Effect of the natural clay mineral illite on the enhanced growth of cherry tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) in the glass house

This study was performed to explore the effect of the natural clay mineral illite on the improvement of soil quality and plant growth. Cherry tomato was used as a model vegetable crop. The experiment was performed during two months in the glass house of the Chungbuk National University. Seedlings were pre-cultivated in the bed soil normally used for horticultural purpose. Of the seedlings cultured, the healthy and regular sized ones were selected and cultivated in pots with 7 cm diameter and 10 cm height. They were treated with two forms of illite, particulate (PA) and powder (PW), at the following application rates: standard application [P1(PA1, PW1), 1:30(w/w)], two times[P2(PA2, PW2), 1:15(w/w)], and four times[P4(PA4, PW4), 1:7.5( w/w)] application. Untreated (P0) soil was used as a control in the experiment. At four weeks of cultivation, growth length was greater in pots treated with P1 and P2 application of illite than in P0. At ten weeks of cultivation, growth lengths increased as the application rate increased with P0, P1, P2, and to P4 applications of illite, compared to the P0 at four weeks of cultivation. Their growth length was a little greater for the application of PW illite than for the PA illite. Based on analysis of leaf and stem parts of cherry tomato, the amounts of K, Ca, and Mg, correspondingly increased, as the application rate increased from P0, P1, P2, to P4 application. At the same application rate, amounts taken up in the respective two parts were a little higher for the application of PW illite than on the PA illite. Amounts of K were relatively evenly distributed leaf and stem, whereas, the amounts of Ca and Mg were higher in the leaf than in the stem. Consequently, it appears that the illite treatment, especially, the PW form of illite, enhanced the growth of cherry tomato in the glass house during the ten weeks of the experiment.