Effect of Foliar Spraying of Nano Zno on Qualitative and Physical Parameters of Tomato Grown in Polybags

Background: Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) is the main vegetable crop extensively grown all over the globe. Tomato requires both major and micronutrients for its proper plant growth. Nano fertilizers are preferred largely due to their efficiency and environmentally friendly nature compared to conventional chemical fertilizers. Nano fertilizers are preferred largely due to their efficiency and environmentally friendly nature compared to conventional chemical fertilizers. The use of nano fertilizers is expected to maintain better soil fertility and provide greater crop yields.

Methods: A polybag experiment was conducted during Kharif, 2020-21 at Agricultural College, Palem, PJTSAU, in a completely randomized design (CRD) with fourteen treatments comprising different concentrations of nano ZnO (50, 100, 250, 500, 750, 1000, 1250, 1500, 1750, 2000, 2250 and 2500 ppm), ZnSO4 and control.

Results: Foliar spraying of nano ZnO 1000 ppm recorded the lowest total soluble solids (4.00 0brix), highest ascorbic acid (23.71 mg 100g-1), highest titrable acidity (0.48%), lowest percentage of total sugars (2.80%), lowest percentage of reducing sugars (2.48%), highest percentage (0.32%) of non-reducing sugars and highest value of lycopene content (6.64 mg 100g-1), maximum shelf life (11.67 days) and firmness (3.05 kg cm-2). On 3rd, 6th and 9th day after harvest, same treatment recorded minimum physiological loss in weight (3.64%, 6.36% and 8.51%).