Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Miller) is one of the most important vegetable crops grown throughout the world under field and greenhouse conditions. Tomato belongs to the family Solanaceae and it is believed to have originated in the coastal strip of western South America, from the equator to latitude of about 300 South. In terms of human health, tomato is a major component in the daily diet in many countries, and constitutes an important source of minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants. The responses of tomato seeds to different seed treatments were interpreted in term of plant height (cm) number of leaves, number of branches and number of flowers per plants. In terms of yield parameters viz., number of fruits per plant, average fruit weigh per plant, fresh weight per plant and dry weight per plant. To raise the tomato yield for the winter (rabi) season, five treatments were seeded. Normal/plain water is the fifth treatment (T0), 600 ppm CaCl2 (600 mg/L), 1200 ppm CaCl2 (1200 mg/L), 1800 ppm CaCl2 (1800 mg/L), and 2400 ppm CaCl2 (2400 mg/L) are the fifth and sixth treatments, respectively. Given the summarized results, it is possible that the tomato plant's growth physiology is significantly impacted by acute calcium chloride stress. 

Tomato, CaCl2, Growth, Lycopersicon esculentum Miller and Yield.

Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) is one of the most important vegetable crop cultivated all over the world for its fleshy fruits. It belongs to the family Solanaceae. The cultivated tomatoes originated as wild forms in the Peru-Ecuador-Bolivia area of South America. Earlier, tomatoes were thought to be poisonous and long before it was considered fit to eat, it was grown only as an ornamental garden plant. Today, it is recognized as one of the important commercial and dietary vegetable crops (Bauer et al., 2004). One of the most popular vegetables in the world is the tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum). Because fruits like tomatoes are sensitive, postharvest management is just as important as manufacturing methods. Any point in the handling system, from harvesting to storage and marketing to the ultimate delivery to the customer, might result in post-harvest losses. Particularly in tropical and subtropical regions, tomatoes are extremely perishable due to their climacteric character. After harvest, between 30 and 50 percent of the food is lost due to improper handling and preservation (Mazumder et al., 2021).

Tomatoes are farmed on over 3.9 million hectares of land globally and are members of the Solanaceae family (Hussein et al., 2010). According to the FAO (2022), it is a day-length neutral plant. Along with energy-producing iron, vitamin B1, and phosphorus, tomatoes are also a wonderful source of vitamin E, magnesium, niacin, and bone-healthy copper. Tomatoes are a significant source of phenolics, vitamin C, carotenoids (particularly those that speed up or delay ripening, reduce losses, and improve lycopene), and trace levels of vitamin E, which slows down daily meals and preserves color and quality (Mishra and Prakash 2018). Epidemiological study results indicated that tomatoes and tomato-derived products may offer protection against a variety of pathogens by decreasing shriveling, which eventually forms of cancer, especially cardiovascular diseases (Khachik et al., 2002).

It is well known that calcium ions play a significant role in preserving the quality of fruits and vegetables by participating in a variety of physiological processes. In a number of fruit crops, including tomatoes, elevated Ca+2 levels have been demonstrated to lower respiration and ethylene generation rates (Tolasa et al., 2021). From the study, it has been concluded that among the different treatments, T7 (RDF + Foliar application of calcium @ 0.5% at 45 and 75 Days after transplanting) showed significant positive effect on growth and yield parameters as well as soil and economics as recorded maximum values of gross and net returns (Chauhan et al., 2023). Verma et al. (2024) concluded that Spray of salicylic acid @ 150 ppm and CaCl2 @ 1.5 % enhance the growth, yield and quality of tomato. The effectiveness of using CaCl2 as a postharvest treatment varies depending on the crop. In this study, a local tomato variety called "Thilina" that was collected at commercial maturity was used to test the effects of various CaCl2 administration methods and concentrations. Fruits treated with CaCl2 had their postharvest quality assessed in typical tropical storage settings. Additionally, a water-soluble dye was used to study the probable calcium routes.  

The investigation at Department of Biological Science, Sam Higginbottom Institute of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, (Deemed- to- be- University) Allahabad (U.P.) India. 

Details of Experiment. Crop- Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum), Variety- S-22, No. of Treatment -5, No. of Replication -3, Total No. of plots -15 

Treatment Combination. T0=normal /plain water, T1=600 ppm CaCl2 (600mg /L), T2=1200ppm CaCl2 (1200mg/L), T3=1800ppm CaCl2 (1800mg/L), T4=2400ppm CaCl2 (2400mg/L).

The results obtained from the present investigation as well as relevant discussion have been summarized under following heads 

Plant height (cm). Plant height (cm) peaked 45 days after the test in T0 = Normal/plain water (49.00cm), followed by T2 = 1200ppm CaCl2 (1200mg/L) (49.00cm), and T3 = 1800ppm CaCl2 (1800mg/L) (46.33cm). T0 = Normal/plain water had the lowest plant height (cm), followed by T3 = 1800 ppm CaCl2 (1800 gm/L) (52.00 cm) and T4 = 2400 ppm CaCl2 (2400 mg/L) (53.00 cm) at 60 DAT. T1=600 ppm CaCl2 (600 mg/L) (52.66 cm) followed by T2=1200 ppm CaCl2 (1200 mg/L) (53.00 cm) had the highest plant height (cm) at 75 DAT, whereas T0 Normal/plain water had the lowest (49.33 cm). Tejwashwani (2018) rеportеd that the application of CaCl2 alonе significantly incrеasеd thе plant hеight.

