ISHS Acta Horticulturae 1416: EHC2024: International Symposium on Sustainable Vegetable Production from Seed to Health Booster Sources
Effect of treatment with microalgae extracts on growth and development of tomato seedlings |
| Authors: | I. Sivicka, K. Kampuss, P. Semjonovs |
| Keywords: | tomatoes, seedlings, microalgae, biostimulants, plant development, quality parameters |
| DOI: | 10.17660/ActaHortic.2025.1416.7 |
| Abstract:
The research aimed to evaluate the growth and development of tomato seedlings under treatment with microalgae extracts. The experiment was started in July 2023 in polycarbonate greenhouse of the laboratory of Horticulture and Beekeeping of the Latvia University of Life Sciences and Technologies. The seeds of tomato hybrid cultivar ‘Belle’ F1 (Enza Zaden) were sown in plastic cassettes filled with peat (producer Laflora Ltd., pH KCl 5.5) on July 1. At the stage of early growth (July 18) seedlings were replanted in vegetation pots (1 L) filled with the same substrate. Since germination, the seedlings had been sprayed weekly with water-ethanol solution of different microalgae species, namely, Spirulina, Dunaliella, Chlorella, for a total of 4 times: from July 24 to August 14. Two concentrations of the extracts were compared with sprays with corresponding ethanol solution as a control. After sprays, the following parameters were measured: plant height, number of internodes, hypocotyl colour, stem collar diameter, number of leaves, length and colour of leaves on the middle node as well as pHKCl and content of soluble solids (°Brix). At the age of 35 days, the seedlings were replanted in 25-L containers for next investigations and data about plant growth type, leaf type as well as number of leaves under first inflorescence were measured. It was observed, that influence of microalgae extract’s type on plant height, number of leaves, length of leaves on the middle node and content of soluble solids was significant (p<0.05). In the case of concentration, the significant influence (p<0.05) on such parameters as number and length of leaves as well as content of soluble solids was observed. For all indices, no negative effects of any microalgae extracts were noticed. | |
Download Adobe Acrobat Reader (free software to read PDF files) | |
