Effects of Phosphatic Fertilizers At Varying Levels of Nitrogen and Phosphate on the Quality of Tomato Fruits¹

Effects of three phosphatic fertilizers (single super phosphate, monoammonium phosphate, and potassium metaphosphate) at three different phosphate levels (30, 60 and 90 kg P₂O₅/ha) in combination with three nitrogen levels (50, 100 and 150 kg N/ha) were studied on tomato fruit quality during winter 1963–64 and summer seasons of 1964 and 1965 at the Agronomy Division of the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi. The qualitative characters of fruits were not affected by different phosphatic fertilizers. Increased levels of phosphorus application considerably increased the percentage of juice extraction and ascorbic acid content of fruits. Fruits from the plots which received high doses of nitrogen had lower density but had appreciably more juice extraction, acidity, total soluble solids, ascorbic acid and total sugar particularly reducing sugar.