THE EFFECTS OF AFRIKELP® LG-1, VERMICOMPOST LEACHATE, EFFECTIVE MICROORGANISM AND COMPOST TEA ON TOMATO SEEDLING HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT

THE EFFECTS OF AFRIKELP® LG-1, VERMICOMPOST LEACHATE, EFFECTIVE MICROORGANISM AND COMPOST TEA ON TOMATO SEEDLING HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT B, Nzanza , Deborah Robertson-Andersson and Diana Marais 1 2 3 1. Natuurboedery Research Center, ZZ2 Farms, P. O Box 19 Mooketsi, 0825 2. Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, University of the Western Cape, Bellville 7535 3. Department of Plant production and Soil Science, University of Pretoria Email first author:bombiti@zz2.biz RESULTS AND DISCUSSION INTRODUCTION Poster 2… • Shoot length showed the greatest increases compared to the control, with all applications Commercial seaweed extracts have been proposed to have a wide range of effects on having significantly longer shoots compared to the control (Fig 5) crop plants and the literature is full of these examples (See Stirk et al. 2003, 2004 for • The root length data showed greater variability with indications that higher applications are review). AfriKelp® LG-1 is a locally manufactured seaweed extract made from Ecklonia maxima Fig 4. Fig. 5 more beneficial and increase root growth. Osbeck Papenfuss via a cool fragmentation technology. As this method differs from other seaweed extract technologies there may be differences in hormonal efficacy. • All applications of AfriKelp® LG-1 had significantly longer roots and shoots 1:500 as compared to the control except the dip 1:1000 with a 2 L (1:500) per OBJECTIVE ha spray application. this was the most dilute application. The objective of these experiments was to determine the effects of different applications of seaweed extract (AfriKelp® LG-1) application on the shoots, roots and yield of Nemo-Netta Poster 2 : Fig 1 tomato seedlings following transplanting via a cool fragmentation technology. MATERIALS AND METHODS • The experiment was conducted at 1:250 Natuurboedery Research Center , Mooketsi FIGURE 5 Station, Limpopo Province during winter –spring Effect of Afrikelp on plant growth 2008 • Tomato seedlings Nemo-Netta were supplied by Hishtill SA nurseries after 4 weeks growth and TABLE 1 Number of fruits and flowers as influenced by Afrikelp applications an average height of 10 cm (+ 1 cm) (Fig. 1) TREATMENT Root Length Shoot length Stem diameter Dry root: shoot ratio DIP SPRAY cm cm cm Poster 2 : Fig 2 FIGURE 1 Three weeks old Tomato 1:250 1:250 52.7a 64.0a 8.3a 0.3a • Treatments consisted of a control a dip for three 1:250 1:500 48.2a 65.8a 6.5a 0.3a minutes of 1:1000; 1:500 and 1:250 AfriKelp® 1:500 1:250 50.5a 68.6a 9.2a 0.3a LG-1 solution. • This was then followed by spray applications of 1:500 1:500 51.3a 62.9a 7.0a 0.4a 2 or 4 Litres at twice weekly intervals. 1:1000 1:250 51.0a 67.3a 7.8a 0.3a • The trial was laid out in a linear fashion with each treatment having twelve replicates 1:1000 1:500 41.5b 62.2a 6.8a 0.3a (Fig. 2). CONTROL 40.2b 44.6b 6.0a 0.3a F-test * * ns ns FIGURE 2 Overview of the Trial • Application of Afrikelp significantly increased the number of fruits and flowers per plant • Tomato seedlings were transplanted into pot regardless of the mode of application (drip or spray) (Table 1). filled with compost and sawdust (Fig. 3) • The number of fruits per plant (eight weeks after transplanting) decreased with decreasing • Plant nutrition, pest and disease management foliar application (Fig. 6) followed ZZ2 protocols. • The best yield was obtained with 1:500 at transplant followed by foliar spray of 1:500 . • Plants were destructively harvested at three- However, this was not significantly different to higher Afrikelp applications (1:250) (Data week interval. not shown) Poster 2… 30 25 FIGURE 3 Fig 4. Fig. 5 Figure 3 Tomato seedling transplanted into pot 20 • The plant height (shoot length), CONTROL root length and stem diameter (ø) Series1 15 were measured (Fig. 4). Series2 • Plants were also dried 50 ºC for 70 hours to obtain a dry root to 10 shoot ratio. • Results were analysed statistically 5 using SAS followed by a Turkey LSD post hoc test. 0 1:250/1:250 1:250/1:500 1:500/1:250 1:500/1:500 1:1000/1:250 1:1000/1:500 control 1:1000 FIGURE 4 Series 1 FIGURE 6 Plant height measurement Number of fruits and flowers as influenced by Afrikelp applications Series 2 CONCLUSION The best application to use in terms of fruit yield was a 1:500 drench followed by biweekly applications of 2 L of AfriKelp® LG-1 per hectare. This indicates that seedling health and plant development can be improved through the use of sea weed extract. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The authors wish to thank Hishtill SA, ZZ2 and Afrikelp for providing products and funding for this research. Special thanks to Shlomo Zuker, Rone Strauss, Noman, Philemon Mogale and the Natuurboedery staff. REFERENCES Stirk, W. A.; Novák, O.; Strnad, M. & van Staden, J. 2003. Cytokinins in macroalgae. Plant Growth Regulation 41: 13-24 Stirk WA, GD Arthur, AF Lourens, O Novák, M Strnad & J van Staden 2004. Changes in cytokinin and auxin concentrations in seaweed concentrates when stored at an elevated temperature. Journal of Applied Phycology 16: 31 – 39.

THE EFFECTS OF AFRIKELP® LG-1, VERMICOMPOST LEACHATE, EFFECTIVE MICROORGANISM AND COMPOST TEA ON TOMATO SEEDLING HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT

by Deborah Robertson-Andersson on Jan 29, 2009

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