Response of tomato to transplant drench, foliar organic-complex Ca, B, K and yield enhancement amendments

Abstract: Field studies were established in 2004 and 2005 to determine the effects of transplant drench and foliar applications of organic-complex Ca, B, K amendments and a yield enhancement product, 'Perc Plus^TM', on the flowering, fruiting, fruit yield and market value of Italian-cv. 'Classica' and large-fruited cv. 'Amelia' tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.). Treatments were an organic yield enhancement applied as a transplant drench and then foliar 7 days later (TD); once a week foliar amendments of organic-complex Ca, B, and K nutrients beginning at first bloom for 4 weeks (FA); a combination of the drench and foliar treatments (TD+FA); and a control (CON). Fruit-set of 'Classica' was significantly higher for the FA and TD+FA than the other treatments in 2004, however there was no effect on yield and quality of harvested fruit. Flowering and fruit-set of 'Amelia' were not affected by drench and/or foliar amendments in either year. Total fruit yield and quality of the treated plots were not significantly different than the CON for either cultivar or year.