EFFECTS OF 2, 4-D AND PRUNING ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF TOMATO

Abstract

An experiment was conducted at the experimental field of Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur, during the period from October 2017 to March 2018 to observe the effects of 2, 4-D and pruning on the growth and yield of tomato cv BARI hybrid tomato -4. The experiment consisted of three doses of 2, 4- D such as 3 ppm, 6 ppm and 9 ppm with control; three different pruning types such as without, single and double pruning. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications and there were altogether 36 plot. Different doses of 2, 4-D showed significant influence on almost all the parametres studied concerned with growth and yield contributing characters of tomato. The hormone of 2, 4-D at 6 ppm produced the highest plant height (75.52 cm), no. of leaves/plant (42.99), no. of branches/plant (6.988), no. of flower cluster/plant (13.41), no. of flowers/plant (58.92), no. of fruit cluster/plant (7.25), no. of fruits/cluster (7.373), no. of fruits/plant (43.12), shelf life (12.89 days), dry matter content of leaves (10.99 %), yield (36.14 t/ha). The pruning also had significant influence on all the parametres studied. The double pruning produced highest plant height (69.62 cm) and yield (33.89 t/ha) with increased no. of leaves/plant (42.31), no. of branches/plant (6.141), no. of flower cluster/plant (12.62), no. of flowers/plant (55.17), no. of fruit cluster/plant, no. of fruits/ cluster, no. of fruits/plant (37.08), shelf life (11.33 days), fruit length, dry matter content of leaves (11.14 %) compared to control. The combined effect of 2, 4-D and pruning was statistically significant on the growth and yield contributing characters of tomato. The highest plant height (78.73 cm) as well as no. of leaves/plant (46.27), no. of branches/plant (7.653), no. of flower cluster/plant (14.07), no. of flowers/plant (65.73), no. of fruits/plant (44.50), shelf life, dry matter content of leaves, yield (42.59 t/ha) were recorded from at the 6 ppm of 2, 4-D with double pruning. Similarly, the lowest fruit yield (25.12 t/ha) was found at 0 ppm with without pruning. So, it can be concluded that 6 ppm 2, 4-D with double pruning is the best for growth and yield of tomato.Correlation studies indicated that yield (ton/ha) was significantly and positively correlated with different yield contributing characters of tomato.