MICRONUTRIENT FOLIAR APPLICATION INCREASES SALT TOLERANCE OF TOMATO SEEDLINGS

Salinity either of soil or of irrigation water causes disturbances in plant growth and nutrient balance.
Previous work indicates that applying nutrients as foliar application increases tolerance to salinity in cereals and leguminous plants.
A pot experiment was carded out to study the effect of micronutrient foliar application on salt tolerance of tomato.
Seeds were sown in Miticherlich pots filled with sandy loamy soil.
One month after germination, seedlings were sprayed with Micronutrient mixture (Wuxal 1.5 ml l^-1) containing Fe, Mn and Zn.
Three days later, seedlings were irrigated with saline water containing different NaCl concentrations.
Two weeks later and just at start of flowering samples were taken for measuring growth patterns, nutrient and sodium contents in the different organs.
Salinity adversely affected growth as (dry weight) and nutrient uptake.
Spraying micronutrients could restore the negative effect of salinity on dry weight.
Effect of salinity on nutrient uptake could also be partially counteracted by spraying micronutrients.

International Symposium on Techniques to Control Salination for Horticultural Productivity

M.M. El-Fouly, Z.M. Moubarak, Z.A. Salama

Salt tolerance, tomato, foliar application

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2002.573.57