Research Note : IMPACT OF MICRONUTRIENT SPRAY ON GROWTH, YIELD AND QUALITY OF TOMATO (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) H.M.Singh* and Jitendra Kumar Tiwari National Horticultural Research and Development Foundation–Kota *E-mail:-hmsingh1983@yahoo.com; jktiwari17@yahoo.in ABSTRACT: The present experiment comprised of five levels of micronutrient and two levels of concentration. The maximum plant height, number of leaves per plant, number of flowers per plant, number of fruits per plant, fruit yield per plot, T.S.S. % and ascorbic acid (mg/100g) were found with the application of T 8 (Boric acid + Zinc sulphate + Copper sulphate @ 250 ppm each). The maximum total sugar (%) was found under T 0 (Control). Keywords : Tomato, boron, copper, zinc. Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) belongs to family Solanaceae having chromosome no. 2n = 24. A large number of high yielding varieties and hybrids of tomato has been developed by universities, ICAR and other private sectors but the national average yield has not recorded as significant level one of the main reasons for this wide gap is that proper emphasis has not been given on nutritional management. Application of micronutrients has got the tremendous effects besides the use of major nutrient fertilizers to increase crop yield. Adams (1) reported that micronutrients like boron, copper and zinc if applied through foliage can also improve the vegetative growth, fruit set and yield of tomato. Response of vegetable crops to application of small quantity of micronutrient elements has been reported by Mallick and Mathukrishnan (4). The main functions of micronutrients are to help in the photosynthesis of green plants as well as the synthesis of chlorophyll. The elements boron, copper, manganese, iron, zinc and molybdenum are classified as essential micronutrients because their requirement is relatively low but they are as essential as the larger amount of primary and secondary nutrients for plant growth and development. The present investigation on yield and quality of F 1 hybrid tomato var. Rashmi was carried out under field conditions in the Department of Horticulture, Allahabad Agricultural Institute, Naini Allahabad (U.P.) during winter season of 2005-2006. There were a total of 11 treatments viz. T 0 -Control, T 1 -Boric acid @100 ppm, T 2 -Boric acid @ 250 ppm, T 3 -Zinc sulphate @100 ppm, T 4 -Zinc sulphate @ 250 ppm, T 5 -Copper sulphate @ 100 ppm, T 6 -Copper sulphate @ 250 ppm, T 7 -Boric acid + Zinc sulphate + Copper sulphate @ 100 ppm each, T 8 -Boric acid + Zinc sulphate + Copper sulphate @ 250 ppm each, T 9 -Commercial formulation (Multiplex) @100 ppm and T 10 -Commercial formulation (Multiplex) @ 250 ppm. Treatments were applied as faliar spray of micro-nutrients two times at 30 and 45 days after tomato seedlings transplanting which were replicated thrice in randomized block design. All cultural practises recommended for growing good crop were followed. Observations on various growth and yield parameters were recorded and analysed statistically. The observations (Table 1) revealed at that the maximum plant height (80.40 cm) was recorded in treatment T 8 (80.40cm) followed by T 7 (77.20 cm) and T 6 (77.07 cm) whereas, the minimum plant height (66.60 cm) was recorded in treatment T 0 (control) followed by T 3 (72.07 cm). Combined application of micro- nutrient increased the plant height which might be due to the fact that zinc may serve as source of energy for synthesis of auxin, which helps in elongation of stem. Similar findings Received : 29.12.2012 Accepted : 31.1.2013 HortFlora Research Spectrum, 2(1): 87-89 (Jan.-March 2013) ISSN : 2250-2823