IMPACT OF THE SYMBIVIT PREPARATION ON QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE INDICATORS OF TOMATO ( Lycopersicon esculentum Mill . )

The aim of the work was the verification of Symbivit preparation containing mycorrhiza fungi from the genus Glomus in the cultivation of tomato (varieties Uno Rosso F1 and Brixol F1). The impact of mycorrhiza on the growth parameters of seedlings (overground mass, the mass of the root system, stem diameter, plant height), total fruits yield and quality by the spectrophotometric determination of the total carotenoids in fresh fruits was evaluated. According to the statistical evaluation by the method of multifactorial analysis of variance there was found significant effect of the preparation on all evaluated growth parameters. The increase of the overground part in case of variety Uno Rosso F1 was about 62.43%, in Brixol F1 it was about 75.55% in comparison with control variant. Similarly, the increase in the weight of the root system was found for variety Uno Rosso F1 about 31.38% and for Brixol F1 about 35.98%, as well as in plants height of variety Uno Rosso F1 about 14.06% and of Brixol F1 about 31.84 % when compared to control. Application of Symbivit preparation in tomato cultivation had positive effect on total yields of tomato fruits of both selected varieties. Effect of application of Symbivit preparation on the carotenoids content in tomato fresh fruits was not prove to be statistically significant, as well as it was not found significant difference in the content of total carotenoids when evaluating the influence of the variety.


INTRODUCTION
Global production of tomato reaches at the present historically the highest value exceeding 163 million tons per year, which makes tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) the most grown and industrially processed vegetable species in the world.In Slovakia in terms of production it is the second most cultivated vegetables (Valšíková et al., 2015).Besides the taste this species is important for its valuable compounds, particularly carotenoids, concretely lycopene and β-carotene, which are important protective substances with antioxidant effects To increase the production of vegetables in field conditions and for the ecologisation of the production the research is carried out by the use of preparations on the base of mycorrhizal fungi.Arbuscular mycorrhiza fungi have a role in horticulture as a sustainable, biological protection against pathogens, stress from salinity of the soil and heavy metals.For the host plant by the mycelium, which has bigger digging depth than the root system of the plant, they further improve the supply of water and nutrients, especially of phosphorus, which is immovable and often in hard acceptable form to plants, and of nitrogen.For it the plant supplies of 20% of bounded carbon to fungus.Exchange of nutrients is made through the symbiotic structures inside the root cells of the plant called arbusculers (Parniske, 2008, Gutjahr andParniske, 2013).The main reason for the use of preparations based on mycorrhizal fungi as it was shown in many researches is promoting of the seedlings growth, increasing of the yields, increasing of the resistance to environmental stress factors, the uniformity the crop, earlier and richer setting of inflorescence.Impact of the arbuscular mycorrhiza was also tested on qualitative parameters of tomato plants by (Nedorost and Pokluda, 2012), where they found the positive effect of the inoculation that resulted in the increased content of the vitamin C. One of the preparations is Symbivit that is suitable for tomato, pepper and other fruit vegetables, beans, peas, allium vegetables, fruit bushes and trees.It can be used for field conditions growing as well as in greenhouses and plastic greenhouses.It is not suitable for brassica plants and for chenopodiaceae family.Composition of granule formulation Symbivit consists from clay carriers, from the natural ingredient that supports mycorrhiza -extracts of marine organisms, keratin, and milled minerals and from six species of mycorrhizal fungi.They are: Glomus intraradices BEG14 Glomus mosseae BEG95, Glomus.etunicatum BEG92, Glomus claroideum BEG96, Glomus microaggregatum BEG56, Glomus geosporum BEG199 (Vojtíšková et al.,

2011).
The aim of the work was to verify the Symbivit product for cultivation of tomato, namely the impact of mycorrhiza on growth, yield and quality of selected tomato varieties.For this purpose, the experiment was conducted, which was consisted from the evaluation of plants under laboratory conditions at the stage of pre-cultivated seedlings and at the same time the small plot field trial was established.In the experimental part of the work the effect of the used preparation on growth parameters of seedlings Volume 10 632 No. 1/2016 was evaluated, on the achieved yield and fruit quality by the determination of the total carotenoids.

