PRODUCTION OF SUMMER TOMATO UNDER SYLHET CONDITION

Abstract

Heat tolerant tomato hybrids along with production technologies were evaluated in two consecutive summer seasons of 2012 and 2013 under Sylhet conditions with a view to selecting suitable tomato hybrid and its production technology at the experimental field of Horticulture Department, Sylhet Agricultural University. In the present study four tomato hybrids viz. C11 × C51, WP7 × C51, C41 × WP8 and C51 × WP10 and effect of grafting and hormone on summer tomato production were evaluated during May to September 2012 while further evaluation of three tomato hybrids at three different sowing dates was made during the period from May to November 2013.Four heat tolerant tomato hybrids were not significantly different for days to first flower and days to first harvest. Among the hybrids, C41 × WP8 produced the highest number of fruits per plant (30.70) but it corresponding individual fruit weight was the lowest (42.66 g). The heaviest individual fruit weight was recorded from the hybrid WP7 × C51 (55.60 g). The hybrid C41 × WP8 exhibited the highest fruit yield potentiality (1.29 kg/plant and 43.86 t/ha) followed by C11 × C51 (1.27 kg/plant and 43.18 t/ha). Grafting did not show significant influence on summer tomato production. However, application of hormone (2% Para Chlorophenoxy Acetic Acid) had significant influence of summer tomato production. Hormone treated plants produced significantly higher number of fruits per plant (27.8) and fruit yield per plant (1.25 kg) compared to that of non treated plant (1.01 kg/plant).Sowing dates had significant influence on summer tomato production. The fruit yield was recorded from the plants sown on May 5 (30.26 t/ha) closely followed by May 25 sowing (29.58 t/ha) while it was the lowest from the plant of June 15 sowing (27.54 t/ha). Among three tomato hybrids, C51 × WP10 produced the highest mean fruit yield per plant (0.96 kg) and per hectare (32.64 t/ha). However, the hybrid C51 X WP10 produced the highest fruit yield (1.11 kg/plant and 37.74 t/ha) when grown from May 25 sowing.