Morphological and physiological response of tomato (Solanum
lycopersicum L.) to natural and synthetic cytokinin sources: a comparative study |
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Authors: | Azra Yasmeen Wasif Nouman Shahzad Maqsood Ahmed Basra Abdul Wahid Hafeez-ur-Rehman Nazim Hussain Irfan Afzal |
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Institution: | 1. Department of Agronomy, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan 2. Department of Forestry & Range Management, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan 3. Department of Crop Physiology, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan 4. Department of Botany, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad, Pakistan
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Abstract: | Among the natural plant growth stimulants, moringa has attained enormous attention due to its leaf composition being enriched with cytokinin, antioxidants and minerals. Exogenous application of moringa leaf extract (MLE) improves productivity in many crops. This study investigated the potential of MLE with different dilutions, i.e., MLE0, MLE10, MLE20 and MLE30 (0, 10, 20 and 30 times diluted in water, respectively) to improve the performance of tomato. Foliage-applied water and benzylaminopurine (BAP, 50 mg L?1) were taken as controls. Among treatments, foliar-applied MLE30 produced maximum vegetative and flowering branches, number of flowers and heaviest fruits per plant of tomato in comparison with synthetic BAP and other treatments. A similar increase in vegetative and flowering branches was recorded for root-applied MLE20 including BAP. Foliage-applied MLE30 also increased chlorophyll (a) pigments and leaf total soluble proteins than other stimulants used. This increase was followed by enhanced antioxidant activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), total phenolics in leaves and fruit lycopene contents of tomato. In general, foliar application of MLE30 was more effective as natural biostimulant to improve growth, productivity and fruit quality of tomato as compared to synthetic BAP and its root application. |
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