Earliness to flowering and picking with reference to branch numbers in processing tomato varieties as influenced by planting density and fertigation

Abstract

The Abhinav variety recorded the highest number of secondary branches (10.31), and also it took lowest number of days to first flowering (39.03) with highest fruit yield per hectare (4.85 tonnes). Planting density at 75 cm x 40 cm (S3) recorded significantly the lowest number of days to first flowering (40.03) and first fruit picking (79.57) from the day after transplanting. The highest number of primary and secondary branches (13.60), (12.67) with highest number of days to first flowering (45.20 days )and first fruit picking (45.20 days) more over with highest yield per hectare (84.63 tonnes) were recorded with the maximum fertigation level (F3) 180N: 90P: 90K kg per ha. Among interaction combinations, the highest number of days to first flowering and first fruit picking was recorded by the combination of variety Abhinav + 120 cm x 40 cm (S1) + 180N: 90P: 90K kg per ha (47.86 ), (91.73) days after transplanting