Effect of foliar application of micronutrients in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) cv. GUJARAT TOMATO-2

Abstract

The present investigation was undertaken with the main objective to study the influence of foliar application of micronutrients on Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) cv. "Gujarat Tomato 2" at ASPEE, ARDF, Tansa during Rabi 2013-2014. The experiment consists of eight treatments involving T 1 (RD NPK through chemical fertilizers N: P 2 O 5 : K 2 O 5 kg ha-1 (75 : 37.5 : 62.5)), T 2 (T 1 + 100 ppm B; i.e. Boric acid 0.571 g l-1), T 3 (T 1 +100 ppm Zn; i.e. Zinc sulphate 0.246 g l-1), T 4 (T 1 + 100 ppm Cu; i.e. Copper sulphate 0.420 g l-1), T 5 (T 1 +100 ppm Fe; i.e. Ferrous sulphate 0.515 g l-1), T 6 (T 1 +100 ppm Mn; i.e. Manganese sulphate 0.320 g l-1) and T 7 (T 1 + mixture of all micronutrients) and T 8 (T 1 + Multiplex 4 ml l-1) by mixing with simple water were imposed. The foliar application was made by using equipment knapsack sprayer (ASPEE) in the evening hours. The thrice times foliar spray were made at 10 days intervals starting from 40 days after transplanting seedling. The data clearly showed that the yield obtained with treatment T 7 had significantly plant height (132.77 cm), number of branches plant-1 (5.96), fresh weight of plants (25.70 t ha-1), dry matter yield of plants (7669.04 kg ha-1), maximum days to last picking (166.01), number of fruits plant-1 (34.43), fruit length (5.47 cm), fruit diameter (4.57 cm), fruit volume (65.94 cm 3), single fruit weight (49.00 g), fruit weight plant-1 (1.69 kg), number of locules fruit-1 (3.01), pericarp thickness (6.27 mm), fruit yield plot-1 (70.86 kg), fruit yield ha-1 (46.87 t.) and marketable fruit yield ha-1 (45.68 t). This treatment had maximum net return (1, 66,752 Rs/ ha) and B: C Ratio 2.71: 1 out all other treatments than control.