Relationship between Growth, Yield parameters and Fruit Yield of Kharif Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

Relationship between Growth, Yield parameters and Fruit Yield of Kharif Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.)

Lakkakula Shravika^1* , G . Sreenivas² , A. Madhavi³ , A. Manohar Rao⁴

¹Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad- 500030, India

²Agro Climate Research Centre, Agricultural Research Institute, Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad- 500030, India

³AICRP on Soil Test Cop Response, Agricultural Research Institute, Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agricultural University, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad- 500030, India

⁴Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad- 500030, India

Corresponding Author Email: shravika954@gmail.com

DOI : http://dx.doi.org/10.53709/ CHE.2021.v02i04.016

Abstract

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INTRODUCTION

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is one of the most important vegetable crops. It achieved unprecedented popularity within a short span, though its domestication is very recent [2]. Its sensorial, organoleptic, nourishing and protective values [4,9,15] have made it immensely popular. It has emerged as one of the top choices for the processing industry [5]. It has acquired the status of “model fleshy fruit plant” [3,7].

Tomato is one of the most valued vegetable crops grown throughout the world owing to its high nutritive value as well as its antioxidant and curative properties [8]. Tomato can play an essential role in the human diet and is known as protective food because of its special nutritive value. India is the second-largest producer of vegetables just after China and contributed 14% of world production, where tomato occupied an area of 0.86 million ha with 16.8 million metric ton production [1]. In India, tomato is grown an area of 8,76,410 hectares with a production of 17,848,160 MT [13]. In Telangana, it occupies an area of 47,070 hectares, primarily under irrigated conditions with productivity of 26.09 t ha^-1 [6].

Therefore, the experiment was planned with the objectives to find out the relationship between growth and yield parameters with the fruit yield of Kharif tomato.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

            A field experiment was conducted during kharif season of 2019 at the Agricultural Research Institute farm, PJTSAU, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad, having 17⁰ 19’ N latitude, 78⁰ 23’ E longitude, and 542.3 m above mean sea level. The soil of the experimental site was sandy loam in texture, neutral in reaction, low in available nitrogen, phosphorus and high in available potassium. The crop was planted in eight dates of planting: 02 July, 12 July, 22 July, 02 August, 11 August, 23 August, 03 September and 13 September as main plots and two cultivars viz., US 440 and TO-3251 (Saaho) as sub-plots in split-plot design and replicated thrice. The nursery of 20 days old was transplanted in the main field with a spacing of 60 x 45 cm. A fertilizer dose of 150 kg nitrogen as urea, 90 kg P₂O₅ as diammonium phosphate and 90 kg K₂O as muriate of potash was applied.  A basal dose entire P₂O₅ and K₂O was applied, and the nitrogen was applied in three equal splits at 30 DAT, 45 DAT and 60 DAT. Other cultural operations and plant protection measures were followed as per the recommendation.

            The weather data during the experimental period was recorded from the meteorological observatory located at Agricultural Research Institute, Rajendranagar, Hyderabad. The total crop growth period of tomatoes was divided into four phenophases such as transplanting to first flower (P₁ stage), First flower to fruit initiation (P₂ stage), Fruit initiation to first picking (P₃ stage) and first picking to last picking (P₄ stage) as suggested by Mutkule et al. [11].

            The correlation coefficients were worked out between growth and yield parameters during different phenophases with the fruit yield of tomatoes.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Correlations between growth parameters and yield

The correlation studies were undertaken to assess the influence of growth (plant height, LAI, dry matter production) and yield attributes (number of fruits plant^-1 and average fruit weight) with fruit yield of tomato was calculated and discussed below. 

Correlation studies between growth parameters during different growth stages with fruit yield of tomato indicated that highly significant positive correlation existed between plant height and fruit yield from transplanting to first flower (0.99**), First flower to fruit initiation (0.98**), Fruit initiation to first picking (0.98**) and first picking to last picking (0.98**) respectively. Number branches per plant also showed a significant positive correlation with fruit yield if tomato during transplanting to first flower (0.98**), First flower to fruit initiation (0.98**), Fruit initiation to first picking (0.94**) and first picking to last picking (0.97**) respectively. Leaf Area Index also showed a significant positive correlation from transplanting to the first flower (0.99**), First flower to fruit initiation (0.99**), Fruit initiation to first picking (0.96**) and first picking to last picking (0.84**) respectively. Similarly, dry matter production showed a highly significant positive correlation from transplanting to the first flower (0.99**), First flower to fruit initiation (0.99**), Fruit initiation to first picking (0.96**) and first picking to last picking (0.84**) respectively (Table 1). Naveen et al. [12] from Hyderabad also reported a positive correlation between plant height and the number of branches plant^-1 with fruit yield of tomato. 

Table 1. Correlation coefficients between growth parameters during differentphases and fruit yield of tomato

Growth parameter	Correlation coefficients
Plant height at P1 stage	0.99**
Plant height at P2 stage	0.98**
Plant height at P3 stage	0.98**
Plant height at P4 stage	0.98**
No. of branches at P1 stage	0.98**
No. of branches at P2 stage	0.98**
No. of branches at P3 stage	0.94**
No. of branches at P4 stage	0.97**
LAI at P1 stage	0.99**
LAI at P2 stage	0.99**
LAI at P3 stage	0.96**
LAI at P4 stage	0.84**
Dry matter at P1 stage	0.94**
Dry matter at P2 stage	0.97**
Dry matter at P3 stage	0.99**
Dry matter at P4 stage	0.98**
Note: * = Significant at 5% level; ** = Significant at 1% level; P1= Transplanting to first flower; P2= First flower to fruit initiation stage; P3= Fruit initiation to first picking stage; P4=First picking to last picking.

Table 2.Correlation coefficients between yield attributes and fruit yield oftomato

Yield parameter	Correlation coefficients
Number of fruits plant-1	0.97**
Average fruit weight (g)	0.90**

Note: *= Significant at 5% level; **= Significant at 1% level

Correlations between yield parameters and yield

Correlation studies between yield attributes and fruit yield of tomato showed that a highly significant positive correlation existed between the number of fruits plant^-1(0.97**), average fruit weight (g) (0.90**) with fruit yield of tomato (Table 2). This result confirmed the earlier findings of Srivastava et al. [14] and Mohanthy [10] who reported that the yield plant^-1 was highly significant and positively correlated with number of fruits plant^-1 and average fruit weight (g).

CONCLUSION

From the above expert it was concluded that both growth and yield parameters shows a positive correlation with the fruit yield of Tomato. It means if growth and yield parameters are high, then Fruit yield also going to be high.

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