Effect of Industrial Effluent on the Growth, Yield and Foliar Epidermal Features of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) in Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria

Abstract

The impact of detergent effluent on the growth, yield and foliar epidermal characters of tomato (<em>Solanum lycopersicum </em>L.) was investigated. The variety of tomato ((ROMA VF) was grown on soil contaminated with different concentrations (5%, 10%, 15%, 20% and 25%) of the effluent. It was observed that the effluent affected the time of germination, flowering and fruiting of the tomato plant. The number and weight of fruits produced were also affected although the extent varied with concentrations. There were significant variations in the plant height, stem girth, number of leaves, number of fruits and weight of fruits among the different treatments at 0.05 level of probability. At lower effluent concentrations, it was observed that the growth and number of fruits were relatively higher than the control (plants not treated with the effluent). The foliar anatomical study on the tomato showed that the effluent affected the structures of the plants. Significant reductions were observed in the stomata density, trichome frequency and number of epidermal cells on both the adaxial and abaxial surfaces as the concentration increases. This study revealed that detergent effluent had significant effect on the growth, yield and the foliar anatomy of <em>Solanum lycopersicum </em>especially at higher concentration (25%).