M. G. Kibria
Professor
Department of Soil Science, University of Chittagong, Chittagong 4331, Bangladesh
M. Islam
Assistant Professor
Department of Soil Science, University of Chittagong, Chittagong 4331, Bangladesh
K. T. Osman
Professor
Department of Soil Science, University of Chittagong, Chittagong 4331, Bangladesh
Plant height, Yield, Total soluble sugar, Vitamin C, Nutrient content.
Chittagong University
Crop-Soil-Water Management
Field experiment: A field experiment was conducted at research field of Department of Soil Science, University of Chittagong, Bangladesh to study the performance of fifteen improved varieties of tomato. Seeds of ten (CLN3125A, CLN3125E, CLN3125L, CLN3125O, CLN3125P, CLN3125Q, CLN3070J, CLN3078A, CLN3078C, CLN3078G,) improved tomato varieties have been collected from the Asian Vegetable Research and Development Centre, Taiwan and five (BARI-3, BARI-8, BARI-9, BARI-14, BARI-15) from Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute, Joydevpur for the present study. Seeds were sown in the nursery separately for each variety. Complete germination of the seeds took place within 10 days after sowing. Healthy and uniform sized of about one month old seedlings were transplanted in the main plots. A light irrigation was done immediately after transplanting. The distance between rows to row was 50 cm and seeding to seedling was 40 cm. Irrigation was applied as and when necessary. Different intercultural operations were accomplished as and when necessary for better growth and development of plants. After ploughing and laddering all the stubbles, crop residues and uprooted weeds were collected and removed from the main field and the land was ready. Whole experimental land was divided into unit plots maintaining the desired spacing. The whole area of the experimental plot was divided into 3 blocks and each block was again divided into 15 unit plots for the 15 varieties. Thus the treatments (variety) were replicated three times. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD). The size of the unit plot was 2 m length and 2 m width. Block to block and plot to plot distance were 0.5 m and 0.5 m respectively. Fertilizers were applied according to the Fertilizer Recommendation Guide [3] at the rate of N 100 kg ha-1, P 30 kg ha-1 and K 60 kg ha-1 as urea, triple super phosphate (TSP) and muriate of potash (MOP), respectively equally to the soil in each plot.
Determination of growth and yield components: Plant height, number of branches plant-1 and number of leaves plant-1 were recoded after 30 and 45 days after transplantation (DAT). The number of fruits plant-1, single fruit weight, and yield per unit area were recorded during harvest.
Determination of nutritional quality of tomato: Total soluble sugar, reducing sugar and non reducing sugar of ripe fruits were estimated by standard method of analysis as described by Shahnawaz et al. [8]. Vitamin C content was determined by the method as described by Jideani and Onwubali [9]. Plant material (tomato fruit) was digested in H2SO4 + H2O2 + Se mixture [10] to extract the nutrients. Nitrogen from extract was determined by micro-Kjeldahl distillation [6], phosphorus by vanadomolybdate yellow color method [6], and potassium, calcium and magnesium with an atomic absorption spectrophotometer.
Statistical Analysis: The data collected was subjected to analysis of variance, and treatment means were compared using Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (DMRT) at 5% probability level.
IOSR Journal of Agriculture and Veterinary Science (IOSR-JAVS)
e-ISSN: 2319-2380, p-ISSN: 2319-2372. Volume 2, Issue 2 (Jan. - Feb. 2013), PP 12-17
Journal