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Response of Tomato to Defoliation at First Bloom on Morpho-physiological and Reproductive Characters, and Yield

M. Monjurul Alam Mondal, PhD
Principal Scientific Officer
Crop Physiology Division, Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture, BAU Campus, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh

Dr. M. A. Malek
Principal Scientific Officer
Plant Breeding Division, Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture, BAU Campus, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh

Dr. Adam Puteh
Professor
Dept Crop Science, University Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Malaysia

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of defoliations on morpho-physiological and reproductive characters, and yield of tomato. The experiment comprised of five levels of defoliation viz., 0 (control), 3, 6, 9 and 12 leaves defoliation from base out of 17 leaves beginning at flowering phase and two genotypes viz., TM-110 and TM-135. Leaf area, plant height, number of leaves plant^-1, straw weight plant^-1, absolute growth rate, number of effective flower cluster and flowers plant^-1, number of fruits plant^-1, individual fruit weight and fruit yield were not affected up to 6 leaves defoliation irrespective of seasons and genotypes. Interestingly, photosynthesis, nitrate reductase and reproductive efficiency increased with increasing defoliation levels. Morpho-physiological parameters and yield attributes were higher in 3 and 6 leaves defoliated plants over the control with being the highest in 6 leaves defoliated plant, which resulting the highest fruit yield. Heavy defoliation not only reduced source sizes but also decreased total sink (flower and fruits) production causing lower fruit yields. The lowest yield attributes and fruit yield was recorded in 12 leaves defoliated plants. These results indicate that tomato plants can tolerant one-third leaf loss during reproductive stage.

Keywords: Tomato; Defoliation; Canopy structure; Dry matter and Seed yield

Location: Experimental field of BINA, Mymensingh

Start Date: 22-11-2009

End Date: 28-04-2011

Program Area: Crop-Soil-Water Management

Commodity: Tomato

Objectives:

To investigate the extent to which and what portion of leaf removal during the beginning of reproductive phase affects fruit yield under field condition and to identify the yield components responsible for yield reduction in tomato.

Methodology:

The two experiments were carried out at the farm of Bangladesh Institute of Nuclear Agriculture, Mymensingh, Bangladesh during the two successive seasons (November-March) of 2009-10 and 2010-11. The experiment comprised of two factors: five defoliation levels of 0, 3, 6, 9 and 12 leaves were removed from base of the plant out of 16 or 17 leaves at the beginning of flowering. Two tomato genotypes (TM-110 and TM-135) were used as planting material. The experimental design was split-plot with three replicates with varies as main plot and the defoliation levels as sub-plot. The sub-plot consisted of 6 rows including two borderlines on either side. The unit plot size was 3 m × 4 m. Urea, triple super phosphate (TSP), muriate of potash (MP), gypsum and cowdung were applied at the rate of 280, 250, 180, 80 and 10000 kg ha^-1, respectively (BARC, 2005). To study of growth characteristics, a total of two harvests were made in 2011-12. The first and second crop sampling was done at 40 and 60 DAT. Five plants were randomly selected from each plot during each sampling date and uprooted for collecting necessary parameters. The plants were separated into roots, stems, leaves and fruits, and the corresponding dry weight were recorded after oven drying at 80 ± 2⁰C for 72 hours. Absolute growth rate (AGR) was determined following the formula of Hunt (1978). All biochemical parameters were recorded at 50-60 DAT, the fruiting stage. At harvest, ten plants from each plot were selected randomly for data recording on morpho-physiological, reproductive, yield and yield related traits. The collected data were analyzed statistically.

Source of Information: Scientia Horticulturae 181 (8): accepted for publication

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

1. Government

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Leaf loss through insect attack, disease and other environmental hazards at bud initiation stage up to 36% may not affect fruit yield in tomato as was investigated in the experiment. This suggests that removal of lower leaves up to 36% check early leaf blight which other ways save environmental hazards by avoiding fungicide spray. Therefore, it may not advisable to spray pesticide for controlling pests in tomato variety at one-third loss of leaf surface to save environment from pollution.

Knowledge Management: Journal