COMPARATIVE EFFECTS OF FOLIAR AGROLYSER AND CRUDE MORINGA EXTRACT ON GROWTH AND FRUIT YIELD OF TOMATO (Lycopersicon esculentum

Mill.) J.A. Oloniruha1, E.F. Aiyejagbara2,T.S Babalola1, and S.K Ogundare1

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College of Agriculture, Ahmadu Bello University, PMB 205, Kabba, Kogi State, Nigeria.

Samaru college of Agric, Division of Agric Colleges, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria. ABSTRACT The study was carried out to access the comparative effects of foliar agrolyser and crude moringa extract on the growth and fruit yield of tomatoes. The study was conducted in the raining season of 2012 at the experimental field of college of agriculture, Kabba, Nigeria. Three treatments were considered, namely, crude moringa extract. Foliar agrolyser, (Boost-xtra; manufactured for CANDEL by OMEX Agrifluids Ltd, UK) and control. The three treatments were replicated four times and laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design. Data were collected on plant height at 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks after transplanting (WAT), number of leaves plant-1 and number of primary branches plant-1 at maturity and fruit yield. All data collected were subjected to ANOVA. Result obtained showed that were no significant difference in Plant height but at 4, 6 and 8 WAT foliar agrolyser and moringa extract are comparable. Foliar agrolyser performs better for other properties studied while the lowest performance was recorded in the control. The study revealed that moringa extract and foliar agrolyser are both good nutrient sources for tomato. Key words: foliar fertilizer, Moringa oliefera , tomato,yield

INTRODUCTION Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) is a fruit vegetable that is widely grown in Nigeria. It is very popular for its fruit which is consumed in various forms in almost every home. Achieving optimum yield for this crop has been a major challenge to farmers most of who are small holders. One of the major factors responsible for this is access to fertilizers. While Morgan, (2006) reported that nutrition plays a major role in determining both yields and fruit quality of tomato, Adeoye,(2005) stated that Nigerian soils cannot support sustainable crop production over a long time. Hence the need to use fertilizers for optimum yield. There are different types of fertilizers including organic, inorganic or chemical, organomineral and foliar. They come in different compositions to meet particular soil condition and crops needs. While organic fertilizer have long time effect

on the soil, its nutrient composition is often inferior to chemical fertilizer and due to its bulky nature it has not been a choice source of nutrients for farmers. Meanwhile, the chemical fertilizers preferred by farmers are rather expensive and most times, they do not arrive for distribution to farmers until the cropping seasons are almost over. Foliar fertilizers, sometimes called agrolysers are a nutrient source which farmers can buy on the shelves of agrochemical shops but the costs are prohibitive for peasant farmers too. Extracts from the leaves of moringa ( Moringa oliefera ) have been reported to contain high concentration of nutrients and moringa is a plant that is commonly grown in back yards and farms for food and medicinal purposes. It is against this background that this study was designed to test the efficacy of moringa extract as a nutrient source for crops by comparing its effects with a synthetic foliar fertilizer. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study was conducted in the raining season of 2012 at the experimental field of college of agriculture, Kabba, Nigeria. Kabba is located on latitude 7.5oN and longitude 6.4oE. Mean annual rainfall is approximately 1400mm and mean minimum and maximum temperature are 21.5oC and 35.5oC respectively. The soil of the experimental site is sandy loam which is low in nitrogen, available P and exchangeable K. Seeds of Tomato (Roma VF variety) were raised in a nursery and then transplanted to the field three weeks after sowing. There were three treatments, namely, crude moringa extract. Foliar agrolyser, (Boost-xtra; manufactured for CANDEL by OMEX Agrifluids Ltd, UK) and control. Crude moringa extract was obtained by pounding freshly harvested moringa oliefera leaves in a mortar and then manually squeeze out the juice. Boost-xtra, containing 20% each of N, P and K as shown in table 1 was administered at a rate of 1lt1ha while crude moringa extract was administered at a rate of 4lt 1ha. The three treatments were replicated four times and laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design. Nutrients were applied to tomato at one week after transplanting using a CP3 knapsack sprayer. Data were collected on plant height at 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks after transplanting (WAT), number of leaves plant-1 and number of primary branches plant-1 at maturity and fruit yield. All data collected were subjected to ANOVA.

RESULTS Results of treatment effects on plant height are shown in table 2. At 2weeks after transplanting (WAT), there were no differences in plant height but at 4, 6, and 8 WAT, foliar agrolyser and moringa extract had comparable plant heights which were consistently higher than control. The results for number of leaves plant -1 and number of primary branches plant-1 at maturity and fruit yield are shown in table 2. Number of leaves at maturity was highest for foliar agrolyser and lowest for control. Similar trend

was observed for number of primary branches. Fruit yield was significantly higher for foliar fertilizer and poorest for control.

DISCUSSION That there was no observed effect of the treatments on plant height at 2WAT is indicative of the fact that the treatments have not taken effect as they were administered only one week earlier. However the consistently higher performance at 4, 6 and 8 WAT for foliar agrolyser and moringa extract over control showed that both foliar agrolyser and moringa extract are comparable in their effect on plant height. The higher fruit yield observed for foliar agrolyser may be due to differences in nutrient composition of foliar agrolyser and moringa. But the fact that both treatments recorded higher number of leaves plant-1, number of primary branches plant-1 and fruit yield than control is indicative that they are both good nutrient sources for tomato and as the foliar agrolyser contains 20% each of N, P and K, this result is in agreement with the findings of Subbiah et al (1985) and Samaila et al (2011) that yield of tomato increases with N application. There is need for further tests after the nutrient profile of moringa extract has been determined. References
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