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Agrology Success Stories: Yield increase and Early Harvest in Greenhouse Tomato

Yield Increase and Early Harvest in Greenhouse Tomato

Through Agrology Success Stories in Greece and Abroad, it is proven that the superior quality and integrated innovative technologies of Agrology’s Functional Crop Nutrition® products, make a difference in crops from the very first applications!

Our goal is to demonstrate that application programs with Agrology’s Functional Crop Nutrition® products are an obvious investment for producers, as the financial benefits exceed the cost of supplemental applications!

One such Success Story was carried out in greenhouse tomatoes (SS 2018_7_GR) in 2018, in collaboration with “Geoponiki Marathona”, an important agrodealer and member of our NutriMaster® network in Greece. Throughout the process, the farmer benefited from the continuous guidance and support offered by Agrology’s Technical Department and “Geoponiki Marathona”.

The crop area was divided in two equal plots, one was used as the Control, while Agrology’s Program was applied to the other plot. In both plots, the farmer used the same plant protection and plant nutrition-fertilization program, apart from the additional applications with Agrology’s Functional Crop Nutrition® products.

Success Story Goals

The objectives of this Success Story were as follows:

  1. Yield increase in tomato
  2. Early Harvesting Promotion
  3. Uniform yield with no major fluctuations between harvests

Identity of the Success Story

  • Cultivation Period: 2018
  • Location: Marathonas, Attiki
  • NutriMaster®: Kleftakis Georgios, Geoponiki Marathona
  • Farmer: Georgalas Evaggelos
  • Cultivation: Greenhouse Tomato
  • Hybrid: Ekstasis F1
  • Success Story area: 1.5 acres
  • Date of transplanting: 3/3/2018
  • Program Duration: April 12 – June 21 (40-110 Days After Transplanting, henceforth listed as DAT)
  • Harvest Interval: May 21 – June 25 (40-114 DAT)
  • Plant Protection Program: Common to the whole crop
Picture 1. The tomato greenhouse of the Agrology Success Story (SS 2018_7_GR)
Picture 1. The Tomato Greenhouse of the Agrology Success Story (SS 2018_7_GR)

Agrology’s Functional Crop Nutrition® Program

Supplementary Applications with Agrology’s Functional Crop Nutrition® products through fertigation.

Picture 2. Functional Crop Nutrition® Program

Gravital® Force SC is a Bioavailable elemental Silicon and Calcium Biostimulant in liquid form, with a high percentage of available orthosilicic acid [35% Calcium (CaO) & 35% Silicon (SiO2)].

  • Improved N, P, K uptake (SiO2)
  • Vital for cell wall strength (CaO)
  • Increase resistance to stress (SiO2)
  • Increased fruit firmness and Postharvest Life (CaO)

Application Timing:

  • Application intervals: 1 application per 10 days
  • Number of Applications: 4
  • Launch of Applications: 1st Inflorescence, 12 April, (40 DAT)

Recommended Dosage:

  • Soil/Drip application – 20 L/ha

15-10-50+3MgO+4SiO2

Complex Highly Concentrated product of Functional Crop Nutrition®, in the form of a thixotropic Gel, rich in Potassium, with Bioavailable Silicon of E-PerForm® Technology and Magnesium.

  • Fruit weight increase
  • Fruit ripening boost

Application Timing:

  • Application intervals: 1 application per 10 days
  • Number of Applications: 4
  • Launch of Applications: April 22, (50 DAT)

Recommended Dosage:

  • Soil/Drip application – 30 L/ha

Besides the above supplementary applications, the farmer applied the same Fertilization/ Nutrition and Plant protection program, in both treatments (Control + Agrology Program) throughout the growing season.

Success Story Results

Measurements on both plots revealed impressive results in the Agrology treatment. Specifically, the results were as follows:

1) Increase of Total Yield by 7900 kg/ha (7.9 tn/ha) or 25.5%

Picture 3. Fruit Production per Harvest Day
Picture 3. Total Yield in Control and Agrology Program

2) The first harvest took place 10 days earlier compared to the control plot

3) Uniform yield with no major fluctuations between successive harvests

Picture 4. Total Greenhouse Tomato Fruit Production
Picture 4. Total Greenhouse Tomato Yield

Investment – Farmer’s Financial Benefit

The increase of yield by 7.9 tn/ha (or 25,5%) and earlier harvest by 10days, contributed to the increase of the farmer’s income by 5.920,50 € / ha (average selling price of the Central Vegetable Market of Athens in the period May-June 2018: € 0.75 / Kg with retail prices on the local market € 1.50 / kg, price taken from personal communication with sellers of public markets).

Picture 5. Investment - Producer's Benefit
Picture 5. Investment – Farmer’s Benefit

Obtain detailed information on Agrology’s Functional Crop Nutrition® Programs by the specialized staff of Agrology.

Find out who is the responsible agronomist – seller of your area HERE!

“This experiment was conducted under specific field conditions and should not be applied as a standard without the guidance of an Agronomist or the Agrology Technical Department. In any case, Agrology Functional Crop Nutrition® products and programs must be applied according to the label or the instructions by Agrology’s Agronomic R&D specialists.”