Influence of Fertilizer, Salinity and Bicarbonate Treatment on Leaf Area and Fruit Mineral Content in Snake Tomato (Tricosanthes cucumerina L.)

Aims: To evaluate the influence of fertilizer, salinity and bicarbonate treatments on leaf area and on fruit mineral content.

Study Design: Complete randomized block design (CRBD).

Place and Duration of Study: Place of study was Department of Botany, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, botanical garden located on (Latitude 6.25/Longitude7.11). Plants were raised under screen house in the second planting season from August to November, 2024.

Methodology: Viable seeds of snake tomato obtained from National Root Crop Research Institute (NRCRI) Umudike, were sown into black plastic pots of 30 liters in volume. Treatments were fifteen comprising of fertilizer (inorganic single, organic single and 1:1 ratio of combined fertilizer, while the irrigation water was prepared at 2mM of NaCl, NaHCO3 and KHCO3, given at 7 days interval. Leaf area was observed and recorded in (cm2), some fruit minerals content were determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS).

Results: Results were analyzed with ANOVA using SPSS version 26, and means were separated using Duncan’s multiple range test, confidence level was P = .05. Leaf area increased progressively from seedling stage. Control, T2 showed lager leaf area followed by T14 and T15 at week 1. Subsequently, at week 6, T2 gave the largest followed by T14. Eventually, at week 11 T12 had the largest leaf area followed by T11, while T6 showed considerable increase in leaf size. For fruit magnesium T12 was highest followed by T14, for Calcium T12 was highest while the least was control also, Phosphorus composition was lowest in T1 and highest in T12 followed by T13. Zinc and Iron were highest in T12 and lowest in T2.

Conclusion: Plant leaf area was influenced by treatments, and fruit mineral composition was significantly affected by the treatments. Also fruit mineral content was improved in snake tomato when treated with integrated fertilizer management and bicarbonate.