Enhancing Vegetative Growth Parameters of Solanum lycopersicum (Tomato) through Exogenous Hormone Application

Abstract

Tomato rich in minerals, vitamin B, vitamin C, essential amino acids, sugars and dietary fibres, is grown worldwide. The fruit also contains anti- oxidant, lycopene, and is known to decrease the risk of cancer. Relatively easy to grow, tomato comprises popular health-related food components. Over the recent years there has been growing interest to strengthen and intensify local production of the crop through organic means. At the same time it is necessary to enhance the household food security and nutrition. The present study is an effort to ameliorate the growth of tomato using phytohormones either alone or in combination as soil drench. The seeds were raised in nursery followed by transplantation in garden soil. The transplanted plants were maintained in sets treated with three different concentrations 50 ppm, 100 ppm and 200 ppm of auxin, cytokinin and gibberellin. A combination of auxin + cytokinin, and auxin + gibberellin was also used at 50 ppm, 100 ppm and 200 ppm. The data was collected for root length, plant height, and increase in number of leaves and branches. The total photosynthetic pigments were also studied. All the treatments resulted in increased growth in vegetative parameters except 50 ppm auxin, which turned out to be a poor performer. The treatments cytokinin and a combination of auxin + gibberellin also resulted in early flowering. The study emphasizes that the growth parameters of tomato can be ameliorated organically using hormone formulations. Further, this simple method of raising tomato can be propagated as a popular technology amongst home gardeners, besides encouraging small scale farmers.