Plant height

Plant height varied significantly at different days after transplanting (DAT) for different doses of GA₃ (Appendix III). At 30 DAT, the maximum plant height (55.78 cm) was obtained from G₃(120 ppm GA₃), while the minimum (47.83 cm) was recorded from G₀ (0 ppm GA₃). The maximum plant height (70.44 cm) was found from G₃ and the minimum (56.84 cm) was obtained from G₀ at 45 DAT (Fig. 1). At 60 DAT, the maximum plant height (102.80 cm) was obtained for G₃ (120 ppm GA₃), while the minimum (88.56 cm) was recorded for G₀ (0 ppm GA₃). The maximum plant height (117.30 cm) was observed in G₃ and the minimum (95.67 cm) was found from G₀ at 75 DAT (Fig. 1). The effect of GA₃ application on plant height was best at the concentration of 120 ppm which was followed by 100, 80 and 0 ppm (Fig. 1). Rai et al. (2006) and Nibhabanti et al.

(2006) observed that GA₃ increased plant height at 25 and 50 ppm. Wu et al.

(1983) reported that GA₃ at 100 ppm increased plant height.

Due to pruning plant height showed significant variation at different days after transplanting (DAT) (Appendix III). The maximum plant height (55.17 cm) was

observed in P₂ (2 stem pruning) and the minimum (49.33 cm) was found from P₁ (1 stem pruning) which was statistically similar to P₃ (3 stem pruning) at 30 DAT.

At 45 DAT, the maximum plant height (67.75 cm) was obtained for P₂, while the minimum (61.77 cm) was recorded for P_1, which was statistically similar to P₃ (62.12 cm) (Fig. 2). The maximum plant height (101.00 cm) was observed for P₂ (2 stem pruning) and the minimum (90.42 cm) was found for P₁ at 60 DAT (Fig.

2). At 75 DAT the maximum plant height (113.60 cm) was obtained for P₂, while the minimum (101.30 cm) was recorded for P₁(Fig. 2).

Fig.1. Effect of GA3on plant height of tomato

The variation was found due to combined effect of GA₃ application and pruning on plant height at different DAT. The maximum plant height (61.00 cm) was recorded from the treatment combination G₃P₂ (2 stem pruning with GA₃ application at 120 ppm), while the treatment combination of G₀P₁ (1 stem pruning with no GA₃ application) gave the minimum (46.33 cm) plant height, which was statistically similar to G₁P₁, G₀P₂, G₀P_3,G₁P₃, G₂P₃ and G₂P₁ (Table 1) at 30 DAT.

At 45 DAT the treatment combination of G₃P₂ produced the tallest (76.00 cm) plant where as the shortest plant (54.23 cm) was performed by the treatment of combination G₀P_1.The maximum plant height (108.70 cm) was obtained from the

while the treatment combination of G₀P₁ (1 stem pruning with no GA₃ application) gave the minimum (82.33 cm) plant height (Table 1) at 60 DAT. At 75 DAT, G₃P₂ showed the longest (125.00 cm) plant height which was followed by G₁P₂, G₂P₂ and G₃P_3, where as the minimum plant height (90.00 cm) was recorded from the combination of G₀P₁ which was statistically similar to G₀P_3.

From the results it was found that both GA₃ application and pruning favored plant growth which was ensured by maximum plant height.

Fig.2. Effect of pruning on plant height of tomato 4.2 Number of leaves per plant

Number of leaves per plant varied significantly at different days after transplanting (DAT) for different doses of GA₃ (Appendix III). At 45 DAT, the maximum number of leaves per plant (32.33) was obtained from G₃ (120 ppm GA₃), while the minimum (25.33) was recorded from G₀ (0 ppm GA₃). The maximum number of leaves per plant (65.44) was counted from G₃ and the minimum (52.33) was found from G₀ at 60 DAT. On the other hand the maximum number of leaves per plant (75.30) was counted from G₃ and the minimum (58) was found from G₀ at 75 DAT. At 90 DAT, the maximum number of leaves per plant (78) was obtained from G₃ and minimum number (64) was found from G_0.

The effect of GA₃ application on number of leaves per plant was comparatively best at the concentration of 120 ppm which was followed by 100, 80 and 0 ppm (Fig. 3). Rai et al. (2006) and Nibhabanti et al. (2006) observed that GA₃ increased number of branches per plant at 25 and 50 ppm. Wu et al. (1983) reported that GA₃ at 100 ppm increased leaf area.

Fig.3. Effect of GA3on leaves per plant of tomato

Due to pruning showed significant variation on number of leaves per plant at 45 and 60 days after transplanting (DAT) (Appendix III). The highest number of leaves per plant (30.08) was observed for P₂ (2 stem pruning) and the lowest number (27.87) was found for P₃(3 stem pruning) at 45 DAT (Fig. 4). At 60 DAT the maximum leaves per plant (63.08) was obtained for P₂, while the minimum (58.33) was recorded for P₁ which was statistically similar to P₃ (Fig. 4). The highest number of leaves per plant (63.07) was observed for P₂ (2 stem pruning) and the lowest number (39.37) was found for P₃ (3 stem pruning) at 75 DAT. On the other hand, maximum number of leaves (70.01) found from P₂ and minimum (63.00) from P at 90 DAT.

Figure.4. Effect of pruning on leaves per plant of tomato

The variation was found due to combined effect of GA₃ application and pruning on number of leaves per plant at different DAT. The maximum number of leaves per plant (34.67) was obtained from the treatment combination G₃P₂ (2 stem pruning with GA₃ application at 120 ppm), while the treatment combination G₀P₁ (single stem pruning with no GA₃ application) gave the minimum (24.67) number of leaves per plant, which was statistically similar to G₀P₃, G₀P₂ and G₁P₁ at 45 DAT (Table 1). At 60 DAT, the treatment combination of G₃P₂ gave the maximum (68.67) number of leaves plant_,whereas the minimum number of leaves per plant (50.67) was recorded from G₀P₁ which was statistically similar to G₀P_3.

At 75 DAT, maximum number of leaves per was obtained from G₃P₂ and minimum number (39.80) was found from G₀P_1.Again at 90 DAT, G₃P₂ produced highest number of leaves (73.15) and G₀P₁ gave lowest number of leaves (46.60) per plant. From the results it was found that both GA₃ application and pruning favored plant growth which was ensured by maximum number of leaves per plant.

Table1. Combined effect of GA₃and pruning on different plant characteristics of tomato

Treatment s

Plant height (cm) at Leaves/ plant at 30

DAT

45 DAT

60 DAT

75 DAT

45 DAT

60 DAT

75 DAT 90 DAT G0P1 46.33d 54.23e 82.33g 90.00f 24.67g 50.67g 39.80d 46.60e G₀P₂ 50.00c

d

59.33d 94.67cd 102.00e 26.33efg 55.00f 51.65bc 59.15c G₀P₃ 47.17d 56.97d

e

88.67f 95.00f 25.00fg 51.33g 48.62c 55.75d G₁P₁ 47.67d 60.00c

d

89.33ef 100.30e 27.00defg 57.67e 47.23c 49.11e