Preliminary Study of Tomato Hybrids for Yield and Morphological Quality Attributes Under Khumaltar Condition, Nepal

An experiment was conducted to evaluate tomato hybrids (Lycopersicon esculentum) for qualitative attributes of tomato fruits in Horticulture Research Division, Nepal Agriculture Research Council, Khumaltar, Lalitpur, Nepal. Fruits from newly developed eleven hybrids from council and an existing popular tomato hybrid, "Srijana" were selected to evaluate and characterize yield and quality attributes. In this study vegetative character, fruit quality parameters and yield of tomato hybrids were observed and recorded. Fruit quality parameters of each hybrids were distinctly varied with each other. Indeterminate growth habit was observed from HRA 13× HRD 7, HRA 14× HRD 7, HRA 17× HRD 1, HRA 17× HRD 1, HRA 20× HRD 4, HRA 20× HRD 1 and Sirjana while HRA 15× HRD 6, HRA 16× HRD 1, HRA 16× HRD 4 and HRA 20× HRD 6 showed determinant type of growth habit. The total fruit yield per hectare ranged from 80.83 ton/ha (HRA 14× HRD 7) to 45.89 ton/ha (HRA 15× HRD 6). Yield of hybrids HRA 13× HRD 7, HRA 13× HRD 7, HRA 20× HRD 1, HRA 20× HRD 2, HRA 20× HRD 6and HRA 16× HRD 1 had 78.50 ton/ha, 73.75 ton/ha, 70.44 ton/ha, 68.72 ton/ha, 64.64 ton/ha respectively which were superior to an existing popular variety, Srijana (62.33 ton/ha). Hybrids having indeterminate growth can be recommended for plastic house cultivation and hybrids with determinate growth habit will be suitable for seasonal cultivation. Study on consumer preference and multiyear multi location trial of the good performer hybrids is to be done before recommendation and promotion of these hybrids in Nepal.