Živković et al. 2020, Biologica Nyssana 11(1) 11 (1) September 2020: 59-64 DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.4060302 Yield of the tomato farmed by organic principles in the greenhouse with the application of retort beach charcoal Original Article Sanja Živković Agriculture faculty, Kruševac, University of Niš, Serbia gajicsanja43@gmail.com (corresponding author) Tanja Vasić Agriculture faculty, Kruševac, University of Niš, Serbia tanjavasic82@gmail.com Biljana Mihajlović Trayal Korporacija AD, Kruševac, Serbia biljanamih037@gmail.com Snežana Andjelković Institue for forage crops, Kruševac, Serbia snezana.andjelkovic@ikbks.com Biljana Anđelić Agriculture faculty, Kruševac, University of Niš, Serbia andjelic.biljana@ni.ac.rs Ivana Stanojević Agriculture faculty, Kruševac, University of Niš, Serbia stanojevic.ivana85@gmail.com Sonja Filipović Agriculture faculty, Kruševac, University of Niš, Serbia sonjafilipovic86@yahoo.com Received: December 06, 2019 Revised: February 04, 2020 Accepted: March 23, 2020 Abstract: The experiment was established in the greenhouse designed by random block system with tomato genotype Optima, treated with cow manure and retort beech charcoal, while the control treatment comprised of cow manure only. The aim was to determine the influence of the applied material on the number of fruits per plant and the weight of the fruit directly affecting the yield in the organic growing system. In the treatment with retort beech charcoal, the Optima genotype had an average yield 23.88% higher than the control plants. Key words: fruit, organic cultivation, retort beach charcoal, tomato, yield Apstract: Prinos paradajza uzgajanog po organskim principima u stakleniku uz primenu retortnog bukovog uglja Eksperimentalni ogled bio je postavljen po dizajnu slučajni blok sistem u plasteniku sa sortom paradajza Optima, tretmanom sa kravljim stajnjakom i retortnim bukovim ugljem i kontrolom sa kravljim stajnjakom bez retortnog bukovog uglja. Cilj je bio da se utvrdi uticaj retortnog bukovog uglja na broj ploda po biljci i masu ploda koji direktno utiču na prinos u organskom sistemu gajenja. U tretmanu, sorta Optima je u proseku imala 23,88% veći prinos u odnosu na biljke iz kontrole. Ključne reči: plod, organsko gajenje, retortni bukov ugalj, prinos Introduction Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) is the most widely grown vegetable in the world, with a very wide range of distribution. It is grown on 4,725,416 ha with a yield of about 35 t ha-1 (FAO, 2013). The world’s largest producers of tomatoes are China, In- dia, the United States, Turkey, Egypt, Russia, Italy and Mexico. In 2018, 8,629 ha were sown under these vegetables in Serbia, with an average yield of 15.3 t ha-1 (webrzs.stat.gov.rs, 2018). Tomato ac- counts for 11.6% of total vegetable consumption in Serbia - 15.2 kg per capita per year (Vlahović & Puškarić, 2012). Tomato is one of the most used and widespread vegetable species used as a fresh vegetable, ripe fruit and in the form of wide-range products (De Sousa et al., 2008). Annually, over 40 million tons of tomatoes are processed worldwide to produce canned tomatoes, ketchup, tomato juice, sauce and many other products (WPTC, 2015). In particular, the consummation of tomato and its prod- ucts has been shown to be associated with a reduced risk of prostate, lung, and gastric cancer (Hwang & Bowen, 2005; Palozza et al., 2011; Yang et al., 2013). Depending on the type of growth, tomato can be produced in different ways and used for different © 2020 Živković et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and build upon your work non-commercially under the same license as the original. 