Subhash Kumar, Raj Kumar and Prabhjot Singh
CSK Himachal Pradesh Krishi Vishvavidyalaya Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Sundernagar, Mandi-175 019 (H. P.),
India
*(e-mail : subhashsoils@gmail.com; Mobile : 94188 08855)
(Received : April 24, 2021; Accepted : June 20, 2021)
ABSTRACT
The experiments were conducted during 2017 and 2018 in Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh to study the effect of recommended dose of NPK along with two levels of calcium (0.3 and 0.6%) and three levels of magnesium (0.1, 0.2 and 0.4%) at 30, 45 and 60 days intervals in the tomato crop. The experiments were laid in the randomized block design (RBD) with three replications and 12 treatments. The calcium chloride and magnesium sulphate were used as the source of secondary nutrients, calcium and magnesium. The significant improvement in quality, nutrient content and uptake of both leaf and fruit of the tomato crop were recorded. The data in the treatment T11 with recommended dose of FYM and NPK along with calcium and magnesium @ 0.6 and 0.2% in treatment indicated the increase in the pericarp thickness (4.96 mm), TSS (4.98 0B), vitamin C (26.0 mg/100 g) and titratable acidity (0.78%) of the tomato crop as compared to the control treatment T1. The significant increase in the nutrient content was recorded with nitrogen (2.91%), phosphorus (0.63%), potassium (3.97%), calcium (1.32%) and magnesium (0.82%) with the uptake of nitrogen (284.60 kg/ha), phosphorus (61.13 kg/ha), potassium (387.78 kg/ha), calcium (128.61 kg/ha) and magnesium (79.71 kg/ha) in the leaf. The improvement of nutrient content in nitrogen (1.50%), phosphorus (0.37%), potash (3.20%), calcium (0.78%) and magnesium (0.46%) in the fruit with the nutrient uptake of the nitrogen (146.70 kg/ha), phosphorus (36.19 kg/ha), potassium
(312.96 kg/ha), calcium (75.80 kg/ha) and magnesium (44.50 kg/ha) was recorded. From the results, it can be concluded that foliar spray of FYM @ 20 t/ha + NPK (150 : 120 : 55) along with Ca and Mg @ 0.6 and 0.2% in the tomato crop can improve the quality of the crop due to the increase in the nutrient content and the uptake of the primary as well as the secondary nutrients.
Key words : : Calcium, magnesium, nutrient content, nutrient uptake, quality, tomato