MSc.

The experiment entitled “Response of tomato to calcium and boron in the
Onattukara tract of Alappuzha district” was conducted at the ORARS, Kayamkulam
during the period from September to December 2016. The objective of the study was
to find out the effect of calcium and boron on yield and quality of tomato and to
develop a recommendation for these nutrients to optimize the productivity.
The experiment was laid out as factorial RBD (42 + 1) with two replications.
The treatments included two factors viz. calcium levels and boron levels. The calcium
levels were- no calcium (Ca-0), full dose of calcium as basal (Ca-1), half dose of
calcium as basal (Ca-2) and one fourth dose of calcium as basal (Ca-3). Calcium was
supplied through CaO and the dose of calcium was worked out from lime
requirement by SMP (Buffer method by Shoemaker et al.) method. Levels of boron
were – no boron (B-0), foliar spray 0.1% (B-1), foliar spray 0.2% (B-2) and foliar
spray 0.3% (B-3). Boron was supplied through borax at 50% flowering stage. The
Package of Practices Recommendations of KAU (20 t ha-1 FYM and 75:40:25 kg ha-1
NPK) was uniformly followed in all treatments. The control treatment was soil test
based application of N, P, K, recommended dose of lime and B.
Results of the study revealed that the application of calcium had a significant
effect on biometric characters, per cent incidence of physiological disorders, soil pH
and plant uptake of nutrients. Application of full dose of calcium as basal (Ca-1)
recorded the highest yield. The lowest incidence of blossom end rot and fruit cracking
was observed in Ca-1. The highest B : C ratio was also observed in Ca-1. Calcium
application did not have any significant effect on available nutrients except calcium.
Ca-1 recorded a significant effect on the plant content of calcium. It also contributed
to a significant effect on the uptake of nutrients such as N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, B, Fe,
Cu, Mn and Zn.
Boron application produced significant effect on biometric characters, per
cent incidence of physiological disorders and plant uptake of nutrients. Among
various levels, foliar spray of 0.3% boron (B-3) was found to be the best treatment.
B-3 has recorded the highest yield and B: C ratio. It also produced the lowest
incidence of fruit cracking. Boron application did not have any significant effect on
soil available nutrients, soil pH and plant content of nutrients except plant boron. B-3
has also contributed to a significant effect on the uptake of nutrients such as N, P, K,
Ca, Mg, S, B, Fe, Cu, Mn and Zn.
Among various interactions, application of full dose of calcium as basal along
with foliar spray of 0.3% boron (Ca1B3) has contributed to the maximum yield, B: C
ratio and the lowest incidence of fruit cracking. Ca1B3 recorded the highest uptake of
nutrients such as N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Fe, Cu and Mn. None of the interactions were
observed to be significant for soil pH, soil available nutrients and plant nutrient
content. But the application of Ca and B produced no significant effect on the quality
characters such as TSS, lycopene content and ascorbic acid contents.
From the results of the study, it can be concluded that higher yield of tomato
in Onattukara tract of Alappuzha district can be obtained by the combined
application of full dose of calcium as per lime requirement of the soil along with
0.3% foliar spray of boron (Ca1B3) in addition to the blanket recommendations of
KAU (20 t ha-1 FYM and 75:40:25 kg ha-1 NPK).