Screening of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) Germplasm for growth, yield, resistance against buckeye rot and alternaria blight severity under mid-hills conditions of Himachal Pradesh

Abstract

Thirty five genotypes of tomato including one check cultivar Solan Lalima were evaluated for various important horticultural traits in a RCBD with three replications during Kharif, 2013. The genotypes EC-620383, EC-620397, EC-620410 and BT-1 took minimum days (29.67 days) to reach 50% flowering. Genotype BT-10 recorded maximum number of fruits per plant (59.23), whereas, JTS-1-3 produced the biggest sized fruits of 86.86 g. Maximum fruit yield per plant was recorded in JTS-10-1 (2.45 kg). BT-10 observed maximum plant height (211.63 cm) and next best genotypes were EC-37239 (201.77 cm) and JTS-1-1 (188.12 cm). The genotypes JTS-10-3 (8.53%) and JTS-10-2 (9.70%) were found moderately resistant to buckeye rot incidence. Least Alternaria blight severity was recorded in BT-10 (13.56%) followed by JTS-10-1 (14.35 %) and Yalabingo (14.47 %). Based on the performance the genotypes JTS-10-1, JTS-10-2, Yalabingo, EC-37239, EC-267727, LE-79-5, BT-10, EC-191535-3 and JTS-1-1 were found superior than check cultivar Solan Lalima. Therefore these genotypes can be used as such or can further be subjected to selection or heterosis breeding to get the desirable variety of tomato for mid-hills of Himachal Pradesh.