Greener Journal of Agricultural Sciences

ISSN: 2276-7770; ICV: 6.15

Vol. 2(5), pp. 207-211, September, 2012
Copyright ©2017, the copyright of this article is retained by the author(s)
http://gjournals.org/GJAS

Research Article

Effect of Moringa Extract on Growth and

Yield of Tomato
Mvumi Culver1, Tagwira Fanuel1 and Albert Z. Chiteka1
1
Africa University, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, P. O. Box 1320, Mutare,
Zimbabwe

ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT

Article No.: GJAS1233 Trials were carried out to evaluate the effect of Moringa oleifera leaf extract as a
growth hormone on growth and yield of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentumL var.
DOI: 10.15580/GJAS.2012.5.GJAS1233
Rodade).
In the greenhouse, five treatments were used: the control, where only water
was added (M0), second control where ethanol 80 % was added (ME), moringa
extract applied once at 2 weeks from emergence (M1), moringa extract applied at 2
Submitted: xx/xx/xxxx
and 4 weeks from emergence (M2), and moringa extract applied every 2 weeks to
Accepted: xx/xx/xxxx maturity,starting from two weeks from germination (M3).The same treatments were
Published: xx/xx/xxxx adopted in the field except the ME which was considered unnecessary after
observing the results of the greenhouse experiment. Results showed that moringa
*Corresponding Author extract increased growth and yield of tomato in both greenhouse and field. Moringa
extract significantly increased above ground dry matter yield (DM), root dry matter
Mvumi Culver
weight and plant height for the crop. Yields obtained at MI, M2 and M3 were
E-mail: culmvi@yahoo.com increasing in ascending order from M1. The study recommends the application of
extract at M3.

Keywords:
Moringaoleifera leaf extract, growth
hormone, tomato

ABBREVIATIONS

AN ammonium nitrate
DM dry matter
EC emulsifiable concentration
FAO food and organization
SSP single super phosphate
TEB total exchangeable bases
WP wettable powder
208 Culver et al / Greener Journal of Agricultural Sciences

INTRODUCTION
Greenhouse Experiment
Vegetables are important crops for additional supply of
human nutritional requirements. Temu and Temu (2005) 12 black polythene bags containing 10 kg of soil each
described vegetables, which include tomatoes as high- were used to establish tomato plants.Fertilizer rates
value crops which have high nutritive value. In particular, used were:
they are high in vitamins, minerals and fibre. But
according to reports by Stock (2004), half of the Sub 105 kg N/ha (1.38 g AN /10 kg soil), 240 kg P2O5/ha
Saharan countries were designated by FAO as having (5.74 g SSP/10 kg soil), and 75 kg K2O/ha (0.68 g
short supply of these crops. One of the constraints to sulphate of potash/10 kg soil). (AN=34.5 % N, SSP=18
sustained production of tomatoes in this region is lack of % P2O5 and Sulphate of Potash=50 % K2O5).
hormonal application. This leads to poor plant growth The design was a Randomized Complete Block Design
and increased disease pressure which results in decline (RCBD) with three replicates.
in agricultural food production.
Plant hormones can be used to increase yield Treatments
per unit area because they influence every phase of
plant growth and development. Traditionally, there are 1. Control-with no moringa extract added (M0).
five groups of growth regulators which are listed: auxins, 2. Control- 80 % ethanol sprayed at every 2 weeks,
gibberellins, abscisic acid, ethylene and cytokinins starting from 2 weeks after emergence (ME).
(Prosecus, 2006).Cytokinins enhance food production. 3. Moringa extract sprayed at 2 weeks after emergence
Zeatin is one form of the most common forms of (M1).
naturally occurring cytokinin in plants. Fresh Moringa 4. Moringa extract sprayed at 2 weeks and 4 weeks after
oleifera leaves have been shown to have high zeatin emergence (M2)
content. Moringa leaves gathered from various parts of 5. Moringa extract sprayed 2 weeks after emergence
the world were found to have high zeatin concentrations and after every two weeks thereafter (M3)
of between 5 mcg and 200 mcg/g of leaves(El Awady,
2003). The alcohol control was added to establish if its use in
Moringa leaf extract was sprayed onto leaves of the extract had any effect on the growth of the plants.
onions, bell pepper, soya beans, sorghum, coffee, tea, The seed was directly sown into the pots at a depth of
chili, melon and maize and was shown to increase yields 1.5 cm. Four seeds were planted per pot. The plants
of these crops (Fuglie, 2000). If moringa extract can were thinned to two plants per pot two weeks after
increase yields, then the potential benefit to the emergence. Water was applied according to the
smallholder farmers in Africa would be great. The effect requirements of each crop. All pots were kept weed free.
of moringa extract on other crops is unknown. Pests were controlled using dimethoate 40 % EC applied
The objective of the current study is to test effect at 10 ml per 10 litres of water sprayed after every 2
of moringa extract on growth and development of weeks to control red spider mites. Carbaryl 85 % WP
tomato. was applied at 20 g per 10 litres to control leaf eating
The hypothesis of this research was application of pests and copper oxychloride at 50 g per 10 litres of
moringa extract tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L. var. water to control early blight (Alternaria solani) and other
Rodade) can increase the growth and yield of the crop. fungal diseases which attack the crop. The two latter
pesticides were applied after every 7 days.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Preparation of moringa extract
The effect of applying moringa extract on three crops
was evaluated in the greenhouse and in the field at Moringa plants were planted through direct seeding in
Africa University (AU) during the 2006-2007 rainy the field at Africa University farm to raise plants with
season. The soil used was loamy orthoferralitic soils, 7E appropriate leaf ages to use for deriving the extract. As
(Nyamapfene, 1991). the plants were growing, new shoots were harvested at
35 days after emergence. An amount of 20 g of young
moringa leaves was mixed with 675 ml of 80 % ethanol
as suggested by (Makker and Becker, 1996). The
suspension was stirred using a homogenizer to help
maximize the amount of the extract. The solution was
then filtered by wringing the solution using a mutton
cloth. The solution was re-filtered using No. 2 Whatman
filter paper. Using a method developed by Fuglie (2000),
the extract was diluted with distilled water at a 1:32 ratio
(v/v) and then sprayed directly onto plants. The extract
was used within five hours from cutting and extracting (if
 Culver et al / Greener Journal of Agricultural Sciences 209

