Effect of coconut water growth hormone extract (CWGH) on growth and development of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) under screenhouse conditions.

The application of CWGH extracts to tomato and its effect on root development, shoot biomass and root biomass were studied. Two kinds of CWGH extracts, alcoholic and aqueous extracts, were used. Two levels of concentrations, 1 ml and 2 ml CWGH/L were applied and two modes of application were used. The mode of application were: seed soaking (5 hours) and seedling spray (at cotyledonary leaf stage and a booster spray two weeks after transplanting). Root development in terms of calcium nitrate adsorbed by the roots was significantly higher for the treated plants than the control. The highest value was obtained for plants treated with a combination of 1 part of alcoholic extract and 3 parts of aqueous extract at 2 ml per liter of seed soaking solution for 5 hours (C2So), 5.9 g Ca (NO3)2 compared to 1.9 g of control. The highest value for plant biomass was also obtained for C2So, with average shoot biomass of 6.53 g and root biomass of 1.43 g as compared to 3.3 g and 0.53 g of the control.