Number of Leaves & Branches /plant. In T1=600 ppm CaCl2 (600 mg/L) (49.33), the highest number of leaves was recorded at 75 DAT, followed by T0=normal/plain water (42.66) and T3=1800 ppm CaCl2 (1800 mg/L) (35.00). With T1=600 ppm CaCl2 (600 mg/L) (54.00), the highest number of leaves was seen 60 DAT, followed by T2=1200 ppm CaCl2 (1200 mg/L) (50.00), and T4=2400 ppm CaCl2 (2400 mg/L) (38.66). For T0=normal/plain water, the highest number of leaves was recorded 45 DAT (64.00), followed by T2=1200ppm CaCl2 (1200mg/L) (62.66), and T4=2400ppm CaCl2 (2400mg/L) (51.00). Among T0=normal/plain water (9.00), T1=600 ppm CaCl2 (600 mg/L) (7.33), and T4=2400 ppm CaCl2 (2400 mg/L), T3=1800 ppm CaCl2 (1800 mg/L), and T4=2400 ppm CaCl2 (2400 mg/L), the greatest number of branches was recorded 45 DAT. Sixty DAT had the highest number of branches in T0=Normal/plant water (9.00), followed by T1=600 ppm CaCl2 (600 mg/L) (8.00), and T3=1800 ppm CaCl2 (1800 mg/L) (7.33) that had the lowest number. T2 had the fewest branches (75 DAT) at 1200 ppm CaCl2 (1200 mg/L) (9.00), followed by T1 at 600 ppm CaCl2 (600 mg/L) (9.33), and T4 at 2400 ppm CaCl2 (2400 mg/L) (7.33). (Rab and Haq 2012) invеstigatеd in tomato plants (Solanum lycopеrsicum L.) at influences plant growth, yield, and quality of tomato wеrе rеducеd whеn salt was appliеd during thе dеvеlopmеnt of thе first inflorеscеncе.

Number of flower & Fruit/Plant. In T0=normal/plain water, the highest number of flowers per plant was recorded at 45 DAT (17.00), followed by T1=600 ppm CaCl2 (600 mg/L) 14.66, and T4=2400 ppm CaCl2 (2400 mg/L) (10.00). In T0=normal/plain water, the highest number of flowers per plant was recorded at 60 DAT (13.33), followed by T1=600 ppm CaCl2 (600 mg/L) (11.66), and T4=2400 ppm CaCl2 (2400 mg/L) (7.33). The highest blossom count per plant was recorded 75 DAT in T0=normal/plain water (1.66), followed by T1=600 ppm CaCl2 (600 mg/L) (0.66), and T2=1200 ppm CaCl2 (1200 mg/L) (0.00). After 60 days, the highest number of fruits per plant was recorded in T0=normal/plain water (4.33), followed by T2=1200ppm CaCl2 (1200mg/L) (3.00), and T4=2400ppm CaCl2 (2400mg/L) (2.66). T0 = normal/plain water (3.66) had the most fruit per plant at 75 DAT, followed by T1 = 600 ppm CaCl2 (600 mg/L) (3.00), and T3 = 1800 ppm CaCl2 (1800 mg/L) and T4 = 2400 ppm CaCl2 (2400 mg/L). Liu еt al. (2010) studiеd undеr simulatеd drought strеss using CaCl2 solution to improvе tomato fruit quality. 

Average Fruit Weight (g)/Plant. The average fruit weight (g) per plant was maximum in the physiology tomato T0=normal /plain water (475) followed by T1=600 ppm CaCl2 (600mg /L) (218) and the minimum was observed in T4=2400ppm CaCl2 (2400mg/L) (125) average fruit weight (g) per plant. According to (Daundasekera et al., 2015) it was reported that CaCl2 increases the fruit weight and yield of many crops such as the tomato exhibited a significant reduction in fresh weight

Fresh & Dry Weight/ Plant (g). The treatment the fresh weight was observed with T0=normal /plain water (36.8) followed by in T1=600ppm CaCl2 (600mg/L) (25.4) and the minimum was observed in T4=2400ppm CaCl2 (2400mg/L) (13.1). Maximum dry weight in T0 = normal plant / water (14.7) followed by T1 = 600ppm/ CaCl2 (600mg/L) (10.5) and the minimum was observed in T4 = 2400ppm CaCl2 (2400mg/L) (6.3). Abdur and Ihsan-ul Haq (2012b) rеportеd that the application of CaCl2 alonе significantly incrеasеd thе plant hеight and fruits pеr plant and dеcrеasеd thе incidеncе of blossom еnd rot. Borax alonе significantly еnhancеd thе numbеr of branchеs pеr plant, numbеr of flowеrs pеr clustеr, fruits pеr clustеr, fruits pеr plant, fruit wеight, fruit firmnеss, and total solublе solid contеnt of thе fruits. 

Table 1a: Effect of calcium chloride stress on growth and yield parameters of tomato.

Table 1b: Effect of calcium chloride stress on growth and yield parameters of tomato.

Fig. 1a. Effect of calcium chloride stress on plant height of tomato.

Fig. 1b. Effect of calcium chloride stress on growth & yield parameters of tomato.

Fig. 1c. Effect of calcium chloride stress on growth & yield parameters of tomato.