Balanced fertilization generates more beautiful and longer-lasting tomatoes

With many diuretic properties and large amounts of vitamin C, which contributes to the absorption of iron by the body, consumer requirements are the key point that determines the functioning of the entire chain of this crop.

More standardized fruits, without defects, with good color, skin firmness, flavor and durability are among the main characteristics that large Hortifruti chains and end customers observe. At the beginning of this chain is the farmer, who needs to produce a tomato that has these qualities, aiming for productivity and profitability, but at the same time with lower production costs, which implies a difficult task due to predictable factors and others not so much. , like the weather, for example.

Among the controllable items, one of the main ones that has a direct impact on the final characteristics of the product is plant nutrition. A scenario that still takes into account traditional aspects, with old practices that are not adjusted to the new genetics available on the market. Nowadays, there is still nutrition made with very traditional old formulas, such as the famous 04.14.08, the main planting fertilizer used in tomato farming, however, it is unbalanced and incomplete for the plant's needs.

Balanced fertilization According to the Campinas Agronomic Institute (IAC), the recommended amount for table tomatoes is up to 800 kg of P2O5/ha. If the farmer follows this recommendation, using formula 04.14.08, he provides more than 450 kilos of K2O in the initial stages of the plant, in addition to a high dose of N. The consequence of unbalanced planting fertilization is soil salinization, which results in difficult absorption of water and other nutrients by the plant.

Another critical point is the lack of uniformity, which leads to segregation during transport and application, generating an uneven distribution of nutrients in the field. Another important point that differentiates fertilization from nutrition are secondary micronutrients and macronutrients. Some of them must be provided when planting tomato plants for the balanced development of the plant and the growth of the root system.

Today, there are formulas specially developed for planting tomato crops with a higher phosphorus content in relation to nitrogen and potassium, enabling the application of all the necessary P without the risk of problems due to excess nitrogen and/or potassium.

Main nutrients for tomatoes

Some elements are fundamental in the initial phase, where the first to be remembered is phosphorus, not only for the rooting and energy system of the tomato plant, but also for its low mobility in the soil. Nitrogen and potassium must be applied in smaller doses at planting, as their supply can be provided as coverage in phases of greater crop need.

The tomato plant develops with much better quality when approximately 20% of ammoniacal nitrogen and 80% of nitric nitrogen are used, but the distribution of nitrogen supply must be the ammoniacal source at planting, which favors the absorption of phosphorus and nitric in the coverage. .

An initial dose of calcium should also be part of the program, because without a supply of this nutrient, the plant will have much less root development, while sulfur is important to make these roots deeper and for the plant to absorb more water.

Among the fundamental micronutrients in the planting phase, there is boron, essential in the division of new cells at the apex of the root, zinc, which plays a role in plant growth, and manganese, which transforms ammonia nitrogen into amino acids within the plant.

Step number 1 to produce a higher quality tomato is in the hands of the farmer and the quality of the planting. To seek to meet market needs and have a productive plantation, it is necessary to seek new technologies, carry out balanced nutrition, which takes into account these main points mentioned and, thus, result in a plentiful and profitable harvest.