Comparison of the Perlite, Leonardite, Vermicompost and Peat Moss and Their Combinations with Cocopeat as Tomato Growing Media

Abstract Study was aimed to compare the effects of individual usage of substrates perlite, leonardite, vermicompost, and peat moos alone and their mixtures with cocopeat on the growth, yield and mineral nutrition of tomato. Each substrate was used as a control in itself, and they mixed with cocopeat at the rate of 1:1, 1:2, 1:4 (V/V) and thus 17 growing media (GM) were obtained. The seedlings of tomato were planted in 7 l GM containing pots then watered during the first week, then drip-irrigated with nutrient solution. The research was arranged as a four-replication greenhouse experiment. The amount of the applied nutrient solution was adjusted manually until 10–30% leaching ratio. The highest biomass was recorded from the plants grown in solely peat moss and 1/2 cocopeat/peat moss medium, on the other hand plants grown in solely leonardite had the lowest vegetative biomass. The highest fruit yields were obtained from plants grown in solely peat, the lowest yield was recorded from the plant grown in vermicompost. In general, vermicompost and cocopeat + vermicompost mixtures were the most effective media on the leaf and fruit nutrient concentrations of tomatoes, but it was observed that this affected vegetative growth rather than fruit yield. In conclusion, it can be said that the most effective individual substrate on the growth and fruit yield was peat moss. On the other hand, it was seen that substrates such as vermicompost and leonardite, which do not give successful results when used alone, become more usable media when mixed with cocopoeat.