EFFECT OF PLANT GEOMETRY AND TRAINING ON SEED QUALITY AND BENEFIT: COST RATIO IN TOMATO (Solanum lycopersicum L.) SEED PRODUCTION

H.S. KANWAR¹, ROHIT VERMA²*, MANOHAR LAL³, D.K. MEHTA^4
1Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan-173 230, H.P., India
²Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan-173 230, H.P., India
³Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan-173 230, H.P., India
⁴Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan-173 230, H.P., India
* Corresponding Author : vermarohitsep@gmail.com

Received : 14-06-2016     Accepted : 17-06-2016     Published : 06-10-2016
Volume : 8     Issue : 44       Pages : 1881 - 1884
Int J Agr Sci 8.44 (2016):1881-1884

Keywords : Plant geometry, Seed yield, Solanum lycopersicum L, Tomato, Training
Academic Editor : Heerendra Prasad
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : None declared
Author Contribution : None declared

The present investigations were carried out to study the effect of different plant geometries and training levels on the seed quality of tomato cultivar Solan Lalima, at the department of Seed Science and Technology, Dr. YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan during Kharif season, 2013. The treatment combinations comprised of four training levels i.e. Y1 (single stem), Y2 (double stem), Y3 (unpruned with horizontal string) and Y4 (unpruned bush stakes, control) and eight plant geometries viz. S1 (60×15 cm), S2 (60+30×15 cm), S3 (60×30 cm), S4 (60+30×30 cm), S5 (90×15 cm), S6 (90+30×15 cm), S7 (90×30 cm) and S8 (90+30×30 cm). Analysis of variance revealed significant differences among the treatment combinations for all the characters studied. The treatment combination Y1S7 (single stem and plant spaced at 90×30 cm) gave the best results for thousand seed weight (3.90 g), germination percentage (89.33 %), seedling length (14.20 cm), seedling dry weight (1.55 mg), seed vigour index-Length & Mass (1269.20 & 138.25, respectively) but it gave a low seed yield per unit area (257.55 kg/ha). The combination Y2S5 (double stem and 90×15 cm) gave a higher seed yield per hectare (519.71 kg) over all other treatments. This treatment also gave highest benefit: cost ratio (5.17:1) which is an ultimate goal of any experiment.