Nutrient-Use Efficiency and Productivity of Tomato Are Affected by Magnesium Ammonium Phosphate Fertilization Derived from Lignocellulosic Biomass

Abstract

Conventional fertilizers release nutrients quickly thereby resulting in a poor nutrient use efficiency and environmental losses. In the present study, we developed a MAP fertilizer from lignocellulosic biomass and compared nitrogen phosphorus (NP) release characteristic from it with those of urea and DAP. The nutrient release studies showed that N from MAP was released 9 folds slower than from urea and 3-folds less than DAP. Phosphorus release was also found to be 2.4 times lower compared to DAP, suggesting controlled (and sustained) nutrient availability.
The tomato field test (Solanum lycopersicum L.) showed that MAP treatment significantly enhanced plant vigor and sustained leaf greenness throughout the growing season. When compared with control application of fertilizers, MAP treated plants enhanced fruit yield/plant by 64%, Fruit weight by 63 % and wet and dry biomass respectively in the order of 21% and 23%. Fruit yield, fruit weight and wet and dry biomass were all increased significantly in MAP treated plants compared with untreated and control treatments. These results indicate that lignocellulosic biomass-derived MAP fertilizers not only synchronize nutrient supply with crop demand, but also enhance N and P use efficiency substantially in addition to the increase in tomato productivity. Their utility as environmentally friendly alternatives to mineral fertilizers in intensive horticultural systems is stressed.