Epsilon Archive for Student Projects

Abstract

Moringa, also known as “miracle tree” is a tropical and subtropical plant with a wide range of nutritional, medicinal and industrial applications, throughout Sub-Saharan Africa. One possible use of Moringa is as a biostimulant in crop production. Recently, there is growing interest in producing biologicals, such as plant biostimulants benefiting smallholder farmers with limited access to conventional chemical products. This independent work presents three aspects of Moringa: traditional uses and knowledge among smallholder farmers, chemical composition of extracts and efficiency of extracts against abiotic stresses in tomatoes.
To explore the traditional uses and knowledge associated with two species of Moringa, Moringa oleifera and Moringa stenopetala, a survey was conducted in Ethiopia and South Africa. Investigations about the chemical composition of different samples from various geographical locations, containing different Moringa species and using diverse solvents were assessed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS). The efficacy of Moringa leaf extracts (water, ethanol and acetone at 100mg/ml) as a biostimulant was tested by germination and biopriming experiments in tomatoes under heat and drought conditions. A greenhouse study was performed, testing the application of water and ethanol Moringa leaf extracts (100mg/ml) in drought conditions.
The survey highlighted a knowledge gap regarding Moringa application as a plant biostimulant in both study areas. GC-MS analysis identified variations in composition among samples, with many compounds displaying antioxidant activity. The germination and biopriming study led to no significant effects on the seeds growth parameters. The application of water-extracted Moringa leaf extracts enhanced the fruit production of tomatoes in controlled greenhouse conditions, thanks to earlier flowering.
Further standardization of the production of extracts and more trials are needed to obtain reliable data to be shared with farmers in Ethiopia and South Africa, favouring education about the use of Moringa extracts as a plant biostimulant and fostering the application of plant biologicals in their agricultural practices.