THE EFFECTS OF AFRIKELP® LG-1, VERMICOMPOST LEACHATE, EFFECTIVE MICROORGANISM AND

COMPOST TEA ON TOMATO SEEDLING HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT

B, Nzanza1, Deborah Robertson-Andersson2 and Diana Marais3

INTRODUCTIONCommercial seaweed extracts have been proposed to have a wide range of effects on crop plants and the literature is full of these examples (See Stirk et al. 2003, 2004 for review). AfriKelp® LG-1 is a locally manufactured seaweed extract made from Ecklonia maxima Osbeck Papenfuss via a cool fragmentation technology. As this method differs from other seaweed extract technologies there may be differences in hormonal efficacy.

OBJECTIVEThe 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 tomato seedlings following transplanting via a cool fragmentation technology.

1. Natuurboedery Research Center, ZZ2 Farms, P. O Box 19 Mooketsi, 08252. Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, University of the Western Cape, Bellville 7535

3. Department of Plant production and Soil Science, University of PretoriaEmail first author:bombiti@zz2.biz

CONCLUSIONThe 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.

MATERIALS AND METHODSThe experiment was conducted at • Natuurboedery Research Center , Mooketsi Station, Limpopo Province during winter –spring 2008Tomato seedlings Nemo-Netta were supplied by • Hishtill SA nurseries after 4 weeks growth and an average height of 10 cm (+ 1 cm) (Fig. 1)

FIGURE 1Three weeks old Tomato

Poster 2 : Fig 1

Treatments consisted of a control a dip for three • minutes of 1:1000; 1:500 and 1:250 AfriKelp® LG-1 solution.This was then followed by spray applications of • 2 or 4 Litres at twice weekly intervals.The trial was laid out in a linear fashion with • each treatment having twelve replicates (Fig. 2).

Poster 2 : Fig 2

FIGURE 2Overview of the Trial

Tomato seedlings were transplanted into pot • filled with compost and sawdust (Fig. 3) Plant nutrition, pest and disease management • followed ZZ2 protocols. Plants were destructively harvested at three-• week interval.

Figure 3FIGURE 3Tomato seedling transplanted into pot

The plant height (shoot length), • root length and stem diameter (ø) were measured (Fig. 4).Plants were also dried 50 ºC for • 70 hours to obtain a dry root to shoot ratio.Results were analysed statistically • using SAS followed by a Turkey LSD post hoc test.

FIGURE 4Plant height measurement

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONShoot length showed the greatest increases compared to the control, with all applications • having significantly longer shoots compared to the control (Fig 5)The root length data showed greater variability with indications that higher applications are • more beneficial and increase root growth.

Poster 2…Fig. 5Fig 4.

1:500

1:250

FIGURE 5Effect of Afrikelp on plant growth

All applications of AfriKelp® LG-1 had significantly longer roots and shoots • as compared to the control except the dip 1:1000 with a 2 L (1:500) per ha spray application. this was the most dilute application.

TABLE 1 Number of fruits and flowers as influenced by Afrikelp applications

TREATMENT Root Length Shoot length Stem diameter Dry root: shoot ratioDIP SPRAY cm cm cm

1:250 1:250 52.7a 64.0a 8.3a 0.3a

1:250 1:500 48.2a 65.8a 6.5a 0.3a

1:500 1:250 50.5a 68.6a 9.2a 0.3a

1:500 1:500 51.3a 62.9a 7.0a 0.4a

1:1000 1:250 51.0a 67.3a 7.8a 0.3a

1:1000 1:500 41.5b 62.2a 6.8a 0.3a

CONTROL 40.2b 44.6b 6.0a 0.3a

F-test * * ns ns

Application of Afrikelp significantly increased the number of fruits and flowers per plant • regardless of the mode of application (drip or spray) (Table 1).The number of fruits per plant (eight weeks after transplanting) decreased with decreasing • foliar application (Fig. 6)The best yield was obtained with 1:500 at transplant followed by foliar spray of 1:500 . • However, this was not significantly different to higher Afrikelp applications (1:250) (Data not shown)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

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

Series1

Series2

Series 1

Series 2

FIGURE 6Number of fruits and flowers as influenced by Afrikelp applications

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSThe 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.

REFERENCESStirk, W. A.; Novák, O.; Strnad, M. & van Staden, J. 2003. Cytokinins in macroalgae. Plant Growth Regulation 41: 13-24Stirk 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.

Poster 2…Fig. 5Fig 4.

CONTROL

1:1000