Author(s): Nzoyisaba Kevin, Tuarira Abduel Mtaita, Sebastian Chakeredza, Jefta Tabarira and Munashe Kurehwatira

Abstract: Tomato productivity has remained low due to a number of constraints including nutrient deficiency. In Zimbabwe, the crop is mainly grown by smallholder farmers whose soils are highly degraded. This study was carried out at the Foundation for Farming, a training center in Domboshawa Harare, Zimbabwe's Agriculture extension facility for Conservation farming to examine the influence of bio-slurry, chicken manure tea, and vermi-compos tea on growth, yield and profitability of tomato production. An indeterminate variety ‘Big Boy’ was grown. The soil was alkaline, loamy sand with a PH of 7.3, and very low in nitrogen, with a higher potassium and phosphorus imbalance, and 1.54% organic matter. The experiment was laid out in Complete Randomized Design with three replications and five treatments which significantly (p<0.05) improved the growth parameters studied. Chicken manure tea had the best growth characteristics, and the fruit yields (45.4 ton/ha) followed by vermi compost tea (31.8 Ton/ha), Bio slurry t (28.3 ton/ha), inorganic fertilizer (11.3 ton/ha). The control had the lowest values of tomato yield (1.7 ton/ha). Chicken manure tea, vermi-compost, and bio slurry had better economic profitability (Table 4). Tomato fruit production can therefore be sustained with the application of chicken manure tea, bio slurry, and vermi-compost. Rates of these organic can be studied to ensure minimum wastage.

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