not ready to be used, the extract or the solution prepared used as controls during the test for the crop. Otherwise,
was stored at 0 0C and only taken out when needed for the treatments applied were the same with those applied
use). An amount of 25 ml (application rate) of the in the greenhouse.
solution was applied per plant in the greenhouse. The design was a RCBD with three replicates.

Statistical Analysis of Data Fertilizer rates used

Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was done using Genstat, The fertilizer rates used at planting were equivalent to
version 4.2. those used in the greenhouse experiment except the
following additions or changes.
Field experiment The rate of 34.5 kg N/ha (32.4 g AN/plot) was
used on the top dressing of tomato mixed with the same
The crop was planted in plots which were 1.8m long by amount of sulphate of potash (1:1 ratio) by weight
1.8m wide, giving an area of 3.24 m2. The chemical (Gilmour, 1983). The crop was top-dressed 2 times at 3
characteristics of the soil used were the same as that weeks interval starting from marble size stage.
presented in Table 2. The crop evaluated was tomato All the other agronomic operations were similar
(cultivar Rodade) .The following treatments were to those described in the greenhouse study. The crop
applied: was planted in the nursery and then transplanted after
1. Control-no moringa extract added (M0). four weeks. The spacing used was 60 cm inter-row x 30
2. Moringa extract sprayed at 2 weeks after transplanting cm in-row.
(M1).
3. Moringa extract sprayed at 2 weeks and 4 weeks after Moringa extract
transplanting (M2).
4. Moringa sprayed after every 2 weeks up to Moringa extract for the field experiment was prepared
physiological maturity, starting from two weeks after and applied as described for the greenhouse
transplanting (M3). experiment.

The control in which ethanol 80 % (ME) was applied Data Analysis

alone was not included. It was proved not significantly
different from water during the greenhouse experiment in Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was done using Genstat,
which both the ethanol 80 % (ME) and water (M0) were version 4.2.

Table 1. Chemical characteristics of the soil used at Africa University (AU) during the 2006-2007 in greenhouse and
field trials

--------------Nutrient level in the soil-------------------

pHCa Mg K TEB P Total N
(Ca Cl2 scale) ---------------me %------------ (ppm) (%)
______________________________________________________________________
5.1 8.57 5.15 0.70 14.42 18.5 0.12
210 Culver et al / Greener Journal of Agricultural Sciences

Table 2. Mean shoot and root dry matter yield and plant height at 49 days after
planting for tomato plants treated with moringa extract in the greenhouse.

