~ 2565 ~ International Journal of Chemical Studies 2018; 6(4): 2565-2568 P-ISSN: 2349–8528 E-ISSN: 2321–4902 IJCS 2018; 6(4): 2565-2568 © 2018 IJCS Received: 22-05-2018 Accepted: 27-06-2018 Tanvi Raj Department of Vegetable Science, Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, India Madan Lal Bhardwaj Regional Horticultural Research and Training Station, Dr YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Jachh, Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, India Saheb Pal Division of Vegetable Crops, ICAR- Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Hesaraghatta, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India Correspondence Saheb Pal Division of Vegetable Crops, ICAR- Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Hesaraghatta, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India Performance of tomato hybrids for quality traits under Mid-hill conditions of Himachal Pradesh Tanvi Raj, Madan Lal Bhardwaj and Saheb Pal Abstract An experiment was conducted during Kharif 2016 at the Experimental Farm of RHR&TS, Jachh, Kangra, Himachal Pradesh with an objective to evaluate the quality traits of 20 hybrids resulting from ten lines and two testers mated in a line × tester mating design. The hybrid, EC-620410 × Solan Lalima had maximum fruit shape index while the hybrid EC-37239 × Solan Lalima recorded least number of locules per fruit. Both these traits are desired for long distance transportation as well as processing. Maximum pericarp thickness was recorded the hybrid EC-37239 × FT-5, whereas, the hybrid between LE-79-5 and FT-5 excelled among all with respect to TSS. Ascorbic acid content in the fresh fruits was maximum in BT-1-1 × FT-5. All the studied traits are among the key traits desired for processing and for long distance transportation. Keeping the consumers’ preferences and specific end use in view, for commercial exploitation of heterosis, these hybrids may further be evaluated in multiple locations for yield and other yield contributing traits before releasing them as a variety. Keywords: Tomato, quality traits, performance, mid-hills, Himachal Pradesh Introduction Tomato, Solanum lycopersicum L, a member of family Solanaceae and native of Central and South America (Vavilov, 1951) [1] , is regarded as one of the most important, popular and widely grown vegetables around the globe. Mature and ripe fruits are consumed raw as salad or cooked with other vegetables. Moreover, it holds a top position in the list of processed vegetables (Chaudhary, 1996) [2] . It is processed into different forms viz., puree, paste, sauce etc. Based on the nutritive value and the antioxidant properties owing to presence of lycopene, vitamin c (ascorbic acid) and flavonoides, it is globally considered as ‘protective food’ (Raj et al., 2017) [3] . Consumption of fresh tomato and/or tomato based products can act against major lifestyle diseases viz., cancer and cardiovascular diseases (Canene-Adams et al., 2005) [4] . In Himachal Pradesh, tomato is cultivated throughout the year and thus, this state has become a leading supplier of fresh tomato in the North Indian states during off-season. In most of the states of India, a huge proportion of the fresh produce is lost due to market glut in the peak production season and a lean availability period is observed in the off-season. The loss is mainly attributed to lack of processing and storage facilities and unsuitability of most of the leading fresh-market commercial varieties for processing, which requires high total soluble solids and ascorbic acid content, high acidity (low pH) and dry matter content, lesser number of locules, thick pericarp, oblong shapped fruits resulting into long storage life. Keeping these facts in mind, the experiment was formulated to generate twenty hybrids from ten lines and 2 testers, mated in a line × tester mating design (Kempthorne, 1957) [5] and to evaluate their performance in terms of quality traits in the Mid-hill conditions of Himachal Pradesh. Materials and Methods The experiment was conducted at the Experimental Research Farm, RHR&TS, Jachh, Kangra, Himachal Pradesh. 20 hybrids were produced by following a line × tester mating design with 10 lines viz., EC-8910155, EC-191531, EC-191535, EC-620410, EC-174913, EC-267727, EC- 37239, LE-79-5, Yalabingo, BT-1-1 and two testers viz., Solan Lalima and FT-5 during Rabi, 2015. Both the lines and the testers, except Solan Lalima were procured from NBPGR, New Delhi and Solan Lalima is an indeterminate pure line released from the Department of Vegetable Science, Dr. YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan, Himachal Pradesh. The resultant hybrids and their parents were evaluated in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications during Kharif, 2016.