MATERIAL AND METHODOLOGY
The experiment was established in a Botanical garden of Slovak University of Agriculture (further BZ SUA) in 2015.Sowing was realized in the term of 17 th March, 2015 in to seeding trays followed by spacing out of the seedlings on 31 st March, 2015 at the growth phase of the first true leaf in containers with volume of 0.2 L by the use of a complete growing medium on the base of peat.Control variant i.e. 30 pieces of seedlings of Brixol F1 variety and 30 pieces of seedlings of Uno Rosso F1 varieties was used without Symbivit application.The same number of the plants was grown with the using of growing medium enriched by Symbivit preparation at a dose of 175 g of product per 14 L of substrate.The effect of used preparation on growth parameters of the seedlings was evaluated in a growth phase of 10 true leaves compared to control (pre-cultivated seedlings without the use of the preparation).
The experiment continued in field conditions.Territory of interest belongs to the warm climate area which is suitable for growing of fruit vegetables.On the basis of agrochemical soil analysis and recommended standards for the production of tomatoes there was two weeks before planting applied 206 kg of potassium sulphate (K2SO4).ha - and LAD (60% of N normative), what amounted 294 kg LAD.ha -1 .The remaining 40% of N (197 kg LAD.ha -1 ) was applied in the early July in the phase of  full ripening of the plant.Planting of the plants in field trial was conducted on 19 th May, 2015 in single spacing 0.7 m x 0.3 m, with two monitored variants: control (planting of the seedlings pre-cultivated without the use of the Symbivit preparation) and variant with Symbivit (application of the Symbivit preparation to the substrate for seedling cultivation), each in three replications.Fruit harvest was carried out in full botanical maturity gradually in five terms from 1 st July to 5 th October, 2015.

Characteristics of Tomato Varieties
Brixol F1mid-early determinate variety suitable for combined harvesting.It has a compact moderate growth.The fruits are elongated, resistant to cracking in more frequent rainfall and irrigation.Due to the high content of lycopene they are quickly coloured in full red colour.The variety is very fertile when grown under irrigation and in warm climate (Figure 1).Uno Rosso F1mid-early determinate variety, suitable for mechanized harvesting.It has strong growth with high fertility.The fruits are small, slightly elongated, they weighs 60 -70 grams and are resistant to cracking in more frequent rainfall and irrigation.The storage time is at least 20 days (Figure 2).

Determination of the growth parameters of the seedlings
In evaluation of the seedlings the plant height, stem diameter, weight of overground part and root system in fresh mass were evaluated.15 plants within each variant and variety were taken in account.Plant height was measured from the root collar to growth top of the plant.Plant diameter was measured 10 mm above the root collar.The weight of the overground part and root system in fresh matter was evaluated individually by the abolition of the root in the place of root collar.

Determination of total carotenoids
Carotenoids were estimated by spectrophotometric measurement of substances absorbance in petroleum ether extract on spectrophotometer PHARO 100 at 445 nm wavelengths.As a dissolution reagent, there was used acetone (Hegedűsová et al., 2007).

Statistical analysis
The analysis of variance (ANOVA), the multifactor analysis of variance and the multiple Range test were done using the Statgraphics XVII (StatPoint Inc.USA).Significant differences among means were tested (Tukey HSD test, p <0.05).

The weight of the overground parts
Application of the Symbivit preparation had a positive effect on the weight of the plants, which led to weight increasing in the variety Uno Rosso F1 about 62.43% and in Brixol F1 variety about 75.55% compared to the control treatment (Table 1, Figure 3) according to evaluating of the weight of overground part of the seedlings.Hernádi et al., (2012) studded the effect of the Symbivit on peppers and similar as in our research they found that after application of Symbivit the significant increasing in weight of overground parts was occurred (19.32 g) comparing to control (13.22 g), which means an increase about 46.14%.Başak et al., (2011) examined the effect of endomycorrhizal preparation on tomato seedlings with the similar composition as Symbivit.They noticed a significant impact of the preparation on the weight of overground part, which was in variety Aspendos after preparation using 2.22 g in comparison to control 0.81 g, which represents an increase about 174%.The weight of overground mass was in case of variety Donna after preparation use 1.95 g versus 0.69 g in control.This represents an increase about 182.61%.

The weight of the root system
Considering the effects of application of a Symbivit preparation on the weight of the root system of precultivated tomato seedlings it can be said that the increase in weight was noticed compared to the control treatment in case of Uno Rosso F1 variety about 1.61 g, what represent an increase about 31.38% and in Brixol F1 variety about 1.54 g, what represent an increase about 35.98%.Oseni et al., (2010) also found a statistically significant increase in the weight of the root system of tomato seedlings 14, 28 and 42 days after application of mycorrhizal product Biocult containing mycorrhiza fungus Glomus etunicatum a Glomus intraradices.Salvioli et al., (2008) examined the effect of mycorrhizal fungi Glomus mosseae BEG12 on tomato variety Pearson.For tomatoes with application of Glomus mosseae there was demonstrated a statistically significant increase in weight of the overground parts as well as in weight of the root system.

Diameter of the stem
Diameter of the stem in case of monitored tomato seedling plants of a variety Uno Rosso F1 after application of Symbivit preparation reached in average 4.67 mm (Table1).In comparison to control treatment (4.08 mm) an increase about 12.63% was observed.In the variety Brixol F1 application of Symbivit preparation had no statistically significant effect on stem diameter compared to the control treatment.

Plant height
Application of Symbivit preparation had significant effect on the plant high of tomato seedlings (Figure 3).It was noticed an increase in average of 34.16 mm for variety Uno Rosso F1, what means rising about 14.26% and in variety Brixol F1 about 67.92 mm, consequently an increase about 31.84%compared to control.Similar research conducted on pepper seedlings by Vojtíšková et al., (2011) showed a positive impact of Symbivit preparation on plant height in variety Slávy F1.

