Tomato is one of the potential vegetable crops both under protected and open field conditions in mid hills of Himachal Pradesh. The production under protected as well as open conditions has suffered in mid hills of HP due to biotic and abiotic stresses. Among biotic stresses bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum is the most devastating disease under protected as well as open field conditions in mid hills of HP which reduces tomato yield to very low levels. Chemical control is not effective and resistant varieties are scanty, therefore, vegetable grafting is the effective alternative to combat this problem. The experiment was conducted during Spring-Summer season 2016 at Palampur to find out bacterial wilt resistant rootstock and for quality traits . TSS, Pericarp thickness and Ascorbic acid content. Three grafting techniques were used and tomato scion grafted on five brinjal and two tomato rootstocks plus control (non-grafted plots). Difference rootstocks and grafting techniques significantly affected the quality traits of tomato. Among the rootstocks RS6 (Palam Pink) had maximum pericarp thickness ( mm). The treatment RS2 (VI-047335) was recorded highest ascorbic acid content mg/100g in tomato fruits. Maximum TSS of °Brix was observed in fruit from plants grafted on rootstock RS1 (VI-045376), which was significantly superior to other rootstocks used in the study. Slant cut grafting was found as best grafting technique in tomato for quality traits. All the rootstocks used in the study showed resistance to bacterial wilt. Control (non-grafted tomato) recorded bacterial wilt disease incidence. | Effect of root stocks and grafting techniques on quality of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) under Polyhouse conditions
