Physiological response and yield of paclobutrazol treated tomato plants (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.)

Abstract

Experiments were conducted to study the physiologicaleffect of the plant growth retardant paclobutrazol(PBZ) and its impact on the yield of tomato plants(cv. Precador). Seedlings were treated at the time of prickingout with soil and foliar applications of PBZ atconcentrations of 1.0 and 25.0 mg l^-1respectively. The results established that:

-- The reduced height and the increased thickness ofthe young plant stem, as well as the accelerated rootformation are a significant advantage of the PBZtreatment, contributing to the improvement of seedlingquality at planting.

-- Soil treatment (1 mg l^-1) and foliar treatment(25 mg l^-1) with PBZ improves the photosyntheticactivity and water balance of tomato cv. Precador.

-- PBZ accelerates fruit formation and increases earlyfruit yield.

-- The concentrations of the retardant used and themode of its application ensure the production offruits without any residual retardant and harmless tohuman health from a phytosanitary point of view.