Abstract:
Tomato is an important vegetable crop having high nutritional value. Diff erent agronomical
practices have been used to increase its quality. Hence, fi eld experiments were carried out to
evaluate the infl uence of fi ve weed control methods (Pendimethalin at 4 lha-1, Pendimethalin at 4
lha-1 + one hand weeding at 6 WAT, two hand weeding at 3 and 6 WAT, weed free and weedy check)
on the biological productivity and nutritional compositions of two varieties of tomato (Roma
V.F. and Tropimech). The weed control methods were arranged following randomized complete
block (RCB) design in split-plot arrangement. The results showed that out of the fourteen weed
species encountered six weed species: Euphorbia heterophylla, Tridax procumbens, Phyllantus
amarus, Tithonia diversifolia, Gomphrena celosioides and Ageratum conyzoides were found to
be preponderant. Pendimethalin at 4lha-1 + one hand weeding at 6 WAT and two hand weeding
at 3 and 6 WAT showed better weed reduction (53-68%), when compared to sole application
of Pendimethalin at 4lha-1(32-41%). The weed free check was the most eff ective in controlling
weeds (96-99%). Growth attributes such as plant height, number of leaves, leaf area, and aboveground dry weight, relative growth rate and net assimilation rate, the number of fruit per plant and
harvest index were signifi cantly enhanced in all the weed control methods compared to the weedy
check. Higher values of the afore mentioned growth attributes were signifi cantly higher under
Pendimethalin at 4 lha-1 + one hand weeding at 6 WAT when compared to other weed control
treatments. The biochemical constituents such as vitamin C, lycopene and β-carotene and all the
proximate composition except fi bre were signifi cantly higher in sole Pendimethalin at 4lha-1and
Pendimethalin at 4lha-1 + one hand weeding 6 WAT than other weed control methods. Growth and
yield were higher in variety Roma V.F. than Tropimech, while biochemical constituents were found
to be higher in Tropimech than Roma V.F. Pendimetalin at 4lha-1 + one hand weeding 6 WAT was
found to be eff ective in weed suppression with positive infl uence on the biological productivity and
nutritional compositions of the two studied varieties.
