an increase in tomato plant height by 4.3%-8.7%, the number of fruit clusters by 15.6%-20.0%, and a reduction in the development of Alternaria leaf blight to 60%-65% (compared to 82% in the control). Under this approach, crop yield increased by 4.9-8.8 t/ha, alongside an improvement in the content of soluble dry matter in the fruit (up to 3.6%-3.98%), total sugars (up to 2.49%-2.53%), and vitamin C (up to 25.48-25.82 mg/100 g). The most significant effect was observed with the application of 75% of the recommended fungicide rate in combination with Ecoline Phosphite (K), which also demonstrated strong economic performance: profit reached 311.1 thousand UAH/ha, profitability was 83.9%, and the lowest production cost was recorded at 5.69 UAH/kg

Keywords

Solanum lycopersicum L., phosphorus nutrition, biometric parameters of plants, yield, biochemical composition of produce, profitability

Suggested citation
Kuts, O., Katerynchuk, O., Mykhailyn, V., Ilinova, Ye., & Soldatenko, O. (2025). Effectiveness of phosphite fertilisers in tomato cultivation technology. Scientific Reports of the National University of Life and Environmental Sciences of Ukraine, 21(2),49-60. https://doi.org/10.31548/dopovidi/2.2025.49
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