Abstract
The experiment conducted in containers known as pot placed on rooftop of a building using noncalcareous grey terrace soil was carried out from October, 2012 to March, 2013 at Kazla, Motihar, Rajshahi, Bangladesh to investigate the influences of calcium and mulching practices on yield and fruit quality of tomato. The study was laid out in a split-split plot design with three replications. The trials comprised three factors: 1) three tomato varieties viz, BARI F1Tomato-5, BARI F1Tomato-6 and BARI F1Tomato-7; 2) four levels of calcium (Ca) treatment (40 ppm, 60 ppm, 80 ppm, 120 ppm) and 3) mulching practices. Results of the experiment revealed that fresh yield of tomato was significantly increased by applying mulching practices due to conservation of soil moisture by mulches and therefore, reduced Ca-deficiency symptoms. The highest number of fruits per plant and fresh yield were obtained from the variety BARI F1Tomato-5. The same trend of yield and yield contributing parameters were likely to be better by using T3treatment (80 ppm) than those of other treatments. In contrast, BARI F1Tomato-7 variety in control treatment without mulching practice gave poor quality and yield of tomato. Results suggested that BARI F1Tomato-5 variety receiving 80 ppm calcium treatment with mulching condition exposed better quality, yield and yield contributing characters of tomato. However, the T3 treatment (80 ppm) with mulching would be recommended as the best combination to grow BARI F1Tomato-5 for the farmers in Bangladesh.
Highlights
The experiment conducted in containers known as pot placed on rooftop of a building using noncalcareous grey terrace soil was carried out from October, 2012 to March, 2013 at Kazla, Motihar, Rajshahi, Bangladesh to investigate the influences of calcium and mulching practices on yield and fruit quality of tomato
Results suggested that BARI F1Tomato-5 variety receiving 80 ppm calcium treatment with mulching condition exposed better quality, yield and yield contributing characters of tomato
The research work was designed for rooftop cultivation at Kazla, Motihar, Rajshahi city corporation Bangladesh during the period from October 2012 to March 2013 with an attempt to evaluate the effect of calcium and mulching on yield and yield contributing characters of tomato
Summary
Tomato is one of the most important vegetable crops grown throughout the world under field and greenhouse conditions. Global production of tomato is over 120 million metric tons [1]. The average yield of tomato in Bangladesh is 7.42 t/ha, which is very low compared to other tropical countries. At present 6.10% area in Bangladesh is under tomato cultivation both in winter and summer [2]. In terms of human health, tomato is a major component in the daily diet in many countries, and constitutes an important source of minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants [3]
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