EFFECTS OF AMINO ACID APPLICATIONS ON YIELD, GROWTH AND MINERAL NUTRITION OF GREENHOUSE TOMATO

The use of plant and animal origin amino acids in agricultural production has been increasing intensively in recent years. Amino acids make an important contribution to plant growth and quality because of the effect on the nitrogen concentration, and both root and foliar use of amino acids is possible. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of commercial amino acids used by root and foliar application on the growth, yield and mineral nutrient of greenhouse tomato. The experiment was planned with 16 treatment combinations involving four levels of root (0, 50, 100 and 200 ml da(-1)) and foliar (0, 500, 1000 and 2000 ml da(-1)) applications, following a factorial (4 x 4) randomized complete block design with three replications under greenhouse conditions. During the plant growing season, fruits were harvested, data recorded and measured to determine yield and some fruit properties, plant samples were taken, processed and analyzed to determine elemental nutrient concentrations. As a result of the research, it was found that different doses of amino acids applied to the root and leaves had significant effects on tomato yield, fruit weight, fruit diameter and some mineral element concentrations (N, P, Fe and Mn) in tomato leaves. R3 (100 ml da (-1)) and F4 (2000 ml da(-1)) doses in yield and fruit quality parameters, and R3 (100 ml da(-1)), R4 (200 ml da(-1)), F3 (1000 ml da(-1)) and F4 (2000 ml da(-1)) application doses in mineral element concentrations caused differences. The treatments with amino acids affected positively the yield, growth and some nutrient concentrations of tomato plants.