Changes in Germination and Primarily Growth of Three Cultivars of Tomato Under Diatomite and Soil Materials in Auto-Irrigation System

Mohamad Hesam Shahrajabian,Xuzhang Xue,Peter Oko Ogbaji

doi:10.5539/ijb.v5n3p80

Abstract

In order to evaluate the effects of different materials on germination and growth of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) cultivars under negative pressure hydraulic auto-irrigation systems, an experiment was conducted in National Engineering Research Center for Intelligent Agricultural Equipments, Beijing, China. Three cultivars of tomato (Jiafen No-18, Jiahong No-5, and Jiahong No-4) as main plots, and three materials, including: 100% soil, 50% diatomite + 50% soil, and 100% diatomite as sub plots, were evaluated in a split plot based on randomized complete block design with three replications in a green house. Cultivar effect was significant on total germination percentage, speed of germination, radicle length, coleoptiles length, fresh leaf weight and fresh coleoptiles weight were significance. The influence of material on total germination percentage, speed of germination, mean germination time, coefficient of velocity germination, radicle length, coleoptiles length and fresh leaf weight were meaningful. The highest total germination percentage (74.99%), coefficient of velocity germination (0.57), coleoptile length (6.00 cm), fresh leaf weight (0.31 g), fresh coleoptile weight (0.30 g), dry leaf weight (0.019 g) and dry coleoptile weight (0.017 g) was observed in Jiafen No-18. However, Jiahong No. 4 had the maximum speed of germination. While maximum values of total germination percentage, speed of germination, mean germination time was related to 100% soil. Application of 50% soil + 50% diatomite obtained the highest radicle length, coleoptile length, fresh leaf weight, fresh coleoptile length and dry leaf weight. It seems that application of 50% soil + 50% diatomite, and Jiafen No. 18 is appropriate under the negative pressure hydraulic auto-irrigation system.

Highlights

The production of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) has increased worldwide at about 40% during the last 10 years, and greenhouse cultivation had become economically important for all year round Tomato (Yarra et al, 2012; Schwarz et al, 2013; He et al, 2009), which consumed all over the world (Rai et al, 2013)
In order to evaluate the effects of different materials on germination and growth of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) cultivars under negative pressure hydraulic auto-irrigation systems, an experiment was conducted in National Engineering Research Center for Intelligent Agricultural Equipments, Beijing, China
Total germination percentage, speed of germination, coefficient of velocity germination, fresh leaf weight and dry coleoptiles weight were markedly affected by interaction between cultivar and material

Summary

Introduction

The production of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) has increased worldwide at about 40% during the last 10 years, and greenhouse cultivation had become economically important for all year round Tomato (Yarra et al, 2012; Schwarz et al, 2013; He et al, 2009), which consumed all over the world (Rai et al, 2013). Seed vigor can be defined as the ability of the seed to germinate and become established under less than optimal conditions, or to survive a series of environmental stresses during germination (Balla et al, 2012). Diatomite (DE) is a sedimentary rock primarily composed of the fossilized remnants of unicellular fresh water plants known as Diatoms (Danil de Namor et al, 2012; Aksakal et al, 2013). It is mainly comprised of SiO2 with small concentration of Fe2O3, Al2O3, MgO, CaO and organic matters (Wang et al, 2012). One of the most important conditions required for germination and emergence is the presence of satisfactory environmental factors, especially favorable www.ccsenet.org/ijb

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Conclusion