Vermicompost Substitution Influences Shelf Life and Fruit Quality of Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.)

Abstract

The growing awareness on health makes consumer more concerned for food quality and safety. In tomato, the nutrient content, texture, colour and nitrate level mostly determines the degree of acceptability of ripe fruit. The present study was aimed to assess the influence of different nutrient sources on shelf life and important quality attributes of tomato. The field experiment was conducted during 2005-06 and 2006-07 with 14 different treatments by combining inorganic and organic sources of nutrients in presence and absence of microbial amendment. The pooled analysis revealed that the shelf life, total soluble solids, total sugar, vitamin A and vitamin C contents were significantly influenced by the application of different sources of nutrients. Also, substitution of 25% inorganic nitrogen with manure along with microbial amendment influenced shelf life and nutritional qualities of tomato. Within the 75% inorganic fertilizer treatment combination, quality attributes were correlated with the type and amount of the organic manure applied. Higher levels of vermicompost resulted in better growth medium compared to higher levels of farmyard manure. Within the vermicompost treated plots, inoculation with microbial amendment gave better results than the uninoculated treatments. The fruit nitrate content was also reduced upon the application of 75% of recommended inorganic fertilizer combination as compared to 100% inorganic fertilizer treatment combination.