Indira, MAswathy MohanKAU2020-02-242020-02-242017http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810143488PGThe experiment entitled “Response of tomato to calcium and boron in the Onattukara tract of Alappuzha district” was conducted at the ORARS, Kayamkulam during the period from September to December 2016. The objective of the study was to find out the effect of calcium and boron on yield and quality of tomato and to develop a recommendation for these nutrients to optimize the productivity. The experiment was laid out as factorial RBD (42 + 1) with two replications. The treatments included two factors viz. calcium levels and boron levels. The calcium levels were- no calcium (Ca-0), full dose of calcium as basal (Ca-1), half dose of calcium as basal (Ca-2) and one fourth dose of calcium as basal (Ca-3). Calcium was supplied through CaO and the dose of calcium was worked out from lime requirement by SMP (Buffer method by Shoemaker et al.) method. Levels of boron were – no boron (B-0), foliar spray 0.1% (B-1), foliar spray 0.2% (B-2) and foliar spray 0.3% (B-3). Boron was supplied through borax at 50% flowering stage. The Package of Practices Recommendations of KAU (20 t ha-1 FYM and 75:40:25 kg ha-1 NPK) was uniformly followed in all treatments. The control treatment was soil test based application of N, P, K, recommended dose of lime and B. Results of the study revealed that the application of calcium had a significant effect on biometric characters, per cent incidence of physiological disorders, soil pH and plant uptake of nutrients. Application of full dose of calcium as basal (Ca-1) recorded the highest yield. The lowest incidence of blossom end rot and fruit cracking was observed in Ca-1. The highest B : C ratio was also observed in Ca-1. Calcium application did not have any significant effect on available nutrients except calcium. Ca-1 recorded a significant effect on the plant content of calcium. It also contributed to a significant effect on the uptake of nutrients such as N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, B, Fe, Cu, Mn and Zn. Boron application produced significant effect on biometric characters, per cent incidence of physiological disorders and plant uptake of nutrients. Among various levels, foliar spray of 0.3% boron (B-3) was found to be the best treatment. B-3 has recorded the highest yield and B: C ratio. It also produced the lowest incidence of fruit cracking. Boron application did not have any significant effect on soil available nutrients, soil pH and plant content of nutrients except plant boron. B-3 has also contributed to a significant effect on the uptake of nutrients such as N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, B, Fe, Cu, Mn and Zn. Among various interactions, application of full dose of calcium as basal along with foliar spray of 0.3% boron (Ca1B3) has contributed to the maximum yield, B: C ratio and the lowest incidence of fruit cracking. Ca1B3 recorded the highest uptake of nutrients such as N, P, K, Ca, Mg, S, Fe, Cu and Mn. None of the interactions were observed to be significant for soil pH, soil available nutrients and plant nutrient content. But the application of Ca and B produced no significant effect on the quality characters such as TSS, lycopene content and ascorbic acid contents. From the results of the study, it can be concluded that higher yield of tomato in Onattukara tract of Alappuzha district can be obtained by the combined application of full dose of calcium as per lime requirement of the soil along with 0.3% foliar spray of boron (Ca1B3) in addition to the blanket recommendations of KAU (20 t ha-1 FYM and 75:40:25 kg ha-1 NPK).ennullThesis