Growth Promoting of Tomato Plants by Incorporation of Trichoderma asperellum Enriched Liquid Product via Foliar Spray and the Irrigation System

In Morocco, Tomato is among vegetable production that represents a very important asset for its socio-economic development. However, this production faces many constraints that negatively affect its potential. The use of bio-fertilization appears to be an alternative to address these constraints and could also promote sustainable agricultural production. In such a context, this study was conducted on tomato using a bio-product based on a conidial suspension of local Trichoderma asperellum strain. The objective was to assess the efficiency of the bio-fertilizer using two methods of inoculation by determining their effects on tomato growth and yield of tomato. The inoculations performed on tomato seedlings via system irrigation or foliar sprays of Trichoderma asperellum enriched liquid product conidial suspension at 107 conidia.mL−1 concentration enhanced the agronomical parameter of tomato plants. Observations showed significantly highest performance was noted in plants receiving T. asperellum inoculant by both foliar sprays and watered irrigation with root length in the order of 82.33 cm, fresh and dry root weight of 138.17 g and 15.8 g respectively. The experiment was conducted from 2018 to 2019 using a randomized complete block design with four treatments in three replications. The treatments were T0 (control), T1 (inclusion of product based on Trichoderma asperellum via irrigation system), T2 (Foliar spray of T. asperellum), T3 (T1 + T2). The results showed that the bio-fertilizer based on T. asperellum significantly improved the growth parameters of tomato plants under greenhouse condition. Moreover, the introduction of bio-product-based Trichoderma asperellum conidia via irrigation system and pulverization was the most efficient treatment. It influenced significantly plant growth, and yield of tomato compared to control plants resulting in a leaves number of 44. 67 and harvested fruit yield reaching 6500 kg superior to those of control 26.67 and 6100 kg respectively. This bio-product could be therefore recommended to farmers in agriculture in general and particularly for vegetable production.