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Foliar Application
of some essential minerals on tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum)
plant grown under two different salinity regimes
MOHAMMAD AZEEM AND
RAFIQ AHMAD
Abstract:
Tomato (Lycopersicon
esculetum var. Avinash, F1 hybrid) was grown under two different
regimes of irrigation water (0.2% Sea salt ECiw = 2.9 dS m-1
and 0.4% Sea salt ECiw = 5.8 dS m-1) and subjected
to foliar application of Potassium, Iron and Boron. Their growth was
monitored on some vegetative, reproductive and biochemical parameters.
Ripe fruits were collected and total yield was determined in terms of
their number, circumference and weight. Reduction in growth was found
proportional with increasing salinity of irrigation at all the
parameters but foliar application of above mentioned essential minerals
minimized the deleterious effects of salinity up to various extents. The
significant improvement was observed in the number of fruits,
circumference and weight of fruits, chlorophyll and protein contents of
leaves, due to the foliar application of Potassium, Iron and the
combined treatment of (K+Fe+B) under both non saline and saline
conditions. Foliar spray of Boron was not found much effective to
improve all the growth parameters. Reason of the growth promotion was
assigned to the availability of these essential minerals for growth
through foliar spray, as presence of excessive sodium in rooting medium
would have reduced their uptake due to ion antagonism.
Biosaline Research
Laboratory, Department of Botany, University of Karachi, Karachi-75270.
Pakistan
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