Effects of Clay Mineral Application on Soil Moisture Status, Physiological Traits and Yield of Rainfed Tomato under Semi-Arid Alfisols

The effects of application of farm yard manure (FYM) and clay mineral (CM) on soil and plant characteristics like soil moisture at field capacity, permanent wilting point, leaf area, leaf nitrogen, relative water content, yield of tomato were examined based on field experiments conducted in a semi-arid alfisol at Hyderabad during 1998 -99 and 1999-2000. Two levels of FYM and three levels of CM (fullers earth) were applied in the filed. The Analysis of Variance indicated that application of 16 t/ha of CM together with 10 t/ha of FYM retained a significantly higher soil moisture as measured by pressure outflow and gravimetric methods. The per cent survival, leaf area and relative water content was also significantly higher. On the other hand, application of 8 t/ha of CM together with 10 t/ha of FYM helped to achieve maximum leaf N, higher marketable yield, fruit firmness, total soluble solids, total soluble solids-acidity ratio in tomato under semi-arid alfisols.