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Abstract

Heat stress can be mitigated through improved management practices such as sowing dates/planting time and balanced nutrient supply such as potassium and boron. Here, we investigated the yield and thermotolerance in tomato through sowing dates and nutrient application. The experiment was laid out in RCBD split plot arrangement with two factors i-e. sowing dates (20th Feb, 6th March and 21st March) which was placed in main plot and various concentrations of nutrients (potassium at the rate of 150 and 300 mg L-1 and boron 20 and 40 mg L-1) and combination were 150 K + 20 B mg L-1 and 300 K + 40 B mg L-1 were arranged in sub plot. Result revealed that heat stress was controlled by sowing dates and different concentrations of nutrients significantly affected growth and yield of tomato. Regarding sowing dates maximum value for plant height (63.61 cm), number of leaves per plant (73.5), pollen viability (80.66 %), yield (12.90 t ha-1), leaf potassium content (2.57 mg g-1), leaf boron content (2.61 mg g-1), starch content in pollen grains (1.36 mg g-1), sugar content in pollen grains (2.77 mg g-1), DPPH radical scavenging activity (46.78 %) and polyphenol oxidase (41.78 %) were demonstrated on early sowing date (20 Feb). Concerning nutrients foliar application, maximum values for plant height (71.66 cm), number of leaves per plant (83.3), pollen viability (83.04 %), yield (14.67 t ha-1), leaf potassium content (3.15 mg g-1), leaf boron content (3.06 mg g-1), starch content in pollen grains (1.71 mg g-1), sugar content in pollen grains (3.18 mg g-1), DPPH radical scavenging activity (48.33 %) and polyphenol oxidase (43.33 %) were noted in plants treated with 300 mg L-1 K + 40 mg L-1 B application. It was concluded the tomato crop could be treated with combine application of potassium and boron in early as well as late sowing days to obtain high quality fruit production under the agro-climatic conditions of Balochistan-Pakistan.

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