Vol. 11, Issue 2 (2022)

Author(s):
K Venkatesan and Nyampatsi J Claude

Abstract:
An experiment was conducted on tomato to know the influence of pre-harvest spray of growth regulators and nutrients on quality and shelf life of tomato hybrid (COTH 3) at the college orchard, Department of Vegetable Crops, Horticultural College and Research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore during the period 2014-2015. Design followed was RBD with seven treatments viz., Control (without any growth regulators and nutrients); Chlormequat chloride @ 300 ppm on 30 DAT; Mepiquat chloride @ 500 ppm on 30 DAT; Calcium sulphate @ 1% on 45 DAT; Borax @ 0.2% on 45 DAT; Chlormequat chloride @ 300 ppm on 30 DAT + Calcium sulphate @ 1% on 45 DAT; Chlormequat chloride @ 300 ppm on 30 DAT + Borax @ 0.2% on 45 DAT; Mepiquat chloride @ 500 ppm on 30 DAT + Calcium sulphate @ 1% on 45 DAT; Mepiquat chloride @ 500 ppm on 30 DAT + Borax @ 0.2% on 45 DAT and these treatments are replicated thrice. The observations were recorded on total soluble solids (^oBrix), ascorbic acid content (mg/ 100g), citric acid content (%), lycopene content (mg/100g), physiological loss in weight (%), shelf life (days). Results revealed that, quality parameters such as total soluble solids (5.61and 4.77⁰ Brix), ascorbic acid (36.9and 35.0mg/100g), citric acid (0.730 and 0.732 per cent) and lycopene (7.68and 6.68 mg/100g) content in fruits were higher in the treatment T₇ (Chlormequat chloride @ 300 ppm on 30 DAT + borax @ 0.2per centon 45 DAT) in Kharif and Summer season respectively.