GROWTH AND NUTRITIONAL QUALITY OF TOMATO IN RESPONSE TO HUMIC ACID AND SALICYLIC ACID

Abstract

The field experiment was conducted at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka during October 2017 to April 2018 to find out the response of humic acid and salicylic acid on growth and nutritional quality of tomato. Four different doses of humic acid viz., H 0 = 0 ppm, H 1 = 20 ppm, H 2 = 40 ppm, H 3 = 80 ppm and four doses of salicylic acid viz., S 0 = 0 ppm, S 1 = 30 ppm, S 2 = 70 ppm, S 3 = 110 ppm were used to conduct this experiment. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design having two factors. Humic acid and salicylic acid showed significant variations with most of the parameters studied. The maximum number of flowers per plant (38.58), number of fruit per plant (27.42), yield of fruits per plant (2.90 kg) were found at 80 ppm humic acid treatment while the lowest result found in control. The maximum number of flowers per plant (38.12), number of fruit per plant (27.83) and yield of fruits per plant (2.95 kg) were found in 70 ppm salicylic acid

treatment. The highest total sugar (4.40%), sodium (8.20%) and lycopene content (5 mg/100g) in fruit were found in 80 ppm humic acid with 30 ppm salicylic acid. The highest yield of fruits per hectare (94.07 tones) was obtained from 80 ppm humic acid with 70 ppm salicylic acid treatment. So, the application of 80 ppm humic acid with 70 ppm salicylic acid would be the best option to maintain better growth and to have better quality tomato.