Impact of jeevamrutham and panchagavya on plant growth, nutrient content, and yield of tomato crop (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

Abstract

This research examined the impact of Jeevamrutham and Panchagavya, traditional organic preparations, on the growth, nutrient composition, and fruit quality of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) through a pot culture experiment. Seven treatments were assessed: absolute control (T1), 100% of the recommended fertilizer dose (RDF) (T2), 50% Jeevamrutham (T3), 100% Jeevamrutham (T4), 50% Panchagavya (T5), 100% Panchagavya (T6), and 100% Jeevamrutham combined with 100% Panchagavya (T7). The combined treatment (T7) displayed outstanding outcomes, matching or surpassing the effectiveness of chemical fertilizers for various parameters. Plant growth assessments indicated notable enhancements in root length (29.98 cm), plant height (130.78 cm), and number of leaves per plant (80) at harvest. Nutrient analysis revealed increased uptake of N (54.45 kg/ha), P (6.85 kg/ha), and K (37.59 kg/ha) in T7, similar to the RDF treatment. Significantly, fruit quality parameters such as ascorbic acid (39.8 mg/100 g), lycopene (9.2 mg/100 g), and β-carotene (1.5 mg/100 g) were highest in T7, greatly exceeding those of the other treatments. Principal Component Analysis showed that the initial two components accounted for 96.4% of the overall variance, with T7 exhibiting significant positive correlations with both growth and quality metrics. Multivariate correlation analysis revealed significant connections between nutrient absorption patterns and plant performance metrics, implying the synergistic impacts of blended organic formulations.