Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 MSC.Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, Shahid Bahonar University, Kerman, Iran
2 Professor.Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, Shahid Bahonar University, Kerman, Iran
3 Assistant Professor. Department of Biology, Payam Noor University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
Introduction: Brassinosteroids play an important role in plant growth and development. Seedling is one of the most important factors affecting plant establishment and crop production. Methods: The effects of tomato seed pretreatment with 24-Epibrassinolide (EBL) on germination indicators, seedling growth in the greenhouse and the effect of foliar spraying on plant growth and yield in the field were investigated. The treatments in the germination and seedling production stage included seed soaking (priming) in distilled water (control) and EBL solution with concentrations of 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75 μM for 24 hours. Seedlings obtained by seed priming in EBL (0, 0.5 and 0.75 μM) were transferred to the field and after one month, they were sprayed with concentrations of 0, 0.5 and 0.75 μM. Results and discussion: compared to the control, EBL increased the percentage and speed of seed germination and all physiological and growth parameters, and the effect of 0.75 μM was more significant. The effect of EBL on the measured parameters in the field was also very impressive. Although the effect of seed priming alone in all treatments was significantly better than the foliar spraying alone in all stages, but the combination of these two treatments in both concentrations of 0.5 and 0.75 μM was more significant than seed priming or foliar spraying treatments. Tomato production from the combination of seed priming along with foliar spraying increased by 74% at 0.5 μM and 145% at 0.75 μM concentration compared to the control.
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