59 purposes. Seeds and planting material, especially in the vegetable industry, represent an important factor for high quality production (Popović et al., 2015). Organic farming combines tradition, innovation and science in order to produce healthy product and keep the environment protected. The use of activat- ed carbons in organic production is one of the pos- sibilities to preserve and raise the soil quality and therefore the yield of the cultivated plants (Lehman et al., 2005; Biederman & Harpole, 2013). Soil biochar amendment is based on two thou- sand years old experience, which in recent decades has been renewed because of proven multiple ben- efits (Chan et al., 2007). This importance is largely long-term, but also reveals the short-term effects (Mann, 2005). Both biochar and activated carbon are pyrogenic carbonaceous materials (PCM). They are produced by thermochemical conversion of carbonaceous feedstock (pyrolysis or/and activation). Biochar is produced from sustainably sourced biomass and is used for non-oxidative applications in agriculture (e.g., in the soil) and is also discussed as a raw mate- rial for industrial processes. By definition, it is used for carbon sequestration. Hence, if “biochar” is used as a fuel, it is burned and the carbon is transformed (oxidized) into CO2, it is actually classified as char- coal. Activated carbon is produced from any carbon source (fossil, waste or renewable) and engineered to be used as sorbent to remove contaminants from both gases and liquids. Both materials have their dis- tinct history, widely separated scientific communi- ties and separated bodies of literature. Unfortunate- ly, a generally accepted terminology and definition is lacking (Hagemann et al., 2018). However, as the proposed applications of biochar and activated carbon increasingly overlap, aware- ness of the “other” domain in each case can be ben- eficial. Nowadays both biochar and activated carbon are used for soil remediation, which before has been solely an application of activated carbon. When the activated carbon is not removed after the applica- tion and if this activated carbon was produced from renewable feedstock and is complying to further specifications, it can be considered as biochar (Laird 2008; Woolf et al., 2010; Hagemann et al., 2018; Ya- dav et al., 2018). Many studies confirmed that soil incorporated with biochars can improve plant growing (Šeremešić et al., 2015; Tian et al., 2018; Yadav et al., 2018). According to Tian et al. (2018) biochar incorpora- tion induces soil alkalization which can increase soil nitrification and nitrogen (N) levels. Increases in soil pH are likely to affect electrical conductivity (EC), cation exchange capacity (CEC) and increase alkaline metal (Mg2+, Ca2+ and K+) oxides. Like- wise, it reduces soluble forms of aluminum, which is suggested as the most significant biochar factor affecting P solubility (De Luca et al., 2009; Tian et al., 2018; Yadav et al., 2018). Beneficial effects of biochar have been elaborated in studies word wide. However, there is a lack of experimental confirma- tion of the biochar application in our agricultural sci- ence. Researches of biochar use have been mainly conducted on soils under tropical and humid climat- ic conditions, which are more degraded and have a lack of soil organic carbon (Šeremešić et al., 2015; Tian et al., 2018; Yadav et al., 2018). Therefore, the aim of this study is to research the charcoal application in vegetable farming under or- ganic conditions. The parameter that is followed is tomato yield under temperate climatic conditions. For the organic production, it is very important to choose the right genotype to be grown according to ecological principles (Vasić, 2016). The total area under certification (taking into account the organic status of the plots and plots in the conversion period) in Serbia is 7,998 ha, plus meadows and pastures of 1,549 ha. In 2014, vegetables accounted for only 2% of the certified plant species. Material and methods The experiment was set up at Trmčare locality, Kruševac municipality in a greenhouse according to a random block system in 2 replicates, planting 23 plants treated with cow manure and retort beech charcoal and 23 plants treated only with cow manure as a control. The row spacing was 70 cm, while the plant spac- ing in one row was 40 cm. The production of tomato Optima genotype seedlings has been started on 20 March, 2019 in the glasshouse, and the seedling has been done on 20 May, 2019 in the greenhouse. Be- fore sowing, the soil was prepared by adding cow manure in the amount of 200 kg per 60 m2 at the depth of the sowing layer. Seven days before plant- ing, a mixture of cow manure in the amount of 200 g/plant and 200 g/plant of retort beech charcoal was introduced at the depth of the sowing layer. The con- trol was not treated with retorted beech charcoal, but only with cow manure in the amount of 200 g/ plant. The activated charcoal used for this purpose was