Keywords
Moringa Leaf Extract
Concentration
Frequency of Application
Weeks after transplanting
Conservation
How to Cite
Abstract
Field trial was conducted during 2021/2022 dry seasons at the Research Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Maiduguri to determine the response of tomato (Lycopersicon lycopersicum l.) to concentration and frequency of application of Moringa leaf extract (MLE) in the Sudan Savanna ecological zone of Nigeria. The treatments consisted of five concentrations of Moringa leaf extract (0, 3, 4, 5 and 6 % concentration) and three frequency of applications (4 WAT, 4 and 6 WAT and 4, 6 and 8 WAT). The treatments were laid out in a Randomised Complete Block Design (RCBD) replicated three times. Data were collected on number of branches per plant, leaf area per plant, days to 50% flowering, average fruit weight per plant, marketable fruit yield per hectare and total fruit yield per hectare. The data collected were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) to test for significant difference among the means using GENSTAT 17th Edition. The treatments means were compared using Student-Newman Keuls (SNK) Test at 5% level of significance. The result showed that application of MLE significantly affected all the parameters evaluated. It has shown that the application 5 or 6 % concentration of the MLE recorded higher growth (number of branches/plant and leaf area/plant) and yield (marketable and total yield/hectare) parameters. It further showed that the higher the frequency of application, the higher the growth and yield. The study, therefore, recommends the application of 5% MLE at 4, 6 and 8 WAT for farmers in the Sudan Savanna of Nigeria.
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