Influence of foliar application of Ecohume® (containing 6% Humic substances) on nursery seedling growth in tomato

Abstract

Experiments were conducted to study the influence of Humic substances on the growth of tomato seedlings raised in nursery plug trays. Foliar application of HS is effective in improving growth of seedlings raised over all three rooting medias used. Seedlings raised over Vermicompost rooting medium showed superior growth compared to the seedlings raised over coir pith and Red soil-sand-FYM (1:1:1) mixture. In the second study, the effect of foliar application of Ecohume, NPK, Ecohume+NPK on seedling growth was monitored. Ecohume and Ecohume+NPK nutrient application stimulated additional growth. Increase in fresh weight and leaf area monitored during different developmental stages of the seedlings indicated that Ecohume+NPK and Ecohume were effective in improving leaf area development and fresh weight of tomato seedlings, as compared to NPK. Multilocation studies were conducted at 67 seedling nurseries around Bangalore India, has proved that the growth stimulatory effect of Ecohume is stable over varying agro-climatic conditions. These three sets of experiments conducted, suggest that a foliar application of Ecohume is highly potent in stimulating additional growth of tomato seedlings in the nursuries.