Effect of Poultry Manure, Moringa and Neem Leaf Extracts on the Varietal Performance of Tomato (Solanum Lycopersicum L.)

Abstract

Pot experiment was carried out in a hoop-house at the Teaching and Research Farm of Rivers State University from August 2020 -February 2021 cropping season to evaluate the agronomic performance of three Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L) varieties (Jos, Beef and RVF) to the exogenous applications of Moringa leaf extract (MLE), Neem leaf extract (NLE) and poultry manure (PM). The MLE and NLE were applied at 30ml of 0, 5 and 10 litres concentrations with 20t/ha PM singly and in all possible combinations, in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) in three replications. The tested parameters were percentage emergence, days to 50% flowering and fruiting, plant height, number of branches, leaves, flowers, fruit, and fruit weight. The results showed that applications of MLE, NLE (priming and foliar spray) and PM had significant (p≤0.05) effects on tested parameters over the control at all growth stages and on fruit yield, but the combination of these treatments gave a better performance. Among the MLE treatments, both sole and combined applications, MLE5 gave a better performance on growth parameters such as plant height (149.08cm), number of leaves (145.74) and number of branches (34.92), than MLE10, plant height (143.85cm), no of leaves (143.66), and number of branches (34.40) while MLE10 was superior in terms of yield and yield related parameters such as number of flowers (24.44), number of fruit (21.37) and fruit weight (6.90 t/ha). NLE 10 gave a better growth and yield performance than NLE 5. The combination of MLE, NLE and PM gave a better performance on growth and yield than their single applications and the control. However, the combination effect of MLE10+NLE10+PM exhibited larger number of flowers, more number of fruits as well as heaviest fruits. Plants treated with Moringa and Neem leaf extracts recorded zero pest infestation when compared to the PM alone and the control treatment. Among the varieties, Jos variety treated with MLE, NLE and PM single and in all combinations recorded the best and highest values in all growth and yield parameters, followed closely by RVF, while Beef variety was the least. The significant effect of MLE, NLE and PM on the agronomic performance of the three tomato varieties suggests that, MLE, NLE and PM can be used as a source of nutrient to grow tomato plants.