Impact of Calcium Carbide Induced Nitrogen Uptake and Ethylene Related Response on Fruit Quality of Three Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) Cultivars

Coated calcium carbide (CCC) inhibits nitrification by causing a slow-release of acetylene in the soil. It improves nitrogen uptake and influences physiology of crop plants through ethylene produced by the reduction of CCC-induced acetylene. In consequence, CCC application improves growth and yield of tomato; however, little or no information is available regarding its impact on tomato fruit quality. Three tomato cultivars, viz. Tenzila, Rio Grande and F1 3560-S, were sown in soil-filled pots, and CCC was applied 6 cm deep at the rates of 0, 100, 200 and 300 mg CaC2 per pot. On the first day of full ripening, five fruits with maximum redness were sampled from each treatment and analyzed. Fruit firmness, total soluble solids and ascorbic acid content were found maximum at 100 mg CaC2, whereas 200 mg dose was found the most effective for increasing fruit lycopene content. Titratable acidity was gradually increased with increasing rate of CaC2 up to 300 mg per pot. CCC significantly improved total nitrogen uptake and induced dwarfing in tomato plants, which are the proxy indications for nitrification inhibition and CCC-induced ethylene production in soil. These results highlight an existing potential of CCC for improving important quality attributes of tomato possibly through enhancing N uptake, and exogenous ethylene supply.