Osmotic adjustment and quality response of five tomato cultivars (Lycopersicon esculentum mill) following water deficit stress under subtropical climate

Abstract

The experiment was conducted in the experimental field of Sher-e- Bangla Agriculture University, Dhaka Bangladesh to study the effect of water stress on fruit quality and osmotic adjustment in five tomato cultivars. The percentage of field capacity levels were 40-50, 53-67, 69-85 and 82-100%. The plants had a tendency to adjust against drop in potential in soil by producing organic solutes such as glucose, fructose, sucrose and proline. The quality of fruits was improved as a result of the synthesis of ascorbic acid, citric acid and malic acid. No physical damage due to stress was observed in fruits, which were over 90% red. © 2011 Asian Network for Scientific Information.