Improvement, productivity, fruit quality and storability of cherry tomato via foliar application with different calcium sources and some micronutrients

Author : Manal, A., Mandour, Omaima, O. Mohammed and Samar, A. Bardisi

Two plastic house and Handling Lab. experiments were concluded in 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 seasons at the Experimental Farm of El-Kassasein, Res. Station, Hort, Res. Inst., Agric. Center, Ismailia Governorate, Egypt, it aims to study the effect of different sources of calcium, some micronutrients (boron and
molybdenum) and their interaction as foliar spray on growth, yield, fruit quality and storability of tomato cherry under sandy soil conditions using drip irrigation system. The obtained result show that, the interaction between
spraying plants with calcium citrate ( Ca-Cit) at 2 % and boron (B) at 25 ppm recorded the highest value of dry weight of shoots / plant , average fruit weight , yield / plant and total yield / m2 , lycopen and vitamin C
content in fruits at harvest time in both seasons, where foliar application by the interaction between calcium chloride ( CaCl2) at 2% and B at 25 ppm had significantly increased number of fruits / plant, DM%, fruit firmness, TSS, Ca and B contents in fruits. The highest value of Mo concentration in fruits were recorded with the interaction between Ca-citrate and Mo at 5 ppm. The increases in total yield / m2 were about 2.033 and 2.642 kg for the interaction between spraying with Ca-Cit at 2 % and B at 25 ppm, 1.639 and 1.474 kg for the interaction
between calcium chloride at 2% and B at 25 ppm and 1.434 and 1.436 kg for the interaction between calcium tartrate at 2% and B at 25 ppm over the unsprayed plants in the 1st and 2nd seasons, respectively. As for storability
of fruits which stored in carton box at 8°C and 90-95 % RH, fresh weight loss (%) and TSS in fruits increased, whereas fruit firmness, titratable acidity and vitamin C in fruits decreased with prolonging cold storage periods for all treatments. Storage of fruits produced from plants which sprayed with Ca Cl2 at 2 % and B at 25 ppm pre harvested gave the highest values of TSS, fruit firmness and gave lowest values of titratable acidity, whereas the interaction between Ca-Cit at 2 % and B at 25 ppm gave the highest value of vitamin C and lowest value of weight
loss percentage in fruit during storage period. The interaction between foliar application of the calcium citrate or calcium chloride 2 % and boron 25 ppm is recommended for high yield, best fruit quality and prolonged storability
of cherry tomato.

Keywords : Cherry tomato, Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme, Ca, B, Mo, growth, yield, fruit quality and storability.,

Received:1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM; Accepted: 1/1/0001 12:00:00 AM