Relationships between growth regulators, mineral nutrition, osmotic potential and incidence of blossom-end rot in tomatoes

Abstract

Growth regulators were applied to tomato plants and their effects on mineral nutrition, osmotic potential, and incidence of blossom-end rot (BER) were studied. Gibberellic (GA) promoted high incidence of BER in tomato fruits when e high level of ammonium sulphate was used. Under the same conditions, treatment with succinic acid-2, 2-dimethylhydrazide (SADH), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), or (2-chloroethyl) trimethylammonium chloride (CCC) caused lower incidence of BER. Higher levels of nitrogen, calcium, and magnesium occured in the stems of plants sprayed with CCC. Treatments with 6-furfuryiamino purine (FAP), SADH and (2-chloroethyl) phosphonic acid (CEPA) presented and increase in nitrogen level in the stem, CEPA also increased calcium content in stems. These growth regulators did not alter the levels of macronutrients in leaves of tomatoes in relation to control. Plants treeted with GA and SADH had a lower (more negative) loaf osmotic potential under water deficit in the soil.