MSc

Cherry tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L. var. cerasiforme (Dunal) A.
Gray) also known as salad tomato, is one of the emerging tropical vegetable crop
under protected cultivation and is considered as an exotic vegetable bringing new
taste and appearance to dishes. It has gained much popularity all over the world
being a good source of vitamin A and C and having health beneficial compounds
like antioxidants, phytochemicals, lycopene and beta- carotene.
The present experiment entitled “Performance evaluation of cherry tomato
(Solanum lycopersicum L. var. cerasiforme (Dunal) A. Gray) genotypes in rain
shelter and open field” was conducted in Department of Olericulture, College of
Horticulture, Vellanikkara during October 2016 to March 2017. The objectives of
the study were to identify cherry tomato genotype (s) suitable for rain shelter and
open field cultivation, and also to study the feasibility of cherry tomato cultivation
inside rain shelter and open field.
The experiment was laid out in Randomized block design with three
replications. Ten genotypes of cherry tomato were evaluated for qualitative and
quantitative characters in both growing conditions.
There was no much variation among the genotypes for qualitative characters
like blossom end fruit shape, fruit surface, fruit shape, immature fruit colour, mature
fruit colour, locule number per fruit and presence of green shoulder under both
growing conditions. However there was a slight variation with respect to fruit size
under different growing conditions. Fruits of seven genotypes inside rain shelter
were small sized and three were medium sized, where as in open field majority of
the genotypes produced small fruits.
Significant difference was observed among the genotypes with respect to
plant height, days to first fruit harvest, number of flower clusters per plant, yield
per plant and number of fruits per kilogram in different growing conditions.
A comparative study on genotypic performance in open field and rain
shelter revealed that plants in general had highest plant height, minimum days to 50
% flowering , days to first fruit set, fruits per cluster, number of fruits per plant,
yield per plant and average fruit weight inside rain shelter.
Genotype SLc-9 achieved 50 % flowering with in 17.7 days after
transplanting and was early to first fruit set (25.20 ), early to first fruit harvest
(54.33) and had highest fruit yield per plant (425.96 g) inside rain shelter. SLc-10
recorded highest plant height (295.5cm),
highest number of flower clusters per
plant (19.70), fruits per cluster (22.80) and maximum average fruit weight (6.24 g)
inside rain shelter. In open field SLc- 2 recorded highest number of flower clusters
per plant (31.20), highest fruit yield per plant (573.40 g) and high TSS content (7.5
°Brix). None of the genotypes were resistant to bacterial wilt in both the growing
conditions. Bacterial wilt incidence was found lowest in SLc-9 (29.10 %) inside
rain shelter and SLc-2 (57.10 %) in open field. The genotypes SLc-2, SLc-3, SLc-
7, SLc-8 and SLc-9 were free from leaf miner (Liriomyza trifolii) infestation inside
rain shelter, while there was no infestation in open field. SLc-2, SLc-3, SLc-6, and
SLc-9 were free from tomato leaf curl virus incidence inside rain shelter. All
genotypes were free from tomato leaf curl virus incidence in open field, except SLc-
4 (12.5 %).
The genotype SLc-9 had highest fruit yield per plant (425. 96 g), and lowest
incidence of bacterial wilt (29.10 % ) inside rain shelter. However SLc-10 had more
number of flower clusters per plant, fruits per cluster, maximum average fruit
weight and highest plant height inside rain shelter. Hence these two genotypes can
be recommended for cultivation inside rain shelter. Even though SLc-2 had highest
fruit yield per plant (573.40g) in open field it was susceptible to bacterial wilt
(57.10%). From the present study it is concluded that rain shelter cultivation of
cherry tomato is more feasible than open field cultivation.