Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

EFFECT OF FOLIAR APPLICATION OF BORON AND ZINC ON MATURITY, ASCORBIC ACID CONTENT AND RELATIVE ECONOMICS OF TOMATO FRUIT (SOLANUM LYCOPERSICON L.) CV. SHALIMAR 1 UNDER TEMPERATE CONDITIONS IN KASHMIR VALLEY.

Nighat Mushtaq, Faheema Mushtaq, Rehana Jan, Shahnaz Mufti and Ashutosh Kumar

Abstract

Tomato cv. Shalimar 1 subjected to nine different micronutrient treatments was investigated during kharif season 2014. Foliar application of micronutrients was applied 15 days after transplanting of seedlings. Among all the treatments, T8 (Boron @ 100 ppm + Zinc @ 100 ppm) was found significantly superior with respect to yield and yield contributing parameters. However, non significant result was obtained in case of ascorbic acid content. Days to appearance of first flower and first fruit ripening was recorded lowest in treatment, T8 (Boron @ 100 ppm + Zinc @ 100 ppm) viz., 50.90 and 88.62 respectively and maximum days to the appearance of first flower and first fruit ripening was noticed in treatment, T9 (control) viz., 56.90 and 95.62 respectively. Highest number of flowers and fruits per cluster were recorded in treatment, T8 (Boron @ 100 ppm + Zinc @ 100 ppm) viz., 8.75 and 6.30 respectively. The relative economics proved to be most profitable with treatment, T8 (Boron 100 ppm + Zinc @ 100 ppm) recording the highest benefit cost ratio of 2.70.