Impacts of Varieties and Boron on Physico-Chemical Quality of Summer Tomato

Abstract

Boron (B), a micronutrient, has shown to improve quality of vegetables including tomato. However, it is not known whether it can equally enhance the quality of tomato produced from different cultivars. Here, we examined the effects of different levels of boron (B) on physico-chemical quality of different summer tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.). The experiment comprised of two factors, a) summer tomato varieties viz., BARI hybrid tomato 4, 8 and 10; and b) B levels- five levels B viz., 0, 1, 2, 3 and 5 kg ha-1. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Plants were grown in pots under poly-shed house condition. Both varieties and boron levels had significant (p<0.05) effects on quality attributes of summer tomato. In varieties, the highest fruit firmness (3.01 lbs), total soluble solids (TSS) (5.41%), vitamin C (7.93 mg/100g), calcium (0.343%), magnesium (0.231%) and potassium (4.853%) were recorded in BARI hybrid tomato 8 while the highest titrable acidity (TA) (0.98%), phosphorous (0.576%) and sodium (2.524%) were recorded in BARI hybrid tomato 4. However, the highest pH (3.88) and sulphur (0.098%) were found in BARI hybrid tomato 10. Conversely, the lowest TSS (4.97%), pH (3.71), calcium (0.166%), magnesium (0.219%), sulphur (0.061%) and potassium (2.862%) were found in BARI hybrid tomato 4; the lowest phosphorous (0.485%) and sodium (2.390%) were in BARI hybrid tomato 8; and the lowest firmness (2.47 lbs), TA (0.65%) and vitamin C (5.35 mg/100g) were in BARI hybrid tomato 10. In boron levels, maximum TSS (5.76%), vitamin C (7.97 mg/100 g), TA (0.97%), Ca (0.387%), K (5.039%), Na (3.209%) and S (0.101%) were recorded at 2 kg B ha-1; maximum fruit firmness (2.94 lbs), Mg (0.242%) and P (0.593%) were at 3 kg B ha-1; and the highest pH (3.87) was at 5 kg B ha-1 treatment. Conversely, the lowest firmness (2.51 lbs), TSS (4.52 %), TA (0.78%), vitamin C (6.39 mg/100 g), Ca (0.147%), Mg (0.198%), K (2.424%), P (0.459%), S (0.051%) and Na (1.934%) were found at control (0 kg B ha-1) treatment; and minimum pH (3.72) was at 2 kg B ha-1 treatment. Results suggest that application of B at 2 kg B ha-1 followed by 3 kg B ha-1 treatment is required to obtain summer tomato fruit with maximum quality.