MSc

The study entitled ‘Evaluation of cherry tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.
var. cerasiforme) genotypes for growth, yield and quality under protected
condition’ was carried out at the Department of Vegetable Science, College of
Agriculture, Vellayani, from November 2022 to June 2023. The objective of the
study was to identify cherry tomato genotypes with high yield and quality under
protected condition.
The experimental material consisted of twenty nine cherry tomato
genotypes collected from different parts of India. Pusa Cherry Tomato-1 was used
as standard check. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with
two replications. Analysis of variance revealed significant difference among the
twenty nine genotypes for all the characters studied.
The highest plant height at 120 DAT was recorded in Pusa Golden Cherry
Tomato-2 (257.17 cm) which was on par with Punjab Kesar Cherry (248.50 cm),
Punjab Sona Cherry (244.33 cm), SLc-20 (242.33 cm), Punjab Red Cherry (239.33
cm), EC-549819 (238.67 cm), Pusa Cherry Tomato-1 (236.83 cm) and SLc-27
(235.67 cm). Lowest plant height (120 DAT) was observed in IIHR-2861 (109.67
cm) which was on par with IIHR-2857 (111.50 cm). The genotype EC-549819
recorded the highest number of primary branches per plant (15.00) and was on par
with SLc-20 (14.00). IIHR-2857 was the earliest to 50 per cent flowering (20.00
days) which was on par with Punjab Kesar Cherry (21.00 days), SLc-22 (21.50
days), SLc-25 (21.50 days) and SLc-20 (22.00 days).
The highest number of flower clusters per plant was observed in EC-549819
(47.17) which was on par with SLc-14 (45.84), SLc-16 (44.50) and SLc-20 (42.67).
The check, Pusa Cherry Tomato-1 exhibited highest number of flowers per cluster
(113.17). The highest number of fruits per cluster was recorded in Punjab Red
Cherry (18.00) which was on par with the check, Pusa Cherry Tomato-1 (17.00).
Punjab Kesar Cherry was the earliest to harvest (59.50 days) which was on par with
IIHR-2857 (61.00 days), SLc-17 (61.00 days), IIHR-2859 (61.50 days), IIHR-2860
(62.00 days), SLc-25 (66.00 days), SLc-21 (67.00 days), SLc-14 (69.50 days), SLc28 (70.00 days), Pusa Cherry Tomato-1 (70.00 days) and SLc-2 (70.50 days). The
highest number of fruits per plant was observed in Punjab Red Cherry (173.00).
IIHR-2862 recorded the highest fruit length of 4.40 cm, which was on par
with SLc-18 (4.38 cm) and IIHR-2863 (4.27 cm). SLc-18 recorded the highest fruit
girth of 4.58 cm. The highest fruit weight of 33.17 g was recorded in SLc-18
followed by IIHR-2861 (22.33 g) and SLc-27 (19.41 g). The lowest number of
locules per fruit (2.00) was observed in EC-549819, Punjab Kesar Cherry, SLc-14
and the check, Pusa Cherry Tomato-1. The highest pericarp thickness was observed
in IIHR-2863 (3.60 mm) which was on par with IIHR-2861 (3.55 mm). SLc-25
exhibited the highest 100 seed weight of 0.35 g. The highest number of days for
final harvest was observed in Punjab Red Cherry (164.00 days). The highest yield
per plant was recorded in IIHR-2863 (1.24 kg) which was on par with IIHR-2861
(1.21 kg). The number of fruits per kg was highest in EC-549819 (1605.67).
The highest TSS of 7.35 0Brix was recorded in IIHR-2857 followed by
Punjab Kesar Cherry (6.85 0Brix), Punjab Red Cherry (6.35 0Brix), IIHR-2866
(6.25 0Brix) and Pusa Golden Cherry Tomato-2 (6.20 0Brix). Lycopene content was
highest in IIHR-2861 (9.51 mg 100g-1
). The highest ascorbic acid content was
recorded in IIHR-2863 (38.58 mg 100g-1
). The highest reducing sugars was
recorded in IIHR-2857 (5.92 per cent) which was on par with Punjab Kesar Cherry
(5.63 per cent). Non reducing sugar content was the highest in SLc-2 (1.56 per cent).
The estimates of PCV and GCV were high for plant height at 30 DAT,
primary branches per plant, flower clusters per plant, flowers per cluster, fruits per
cluster, fruits per plant, fruit length, fruit girth, fruit weight, locules per fruit,
pericarp thickness, 100 seed weight, yield per plant, fruits per kg, lycopene content,
ascorbic acid, reducing sugars and non reducing sugars. Moderate PCV and GCV
were observed for plant height at 90 and 120 DAT, days to 50 per cent flowering,
days to first harvest, days to final harvest and TSS. High estimates of heritability
coupled with high genetic advance as per cent of mean were recorded for all the
yield components. Yield per plant exhibited significant positive correlation at
genotypic and phenotypic levels with pericarp thickness, fruit length, fruit girth,
fruit weight and fruits per cluster. Path coefficient analysis revealed that fruit length
exerted highest positive direct effect on yield per plant followed by pericarp
thickness, number of fruits per plant, flower clusters per plant, flowers per cluster
and fruit weight. Sensory analysis revealed that Punjab Kesar Cherry ranked first
for appearance and colour, whereas IIHR-2857 exhibited the highest mean score for
flavour, taste, texture and overall acceptability.
Based on the yield, quality and sensory evaluation, the genotypes IIHR2857, IIHR-2863, Punjab Red Cherry, SLc-2 and IIHR-2862 were found best
performing and suitable for growing under protected condition