EFFECT OF GROWING SUBSTRATES ON GROWTH, YIELD AND QUALITY OF DIFFERENT TOMATO CULTIVARS IN HYDROPONIC CULTURE

Abstract

Mixing of different growing substrates have the ability to improve aeration of the growing substrates. Therefore, a pot experiment was conducted at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka during the period from September-2019 to March2020, to

investigate the effect of growing substrates on growth, yield and quality of different tomato cultivars in hydroponic culture. The experiment consisted of two factors, and followed completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications. Factor A: Three tomato cultivars viz;V 1 = Rani; V 2 = Extra profit and V 3 = Roma VF, Factor B: Four different growing substrate viz; M 1 = 70 % Cocopeat + 30 % Khoa, M 2

= 70 % Rice husk+ 30 % Khoa, M 3 = 70 % Sawdust and + 30 % Khoa and M 4 = 70 % Woodchips+ 30 % Khoa. Results revealed that the highest number of fruits plant

(24.89), fruit polar length (3.67 cm), fruit radial length (3.60 cm), individual fruit fresh weight (47.64 g), individual fruit dry weight of tomato (2.55 g) and yield plant

(1.19 kg) was found in 70 % Cocopeat + 30 % Khoa (M 1 ) based growing substrate. In case of different tomato cultivars the highest yield plant -1 (1.14 kg) was found in Rani tomato cultivar (V 1 ). In case of combination, the highest fruit plant (27.67), fruit polar length (4.08 cm), fruit radial length (3.99 cm), individual fruit fresh weight (48.13 g), fruit dry weight (2.77 g), yield plant -1 (1.33 kg) and fruit volume (204.50 cc) was found in V 1 M 1 .Therefore, it can be concluded that Rani tomato cultivar can be grown in M 1 substrate with higher yield and quality of tomato in hydroponic culture.