Author(s): H. KUMAR, A. AGARWAL, P. K. YADAV, D. SAHAY, O. PRAKASH, B. BALLABH, H. S. MEENA AND D. P. SINGH

Abstract: Globally, hydroponics technology has been accepted as sustainable technology with potential for increasing productivity and maintains quality of vegetables. Hydroponics not only offers safe food but also ensures vertical utilization of space with higher water use efficiency. This experiment was conducted during 2021-22 at DIBER, DRDO, Haldwani, Nainital (Uttarakhand). The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of cherry tomato cultivars under hydroponics culture. The nursery of tomato was raised in the portrays by using soilless media (cocopeat: vermiculite: perlite) during the month of September 2021 and 30 days old seedlings were transplanted under plastic trays size 45cm to 30cm and depth 10cm and covered by thermacol sheet which can accommodate 4 plants tray ^-1. The pH of hydroponicas nutrient solution was maintained between 6 to 7 during entire growth stages of the crop. Performance of cherry tomato cultivar Serina and Esterina differed significantly for various growth or yield traits under study. Esterina cultivar exhibited the highest value for plant height (370 cm), number of fruitcluster^-1 (22), number of cluster plant^-1 (18.66), total yield plant ^-1 (4680.00g ), Tannin (7.49 mg 100 g ^-1), total phenol (394.66 mg100 g ^-1), Flavonoid (4.91 mg100g. ^-1). Serina cultivar exhibited the highest value for Number of branch/plant (3.66), fruit girth (3.42 cm), fruit length (3.03 cm), pericarp thickness (4.16 mm), Carbohydrate (6.33 g100g ^-1), protein (1.78 g100g ^-1), ascorbic acid (18.68 mg100g ^-1.). The results revealed that both the cherry tomato hybrids can be grown under hydroponics successfully with better quality fruits as cash crops for better returns.

DOI: 10.22271/09746315.2024.v20.i1.1756

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