Effect of zinc and boron application on growth, yield and quality of cherry tomato under protected cultivation

Introduction

Cherry tomato (Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme) is a small-fruited, warm-season crop prized for its sweetness, vibrant color, and rich nutrient profile. It thrives best at average monthly temperatures of 21-23 °C, with environmental factors like humidity and light intensity strongly influencing fruit set and pigmentation (Kusumiyati et al., 2023; Tanksley, 2004) [11,22] . Nutritionally, it contains about 94.5% water, with notable amounts of potassium, calcium, vitamins A and C, alongside antioxidants such as lycopene and flavonoids, which contribute to benefits against cardiovascular disease and cancer (Baby et al., 2018; Singh et al., 2017; Collins et al., 2022) [2,19,4] . Balanced nutrition is vital: while macronutrients support structural growth, micronutrients particularly zinc (Zn) and boron (B) are essential for enzymatic regulation, hormone balance, pollen viability, sugar transport, and overall yield (Hamzah et al., 2018; Day & Aasim, 2020; Nadeem et al., 2018) [8,5,14] . Foliar application offers rapid absorption, bypassing soil-related uptake barriers (Gupta et al., 2005; Fageria et al., 2002) [7,6] . Application of micronutrients has emerged as an efficient and responsive method to supply micronutrients directly to the plant canopy. This approach bypasses soil-related nutrient fixation issues and facilitates rapid nutrient uptake through leaf stomata and cuticular pores (Gupta et al., 2005) [7] . Moreover, micronutrients application of ensures better nutrient use efficiency, particularly in conditions where soil pH or moisture content might limit root absorption (Fageria et al., 2002) [6] . Combined foliar application of Zn and B has shown particularly strong effects. For example, in cherry tomato, the most effective treatment-2.0 g/L each of ZnSO₄ and B boosted plant height (>148 cm), clusters per plant (>16), fruit count (>244), yield (~4.98 t/ha), TSS (13.1 °Brix), and vitamin C content (~14.1 mg/100 g). Similarly, in other tomato varieties, combined sprays around 0.1-0.2% improved plant vigor, flower set, fruiting, stem girth, and early flowering. Despite these promising results, there remains a gap in region-specific trials investigating combined Zn and B foliar applications in cherry tomato. This study aims to evaluate individual and combined effects of Zn and B sprays on growth, yield, and fruit quality under our local agro-climatic conditions, with the goal of optimizing treatment strategies for improved productivity and nutritional value.

Materials and Methods

The present investigation entitled "Effect of Zinc and Boron on Growth, Yield and Quality of Cherry Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme) under Protected Condition" was conducted during the rabi season of 2024-2025 at the Department of Horticulture, Sam Higginbottom Institute of Agriculture, Technology And Sciences, under protected conditions. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with 15 treatments, each replicated thrice. Healthy seeds of cherry tomato were sown in protrays containing a sterilized potting mixture of cocopeat, vermiculite, and perlite in a 3:1:1 and thirty days old seedlings was transplanted in raised beds within the polyhouse, following recommended spacing and standard agronomic practices. Before transplanting, well-decomposed farmyard manure (FYM) was incorporated into the beds at the rate of 12 tonnes per hectare. Application of zinc and boron was done after transplanting using analytical-grade zinc sulphate (ZnSO₄) and boric acid (H₃BO₃). The treatments were as follows: T 0 (Control), T 1 (Boron @ 30 ppm), T 2 (Boron @ 60 ppm), T 3 (Boron @ 90 ppm), T 4 (Zinc @ 30 ppm), T 5 (Zinc @ 60 ppm), T 6 (Zinc @ 90 ppm), T 7 (Zinc @ 30 ppm & Boron @ 30 ppm), T 8 (Zinc @ 30 ppm & Boron @ 60 ppm), T 9 (Zinc @ 30 ppm & Boron @ 90 ppm), T 10 (Zinc @ 60 ppm & Boron @ 30 ppm), T 11 (Zinc @ 60 ppm & Boron @ 60 ppm), T 12 (Zinc @ 60 ppm & Boron @ 90 ppm), T 13 (Zinc @ 90 ppm & Boron @ 30 ppm), T 14 (Zinc @ 90 ppm & Boron @ 60 ppm), and T 15 (Zinc @ 90 ppm & Boron @ 90 ppm). Observations on growth parameters, yield and quality was recorded and all the recorded data were statistically analysed using the method of analysis of variance (ANOVA) as suggested by Panse and Sukhatme (1985) [15] , with the significance of treatment effects evaluated at the 5% level of probability.

