Effects of pre-sowing treatments with allelopathic plant extracts on tree tomato (Solanum betaceum Cav.) seedling emergence and performance

Seeds of the tree tomato (Solanum betaceum Cav.) were treated with allelopathic plant extracts: ferula gum (FER, 0.2 g gum L-1, 25°C, 24 h), lantana petal extract (LAN, 4 g dried petal L-1, 25°C, 24 h) and marigold petal extract (TAG, 4 g dried petal L-1, 25°C, 24 h) along with an untreated control to determine the effect of these extracts on seedling emergence and performance. The pre-sowing influence of the allelopathic extracts (FER, LAN and TAG) on the emergence percentage (%), mean emergence time (days), emergence index, coefficient of velocity of emergence (%), seedling length (cm), seedling fresh weight (mg), seedling dry weight (mg), and stimulatory allelopathic index (%) was investigated in tree tomato seeds. The results revealed that pre-sowing treatment with the studied allelopathic plant extracts showed higher seedling emergence and performance. The greatest advantage of the pre-sowing treatment was observed in the TAG treatment. Allelopathic TAG treatment resulted in 15% higher seedling emergence rates, 3.3 d faster mean emergence time, 153 mg heavier seedling weights, and higher emergence index compared to untreated seeds. In addition, the effect of allelopathic FER and LAN treatments was better than the control.