Response of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicon L.) to Antitranspirants and Moisture Stress in Kano, Sudan Savanna of Nigeria

Abstract

The study was conducted to determine the effect of antitranspirants and moisture stress on productivity of tomato. The treatments consisted of two antitranspirants (Benzoic and Salicylic acids) at (0, 200, 400 and 600 ppm) concentration and three moisture stress stages (vegetative, flowering and fruit setting). These were arranged in a split-plot design and replicated three times. Antitranspirant and moisture stress constituted the main plots while concentrations were assigned to the sub-plots. Data were collected and analysed for plant height, leaf area index (LAI), plant fresh weight, fruits diameter, number of fruits and marketable fruit yield. Data generated were analysed using SAS. The results of the study revealed that although application of either of the antitranspirant significantly enhanced number of fruits, leaf area index, and marketable fruit yield per hectare, higher results were recorded at the fruit setting stage and similar results were observed from the plants treated with either Benzoic acid or Salicylic acid. However, fruiting growth stage was found to be the critical growth stage for moisture stress of tomato and applying 400 ppm of Salicylic acid recorded higher growth and yield characters of tomato.   Key words: Antitranspirants; Growth stages (Vegetative, Flowering and fruiting).