Effect of Plant Growth Regulators and Silicon on Growth, Yield and Quality of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)
Akansha Nagar
Department of Horticulture, School of Agriculture, Suresh Gyan Vihar University, Jagatpura, Jaipur, Rajasthan-302017, India.
Dipayan Sarkar *
Department of Horticulture, School of Agriculture, Suresh Gyan Vihar University, Jagatpura, Jaipur, Rajasthan-302017, India.
Usha Shukla
Department of Horticulture, School of Agriculture, Suresh Gyan Vihar University, Jagatpura, Jaipur, Rajasthan-302017, India.
Manoj Kumar Bundela
Department of Horticulture, School of Agriculture, Suresh Gyan Vihar University, Jagatpura, Jaipur, Rajasthan-302017, India.
S. Pavithra
Department of Agricultural Economics, School of Agriculture, Suresh Gyan Vihar University, Jagatpura, Jaipur, Rajasthan-302017, India.
Indra Raj Yadav
Department of Soil Science, School of Agriculture, Suresh Gyan Vihar University, Jagatpura, Jaipur, Rajasthan-302017, India.
P. K. Yadav
Department of Horticulture, School of Agriculture, Suresh Gyan Vihar University, Jagatpura, Jaipur, Rajasthan-302017, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aim: The present investigation was conducted at the Agricultural Research Farm, Department of Horticulture, School of Agriculture at Suresh Gyan Vihar University, Jaipur, Rajasthan, during 2025–2026 to investigate the effects of plant growth regulators and silicon on growth, yield and quality of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.).
Materials and Methods: The experiment comprised two factors. The first factor was plant growth regulators (P) with three levels, viz. Control (P0), Salicylic acid @ 200 ppm (P1), Triacontanol @ 4ml/L (P2). The second factor was silicon (S) with four levels, viz. Control (S0), SiO2 @ 100 ppm (S1), SiO2 @ 100 ppm (S2) and SiO2 @ 100 ppm (S3), resulting in 12 treatment combinations.
Results: The results revealed significant differences among the treatments. The highest recorded growth parameters viz. maximum plant height at 45 DAT of 98.41 cm, a plant height at harvest of 130.74 cm, a plant spread of 68.0 cm, a number of leaves per plant of 53.34 and a number of clusters per plant of 11.72 were observed with triacontanol @ 4ml/L X SiO2 @ 200 ppm (P2S2). The highest average fruit weight of 84.34 g was recorded under P2 (Triacontanol @ 4ml/L) among the plant growth regulator levels, whereas among the silicon levels, the highest average fruit weight of 82.75 g was recorded in S2 (SiO2 @ 200 ppm). Among the plant growth regulator levels, the highest number of fruits per plant, at 39.41, was observed in P2 (Triacontanol @ 4ml/L) whereas among the silicon levels, the highest number of fruits per plant, at 38.37, was observed in S2 (SiO2 @ 200 ppm). The highest total fruit yield of 108.33 t/ha was recorded under P2S2 (Triacontanol @ 4ml/L X SiO2 @ 200 ppm). The highest measured quality parameters viz. maximum total soluble solids of 5.08 º Brix and an ascorbic acid content of 26.46 mg/100g were recorded under P2S2 (Triacontanol @ 4ml/L X SiO2 @ 200 ppm).
Conclusion: The present investigation indicates that the treatment combination P2 X S2, comprising Triacontanol @ 4ml/L X SiO2 @ 200 ppm recorded the highest yield and economic returns; therefore, this treatment combination may be considered for tomato cultivation in the study region.
Keywords: Growth, plant growth regulators, triacontanol, tomato, silicon, total soluble solids, ascorbic acid, economic returns