Response of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) to foliar application of eggshell powder and micronutrients under subtropical conditions of Uttarakhand

Nutrient imbalances and suboptimal growing conditions limit the productivity and fruit quality of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) in the hilly regions of Uttarakhand. To overcome this problem, a field experiment was conducted to assess the impact of eggshell powder in conjunction with selected micronutrients (boron, zinc, and iron) on the growth yield and quality attributes of tomato cv. Pant T-3 during the spring-summer season of 2023. The results revealed the maximum plant height at 60 and 90 days after transplanting (DAT) (82.50 cm and 93.23 cm, respectively), number of primary branches per plant (10.33), number of flower clusters per plant at 60 DAT (27.50), number of flowers per cluster at 60 DAT (6.23), number of fruits per cluster (5.60), number of fruits per plant (57.36), average fruit weight (49.76 g), fruit length (3.68 cm), fruit yield per plant (2.32 kg), fruit yield per plot (25.71 kg), fruit yield per hectare (476.21 q), titratable acidity (0.46%) and vitamin C content (26.59 mg/100 g), and minimum incidence of fruit borer (20.58%) with the application of the treatment T9 (Eggshell powder @1% + B @100 ppm + Zn @100 ppm + Fe @100 ppm). Therefore, this integrated nutrient management strategy may be recommended as a sustainable, low-cost and environmentally friendly solution for enhancing tomato production under the subtropical conditions of Uttarakhand.