produced from natural raw materials and ob- tained by carbonation of beech, selected according to strictly defined technical requirements by activa- tion of steam in a static furnace. Due to its organic origin and production meth- od, charcoal has a certain degree of activity (iodine number of 233-750 mg/g), which allows it to retain water reserves and thus provide the moisture needed by the plant. The use of activated carbon in organic production is very useful because of the introduc- 60 BIOLOGICA NYSSANA ● 11 (1) September 2020: 59-64 Živković et al. ● Yield of the tomato farmed by organic principles in the greenhouse with the application of retort beach charcoal 61 tion of N, P, K, trace elements (mg/kg: Ca-8590, Mg-1260, K-7400, P-380, S-350 Mn-32, Fe-230, Zn-20, Cu-23), organic substances, humic acids and amino acids that help the plant’s level and improve their health. The granulometric range of the mate- rial ensures that the soil is loose because it does not dissolve in the soil. Activated carbon granulometry 0-2.5 mm was used in this experiment. The ashes of the material thus obtained have a high level of elements such as oxides of potassium, calcium and magnesium. Also, activated charcoal contains a higher per- centage of charcoal so it has phosphates in ash, which is an excellent source of this microelement for the plant. Due to the origin and content of alkali metals, the pH of this material is 9-11. Tomatoes were grown by a support (pillar) on a single tree. The following parameters were moni- tored in the experiment: fruit yield per plant and number of fruits per plant. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) in Statistica 8 statistical program was used to examine differences in the measured char- acteristics between treated and untreated tomato plants and their interaction, using the Student’s T- test of significance level 0.05. The results were pre- sented in a graph and table. Results The yield of treated plants averaged 3,535.65 g per plant and in the control plants averaged 2,690.87 g (Fig. 1). Fruit mass is a genotype characteristic and is one of the factors that determine its purpose. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) for fruit yield (grams per plant) indicated a statistically significant difference between plants treated with retorted beech charcoal and non-treated plants as well as their in- teractions. Specifically, it was found that the plants from the treatment had a statistically significantly higher fruit yield (in grams per plant) than the plants from the control. It was also found that there was a statistically sig- nificant difference between the total fruit yield and the number of fruits on the tomato plants under treat- ment compared to the control plants (Fig. 2 and 3, Tab. 1 and 2). Treatment and control varied, both in total fruit Table 1. T-test for dependent samples marked differences are significant at p<0.05 for fruit yield and fruit size (in grams per plant) T-test for Dependent samples marked differences are significant at p<0,05000 Variable Mean Std. dv. N Diff. Std. dv. diff. t df p Test 242,6221 38,4676 Test 242,6221 38,4676 172 -0,0000 0,00000 0,00000 171 1,00000 Test 239,1909 36,8420 Cont. 316,2818 123,1446 110 -77,0909 120,4985 -6,70993 109 0,00000 Cont. 316,2818 123,1446 Test 239,1909 36,8420 110 77,0909 120,4985 6,70993 109 0,00000 Cont. 310,4830 118,5543 Cont. 310,4830 118,5543 147 -0,0000 0,00000 0,00000 146 1,00000 * The statistically significant differences in treatment and control are indicated in red. Fig. 1. Effect of treatment and control on yield of the friut (grams per plant) Fig. 2. Total fruit yield (grams) of treated and untreat- ed tomato plants with retorted beech charcoal BIOLOGICA NYSSANA ● 11 (1) September 2020: 59-64 Živković et al. ● Yield of the tomato farmed by organic principles in the greenhouse with the application of retort beach charcoal 62 yield per plant, harvest time and fruit yield over time. In plants treated with charcoal the first fruits were harvested on June 24, 2019 and the first harvest for plants in control was on July 7, 2019. It was also observed that the plants in the treatment had more even distribution of fruits for harvest than the plants in the control. Plants treated with activated charcoal began to bear fruits earlier than plants in control. It was also