DM Root dry weight Height

Treatment (g/pot) (g/pot) (cm) Number of stems

M0 32.8 10.1 33.7 2.00

ME 33.1 9.7 28.7 2.33
M1 38.0 15.4 51.7 2.33
M2 41.4 26.8 64.3 3.33
M3 46.4 30.7 84.0 3.33

Mean 38.40 18.4 52.5 2.60

SE± 4.42 6.8 8.1 0.92
P * * *** (NS)
LSD(0.05) 8.33 12.8 15.3 -
CV (%) 11.50 37.0 15.5 35.50

*, **, *** Significant at P=0.05, P=0.01, P=0.001 respectively, NS=Not significant at

P=0.05. M0=control-with no moringa added, ME=control-80 % ethanol sprayed
every 2 weeks starting from 2 weeks after mergence, M1=moringa extract sprayed
2 weeks after emergence, M2=moringa extract sprayed at 2 weeks and 4 weeks
after emergence, M3=moringa extract sprayed 2 weeks after emergence and after
every two weeks thereafter.

Table 3. Mean fresh fruit weight (tha-1) and number of stem branches for tomato plants treated with
moringa extract in the field.
Treatment Fresh fruit weight (tha-1) No. of stems/plant

Control-no moringa extract added (M0) 13.22 4.00

Moringa extract sprayed at 2 weeks after
transplanting (M1) 18.98 6.67
Moringa extract sprayed at 2 weeks and 4 weeks
after transplanting (M2) 24.34 7.67
Moringa extract sprayed every 2 weeks up to
physiological maturity, starting from two weeks after
transplanting (M3) 31.88 10.00

Mean 22.11 7.08

SE± 2.55 1.05
P *** **
LSD(0.05) 5.10 2.11
CV (%) 11.50 14.90

**, *** Significant at P=0.01, P=0.001 respectively.

RESULTS moringa spray at 2 weeks after germination and applying

at 2 and 4 weeks after germination. Applying the extract
Greenhouse at 2 and 4 weeks and at every two weeks significantly
(p<0.05) increased dry matter yield by 26 % and 41 %
The two control treatments were also not significantly respectively. M1 had no significant effect on root weight,
different from M1 Table 1. There was no significant but M2 and M3 significantly increased root weight by 66
difference in dry matter yield between applying one % and 162 % respectively. All the moringa treatments
 Culver et al / Greener Journal of Agricultural Sciences 211

significantly increased plant height. Height was frequency of moringa application, the greater the
significantly increased by 53 % when moringa extract increase in plant height, dry matter and yield of the crop.
was applied once at 2 weeks, 90 % when moringa was The study recommends the application of extract at M3.
applied at 2 and 4 weeks (M2) and by 149 % when
moringa was applied every two weeks up to harvest
(ME). There was no significant difference in the number ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
of stem branches.
The writing of this project was supported by funds from
Field RUFORUM. I wish to express my sincere gratitude to
this organization. Professor F. Tagwira of Africa
The control fresh fruit weight and number of stem University was largely responsible for securing the
branches for tomato plants (Table 4) was lower than the nurturing grant.
treatment where one spray (M1) was added. All moringa I am grateful to Professor F. Tagwira, my co-supervisor
extract treatments significantly (p<0.05) increased fresh for his close supervision and the confidence he showed
fruit weight and number of stem branches of the tomato in me to pioneer in the moringa project. To him I am also
plants. Applying moringa extract spray at 2 weeks after grateful for facilitating the initial contact and ground
transplanting (M1), spraying at 2 weeks and 4 weeks work, together with his tireless support and suggestions
after transplanting (M2) and spaying every 2 weeks up to during the writing of this project.
physiological maturity (M3) increased fruit weight by 43 My heartfelt gratitude goes to Dr Z. A. Chiteka
%, 84 % and 141 % respectively. M1, M2 and M3 for his guidance in the analysis of data so that it was
significantly increased the number of stem branches by compatible with the whole document. I am also grateful
66 %, 91 % and 150 % respectively. to him for his patience and editing skills.

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