Growth, Yield and Biochemical Characteristics of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) Genotypes under Seasonal Heat Stress

This field study was conducted to evaluate yield and fruit quality of tomato genotypes under seasonal heat stress condition (April-June) in plains of Chitwan valley, Nepal for two consecutive years in 2018 and 2019 at research farm, of Agriculture and Forestry University, Rampur, Nepal. Nine tomato genotypes were evaluated for their morphological, flowering, yield and biochemical traits in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Results showed significant differences (P = 0.05) among all genotypes for all traits evaluated. Genotypes AVTO-9304 and AVTO-9801 were early flowering and flowered within 28 days after transplanting. The highest marketable fruit yield of 110.6 and 92.6 t ha-1 was recorded in genotype TO-1057 in 2018 and 2019, respectively with the mean yield of 101.6 t ha-1 whereas genotype AVTO-9802 produced the lowest fruit yield in both years (34.0 and 32.0 t ha-1 in 2018 and 2019, respectively) with the mean yield of 32.9 t ha-1. The highest amount of total soluble solid content (4.90 oBrix) was observed in genotype AVTO-9803. Genotype ‘AVTO-1314’ had a significantly higher amount (12.60 mg 100 g-1) of ascorbic acid but statistically at par with AVTO-9801, TO-1057 and Pariposa-4102. This study identified genotype TO-1057 as a highly productive genotype suitable for cultivation during summer months in Chitwan and this genotype could be promoted in other agro-ecological regions having the similar climatic conditions.