EFFECTS OF NITROGEN NUTRIENT ON THE PHOTOSYNTHETIC PIGMENTS ACCUMULATION AND YIELD OF SOLANUM LYCOPERSICUM

This study investigated photosynthetic pigment accumulation and yield of Solanum lycopersicum so as to ascertain the maximum concentration of nitrogen needed for optimum production. Seeds of S. lycopersicum tagged with VG-TH-017 were firstly raised in nursery bed. All the plants in the four treatments received 200 ml of distilled water at 6 AM every day. At 6 PM, 100 ml of the differential treatments were applied. The photosynthetic pigments were determined spectrophotometrically. The number of flowers and fruits per plant per pot were counted and recorded. The fruits biomass were also determined. The highest number of flowers and early flowering discovered in 10N-plants and 5N-plants. The best yield was obtained in the treatments for the 5N-plants in which the concentration of nitrogen in the nutrient solution had been increased to a factor of 5. It is therefore suggested that when the seeds of tomato plants VG-TH-017 are to be grown, the 5N treatment is the most suitable level of application.