found that the plants under treatment had a larger number of smaller and uniform fruit sizes compared to control plants that had a smaller number of larger fruits, of unequal size (Tab. 1, Fig. 3). The differences in yield between treatment and control within each individual harvest were statisti- cally significant, with the smallest difference within the last harvest. On average, in treatment and con- trol, the highest yield was recorded at the last harvest (Tab. 1 and 2). The total fruit yield for the tomato plants under treatment was 81,320 g and for the control plants 61,890 g. We also monitored the dimension of the fruits and after statistical data processing it was observed that the fruits from the treatment were smaller than the fruits from the control (Tab. 1, Fig. 4). Discussion Tomato yield is positively correlated with the number of fruits per plant and the weight of the fruit (Popović et al., 2015). The yield of the treated and control plants ranged from 3,535.62 g/plant and 2,690.87 g/plant, respectively (Tab. 1). Today, there are genotypes of large (120 g - 250 g), medium (80 g - 120 g), small fruits (60 g - 80 g), and more re- cently genotypes of cocktail type (30 g - 50 g) and mini (cherry) tomatoes (10 g - 30 g) (Đurovka et al., 2006). Optimal temperatures and brightness in the early stages of development determine the yield and quality of the fruit (Rylski et al., 1994). In this study, it was found that plants treated with beech retort charcoal had a higher total fruit yield per plant as well as compared to control plants. Thus, for the plants from the treatment the first harvest was already on June 24, while for the plants from the control the first harvest was on July 7, 2019. Fruit yield is conditioned primarily by genetic polygenic factors, but is also dependent on the external envi- ronment (Zhuchenko, 1973). It is clear from this study that beech retort charcoal has a positive effect on tomato yield in the greenhouse. By growing to- matoes on five or six floors or growing on two trees, the yields would be higher by about 30-35%. There are no data in the literature on the effect of retorted beech charcoal on tomato yield. Positive crop and biomass yield was found for biochar produced from wood, paper pulp, wood chips and poultry litter. Yadav et al. (2018) reviewed published data from 59 pot experiments and 57 field experiments from 21 countries and found crop pro- ductivity increased by 11% on average. Also, Ya- dav et al. (2018) found benefits at field application rates typically below 30 t ha-1 field application and BIOLOGICA NYSSANA ● 11 (1) September 2020: 59-64 Živković et al. ● Yield of the tomato farmed by organic principles in the greenhouse with the application of retort beach charcoal Fig. 3. Effect of treatment and control on total number of fruits Fig. 4. Effect of treatment and control on the dimen- sion of tomato fruit Effect Degr. of freedom Test Test Test Test Control Control Control Control Intercept 1 6293352 6293352 4636,567 0,00 11003761 11003761 725,6221 0,00 Error 109 147949 1357 1652940 15165 Total 109 147949 1652940 Table 2. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) for fruit yield (in grams per plant) reported that increases in crop productivity varied with crop type with greater increases for legume crops (30%), vegetables (29%), and grasses (14%) compared to cereal crops corn (8%), wheat (11%), and rice (7%). These data are consistent with the re- sults of this paper. According to Yamato et al. (2006) maize produc- tion was significantly increased after the application of bark charcoal under a fertilized condition in an in- fertile soil environment. A positive effect of biochar addition on maize dry biomass could be ascribed to higher soil N-retention that was observed by Baronti et al. (2010). These are only preliminary results. Further de- tailed investigations should be undertaken in order to find the most optimal amount and time of applica- tion of beech retort charcoal in crops under the cli- matic conditions of Serbia. Conclusion The highest fruit yield was achieved on activated carbon plants, while the yield on control plants was 23.88% lower. This study indicates the positive im- pact of retorted beech charcoal on the yield of to- mato plants in the greenhouse. 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