Foliar application of calcium chloride and borax influences plant growth, yield, and quality of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) fruit

Authors : Abdur RAB, İhsanul HAQ

Pages : 695-701

View : 20 | Download : 10

Publication Date : 2012-12-01

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :The influence of CaCl2 and borax on growth, yield, and quality of tomato was investigated during the years 2009 and 2010. The experiment was laid out with a randomized complete block design. Calcium chloride insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(0.3% and 0.6%); and borax insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(0.2% and 0.4%); solutions were applied as foliar sprays either alone or in combination and data were recorded for plant height, branches per plant, flowers per cluster, fruits per plant, yield, fruit weight, fruit firmness, and total soluble solid content of the fruit. The application of CaCl2 alone significantly increased the plant height and fruits per plant and decreased the incidence of blossom end rot. Borax alone significantly enhanced the number of branches per plant, number of flowers per cluster, fruits per cluster, fruits per plant, fruit weight, fruit firmness, and total soluble solid content of the fruits. Foliar application of CaCl2 insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(0.6%); + borax insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(0.2%); resulted in the maximum plant height insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(86.60 cm);, branches per plant insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(7.21);, flowers per cluster insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(32.36);, fruits per plant insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(96.37);, fruit weight insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(96.33 g);, yield insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(21.33 t ha-1);, fruit firmness insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(3.46 kg cm-2);, and total soluble solids insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(6.10%); and the lowest blossom end rot incidence insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(6.25%);. However, the difference among 0.6% CaCl2 + 0.2% borax, 0.3% CaCl2 + 0.2% borax, and 0.6% CaCl2 + 0.4% borax was nonsignificant.
Keywords : calcium chloride, foliar application, fruit quality, tomato, Borax