B. Yield
When evaluating the quantitative parameter, obtained yield of fresh fruit, it can be concluded that the applied preparation had a positive impact on achieving yields (Figure 4).In variety Uno Rosso F1 the yield was after application of Symbivit an average 216.87 t.ha -1 .Compared to the control variant an increase about 19.07% was observed.
Brixol F1 variety is characterized by high fertility.In a variant Symbivit the yield reached 234.52 t.ha -1 , which meant an increase compared to control only about 3.54% (8.33 t.ha -1 ).Following the statistical analysis by the methods of analysis of variance, the impact of variant as well as of variety on crop yields was not statistically significant (Figure 4).Hernádi and Sasvári (2012) studied the effect of the Symbivit preparation in the cultivation of pepper where they found a significant increase in fruit yield after application of Symbivit from 3189.56 g/100 plants (control) to 5251.27 g/100 plants, what represented an increase about 39.26%.

Helyes et al., (2015)
in his work shows a positive effect of mycorrhiza on yield of tomato fruit in Uno Rosso F1 variety which was recorded in 2013.However, in previous experimental year in 2012 the decline has been noticed, except of Triple Red variety, in case of other varieties Heinz, Uno Rosso and Strombolino.Damaiyanti et al., (2015) also found a positive effect of mycorrhizal fungi on fertility of tomato variety Betavila F1.In the variants with mycorrhizal fungi in a dose of 5 g, 10 g, 20 g, the yield (kg/plant) was increased about 21.60%, 24.07%and 35.80% comparing to the control.

C. Total carotenoids content in fresh fruit
Total carotenoids content in fresh tomato fruits after application of Symbivit in variety Uno Rosso F1 was 9.69 mg.100 g -1 of fresh matter.The control sample reached 7.94 mg.100 g -1 fresh matter.The content of carotenoids after application of Symbivit preparation was increased in Uno Rosso F1 about 1.75 mg.100 g -1 , what means an increase about 22.04% compared the control.In contrary for Brixol F1 variety the content of carotenoids in the fresh matter after Symbivit application was 10.36 mg.100 g -1 , and for the control the value reached 11.10 mg.100 g -1 .That means decline about 6.67% comparing to control.The effect of application of a Symbivit preparation on the content of carotenoids in tomato fresh fruits was not proved to be statistically significant, as well as between the varieties was not found any significant difference in the content of total carotenoids (Figure 5).Helyes et al., (2015) also found miscellaneous results of mycorrhiza impact on carotenoid content depending on the variety.
In his work reports that under the mycorrhiza influence the content of lycopene, which is a significant part of carotenoids in tomato fruit, was increased in case of Heinz and Strombolino varieties, which contained  9.97 mg.100 g -1 and Heinz and 12.22 mg.100 g -1 of lycopene compared to control 8.56 mg.100 g -1 and 10.86 mg.100 g -1 , and it decreased in case of Triple Red and Uno Rosso F1 varieties, containing 10.89 mg.100 g -1 and 9.21 mg.100 g -1 vs. control 12.46 mg.100 g -1 and 9.96 mg.100 g -1 .
Hart et al., (2014) found a statistically significant increase in the total carotenoids in the tomato fruits after application of mycorrhizal fungi Glomus etunicatum a Glomus intraradices.

CONCLUSION
The effect of mycorrhizal granular Symbivit preparation on observed growth parameters in the phase of seedling in both varieties Uno Rosso F1 and Brixol F1 was positive.Based on the statistical evaluation by the method of multifactorial analysis of variance the effect of the preparation on all evaluated parameters was shown to be very significant.Furthermore, it can be concluded that application of the Symbivit preparation in tomato cultivation had positive impact on achieved yields of both observed varieties.However, in assessing of the fruit quality by determining of the total carotenoids it can be said that the choosing of the variety has proved to be a limiting factor in the use of estimated preparation.Based on the statistical evaluation the effect of the Symbivit preparation was not prove to be statistically significant factor of increasing the fertility and total carotenoids in tomato fruit.For more complex results, there is recommendation to verify Symbivit preparation in future in cultivation of a wider range of tomato varieties as well as its use in the production of other types of fruit vegetables.
Figure 4: Effect of application of Symbivit preparation on the yield of selected tomato varieties (t.ha -1 ) ± standard deviation.Note: Columns marked with different letters are significantly different at the level of p <0.05.The same letters above the varieties mean that between them is not a significant difference.

Figure 5
Effect of application of Symbivit preparation on the total carotenoid content in fruits of selected tomato varieties (mg.100 g -1 fresh matter) ± standard deviation.Note: Columns marked with same letters are not significantly different at the level of p <0.05.The same letter above the varieties mean that between them is not a significant difference.
Columns marked with different letters are significantly different at the level of P <0.05.The difference between the varieties is given over each variety.

Table 1 :
Evaluation of seedlings growth parameters after application of Symbivit in the frame of each variety*.