Physiological, phenological and productive responses of tomato (Solanum licopersicum L.) plants treated with QuitoMax.

Abstract

J.J. Reyes-Pérez, E.A. Enríquez-Acosta, B. Murillo-Amador, M.A. Ramírez-Arrebato, A.T.

Rodríguez-Pedroso, R. Zulueta-Rodríguez, and L.G. Hernández-Montiel. Physiological,

phenological and productive responses of tomato (Solanum licopersicum L.) plants treated

with QuitoMax. 2018. Cien. Inv. Agr. 45(2): 120-127. The objective of this study was to

evaluate the foliar application of the biostimulant QuitoMax at concentrations 100, 200, 300

and 400 mg·ha-1 in comparison to a control without the application of QuitoMax on the height

and stem thickness of tomato plants. The durations of the plant phenological phases, productive

indicators (the number of fruit, bunches per plant, the number of fruits per bunches, the polar

and equatorial diameters of the fruit, the mass of the fruit and crop yield), the quality of the fruit

expressed as the total soluble solids and acidity, and the commercial quality of the harvested

fruits were also evaluated. The highest concentrations of QuitoMax (300 and 400 mg·ha-1) were

found to produce the most vigorous plants, lengthened the duration of the plant phenophases,

and resulted in significantly higher values in the production indicators, including the fresh mass

of the fruits and performance. Additionally, they produced fruits with a higher content of total

soluble solids.