Influence of ozone on the growth and yield of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill cv Rodeo)

Abstract

The influence of three ozone levels (control - 0 nl 0 311, 100 and 200 nl 0 311) were studied under controlled environmental conditions in sand culture and with five replicates. Elevated (100 and 200 nl 0 3 T) ozone levels produced well defined abnormal leaf characteristics such as wilting and drying, pink coloration, necrosis, pale green and chlorotic leaves. The leaf area and the dry matter production of plants were severely affected by both 100 and 200 nl 0 3 l'1 levels. Ozone treatment also delayed phenological development of plants and the untreated plants (control) came into bearing 10 days earlier as compared with the 200 nl 0 311 treated plants. Though the number of fruiting clusters were almost the same in all treatments, the untreated plants out yielded plants from the rest of the treatments in terms of total fruit number and fruit weight. Ozone treated plants also contained low levels of leaf chlorophyll indicating their rapid breakdown.