Application of solutions obtained from tomato waste compost and wood ash as organic fertilizer in tomato cultivation

The present study investigates the capacity of solutions derived from organic fertilisers to enhance the yield and quality of tomatoes (both grafted and ungrafted) cultivated in greenhouses. Three fundamental fertilisation applications were conducted: an organic tomato waste compost solution (CS), a wood ash solution (WAS), and an inorganic (NPK; 20-20-20 + ME) fertilisation control. The administration of organic fertilisers was conducted at a rate of 0.5 L per plant per week, formulated as a solution with an EC value of 2 dS m^- 1, which is widely regarded as being optimal for the cultivation of tomatoes.

Overall, wood ash solution has proven prominent in tomato cultivation. While the highest growth and yield (3.56 kg/plant) values were obtained from the WAS application, similar results were achieved with the control application. In general, grafted tomato seedlings showed higher results in terms of yield values. Wood ash solution stood out in terms of firmness, while compost solution stood out in terms of vitamin C values. The firmness and vitamin C values of grafted plants were also found to be lower than those of ungrafted plants.

Organic liquid fertilizers can be considered as an alternative or complementary approach to chemical fertilizers. However, using WAS in combination with a strong nitrogen source on soils with low organic matter content will increase success.