Results and Discussion

Results regarding the influence of boron and zinc on growth, yield and quality of cherry tomato have been recorded, interpreted in Table 1 in light of the impact of different treatments during the experimentation and are discussed under the following heads:

Growth Parameters

The foliar application of boron and zinc significantly influenced all the growth parameters at each observation intervals (30, 60, 90 and 120 DAT). Among all the treatments, T 15 (Zinc @ 90 ppm & Boron @ 90 ppm) recorded the maximum plant height across all intervals, 47.59 cm at 30 DAT, 114.19 cm at 60 DAT, 190.94 cm at 90 DAT and 235.28 cm at 120 DAT followed closely by T 14 (Zinc 90 ppm & Boron 60 ppm) having 46.58 cm, 111.80 cm, 186.29 cm and 229.47 cm at 30, 60, 90 and 120 DAT respectively. The control treatment T 0 exhibited the least growth performance recording 32.59 cm, 78.22 cm, 130.37 cm and 162.45 cm at 30, 60, 90 and 120 DAT respectively. This improvement in plant height with increasing concentrations of zinc and boron might be attributed to their roles in enhancing enzymatic activities, promoting cell elongation, and stimulating hormone synthesis. Zinc is known to influence auxin production, while boron plays a pivotal role in cell wall formation and nutrient translocation (Vera-Maldonado et al., 2024) [23] . These findings are supported by Sultana et al., 2016 [21] and Vera-Saha et al., 2023 [16] , who reported significant growth responses in tomato to zinc and boron micronutrient applications. DAT respectively). This can be ascribed to improved nutrient uptake and utilization, which facilitates greater vegetative development and canopy expansion, ultimately contributing to improved photosynthesis and plant vigour (Akanksha and Dhillon 2022) [1] . The additive and synergistic effects of combined zinc and boron applications are evident from the progressive increase in plant height and branching in integrated treatments compared to sole applications. These results affirm with the findings of Singh et al., 2017 [19] and Sandilya et al., 2023 [17] on the efficacy of micronutrient integration for optimizing cherry tomato growth.

Yield and Quality Parameters

The data on yield and quality traits of cherry tomato revealed that the application of zinc and boron had a marked effect on improving reproductive flowering and fruit quality and is represented in Table 2. The yield parameters and yield per hectare is illustrated in 1 and 2 respectively. Treatment T 15 (Zinc @ 90 ppm & Boron @ 90 ppm) was found most effective in enhancing yield attributes such as number of flowers per cluster (11.78) [9] and Shnain et al., 2017 [18] in cherry tomato. [20] . The results are consistent with findings of Milagres et al., 2019 [13] and Singh and Kaur et al., 2024 [10] , who reported significant improvements in yield and quality traits of cherry tomato with foliar applications of zinc and boron.

Conclusion

The present investigation clearly demonstrated that the application of zinc and boron, particularly in combined forms, had a significant positive influence on the growth, yield and quality traits of cherry tomato (Solanum lycopersicum var. cerasiforme) under protected cultivation. Among all the treatments, T 15 (Zinc @ 90 ppm & Boron @ 90 ppm) emerged as the most effective, resulting in the highest values for plant height, number of branches, number of flowers and fruits per cluster, fruit weight, and total yield per plant and per hectare. This treatment also improved fruit quality traits such as total soluble solids and vitamin C content, while reducing the days to first harvest, thereby promoting earliness. Therefore, it can be concluded that foliar application of zinc and boron in combination, particularly at 90 ppm each, is a viable strategy to enhance both productivity and fruit quality in cherry tomato under protected cultivation. Adoption of such micronutrient management practices can play a pivotal role in sustainable intensification and nutritional enhancement of tomato production systems.

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