Performance Analysis of Tomato Hybrids under the Hill Agroclimatic Zone of Assam, India

Abstract

Background: Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is widely used in Indian cuisine-whether cooked, processed, or consumed raw in salads, due to its antioxidant and nutritional benefits. It is rich in vitamins, carotenoids, lycopene, and phenolic compounds, making it an important dietary and commercial crop. Aim: A field experiment was conducted to assess the performance of tomato hybrids Arka Abhed and Arka Rakshak under farmers’ field conditions in the Hill agro-climatic zone of Assam. Methodology: The trial was laid out in a Randomised Block Design (RBD) with seven replications. All seven replications were the seven villages representing three blocks of the district during 2022-23, 2023-24 and 2024-25. Two hybrid varieties were taken in the study, namely Arka Abhed and Arka Rakshak and the hybrid variety Rocky was chosen as a check. Five plants were selected randomly from every treatment to record data on various yield and growth parameters. Results: Results indicated that Arka Abhed outperformed all other tested varieties, including the local check (Rocky), in terms of yield and yield-contributing parameters. Among the three hybrids, Arka Abhed recorded the highest fruit yield (402.06 q/ha), followed by Arka Rakshak (363.42 q/ha) and var. Rocky (282.36 q/ha). Var. Arka Abhed also exhibited superior performance in terms of the number of branches per plant (110.53), average fruit weight (126.47 g), and number of fruits per plant (71.22), while var. Arka Rakshak recorded 12.1 branches, 91.66 g average fruit weight, and 53.66 fruits per plant. The local variety Rocky showed the lowest values for these parameters, with 10.3 branches, 86.87 g fruit weight, and 44.36 fruits per plant. Economic analysis revealed that var. Arka Abhed achieved the highest gross profit (Rs. 804,120.00/ha) and benefit-cost ratio (5.75), compared to var. Rocky had the lowest gross profit (Rs. 451,776.00/ha) and benefit-cost ratio (3.44). Conclusion: Based on these findings, var. Arka Abhed demonstrates significant potential for adoption in the region and may be recommended for wider cultivation to enhance yield and economic returns for farmers in the Hill zone of Assam.