Foliar application of calcium chloride and borax influences plant growth, yield, and quality of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) fruit

The influence of CaCl2 and borax on growth, yield, and quality of tomato was investigated during the years 2009 and 2010. The experiment was laid out with a randomized complete block design. Calcium chloride (0.3% and 0.6%) and borax (0.2% and 0.4%) solutions were applied as foliar sprays either alone or in combination and data were recorded for plant height, branches per plant, flowers per cluster, fruits per plant, yield, fruit weight, fruit firmness, and total soluble solid content of the fruit. The application of CaCl2 alone significantly increased the plant height and fruits per plant and decreased the incidence of blossom end rot. Borax alone significantly enhanced the number of branches per plant, number of flowers per cluster, fruits per cluster, fruits per plant, fruit weight, fruit firmness, and total soluble solid content of the fruits. Foliar application of CaCl2 (0.6%) + borax (0.2%) resulted in the maximum plant height (86.60 cm), branches per plant (7.21), flowers per cluster (32.36), fruits per plant (96.37), fruit weight (96.33 g), yield (21.33 t ha(-1)), fruit firmness (3.46 kg cm(-2)), and total soluble solids (6.10%) and the lowest blossom end rot incidence (6.25%). However, the difference among 0.6% CaCl2 + 0.2% borax, 0.3% CaCl2 + 0.2% borax, and 0.6% CaCl2 + 0.4% borax was nonsignificant.