Enhanced Vegetative Growth and Development of Processing Tomato by DCPTA Treatment of Seed

Abstract

Application of DCPTA as a pregermination seed treatment (DCPTA plants) increased the seedling vigor, relative growth rate, harvestable yield, and yield quality of processing tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill. cvs . UC82, VF6203, H100). When compared with controls, the growth rates of roots and shoots of 30 μ m DCPTA plants were increased significantly ( P = 0.05) during seed germination and midexponential growth. At fruit harvest, greenhouse-grown 30 μ m DCPTA plants showed a 2- to 3-fold increase in leaf, stem, and root dry weight compared with that of controls. Improvements in the uniformity of fruit maturation significantly increased the harvestable fruit yields of greenhouse-grown DCPTA plants compared with that of controls. The total soluble solids ( o Brix), glucose, fructose, and carotenoid contents of red-ripe fruits harvested from greenhouse- and field-grown DCPTA plants were significantly increased compared with controls. Chemical name used: 2-(3,4-dichlorophenoxy)triethylamine (DCPTA).