Effect of foliar application of micronutrients on flowering and fruiting in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum)

An experimental trial was conducted during spring-summer season of 2007, 2008 and 2009 at farmers ’fields to study the response of spray of nutrients on tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) yield and yield-related characters. Five farmers from each KVK-adopted villages were selected and experiment was laid out in one acre area of each farmer. The soil and irrigation water quality were almost similar for all selected farmers ’fields. The nutrient treatments included spray of boric acid (B) @ 0.3%, calcium chloride (Ca) @ 0.2% and ferrous ammonium sulphate given twice after transplanting, i.e. at pre-blooming stage and 15 days after first spraying, respectively. The N, P and K were applied at the rate of 150, 75 and 60 kg/ha, respectively. The recommended cultivation practices were followed uniformly for all the fields, irrespective of the treatments. The combination of boron (B)+calcium(Ca)+ferrous ammonium sulphate (@ 0.3, 0.2 and 0.3% spray) recorded maximum net return of 1, 02, 464/ha with a 1: 2.57 cost: benefit ratio. It gave an additional income of 20, 934/ha (excluding nutrient application charges) over farmers ’practices. Application of boron(B)+calcium(Ca) gave a net return of 98, 564 with a 1: 2.56 cost: benefit ratio with an additional income of 17, 034. The minimum cost: benefit ratio of 1: 2.48 was obtained by farmers ’practices with a net return of 81, 530/ha. The increased returns as a result of increased quality in fruit yield of tomato with nutrient applications gave significant effect on tomato grown by most of the farmers.